• Newport Festivals Jazz Lab

    The next generation of jazz

  • Newport Festivals Foundations proudly launches Jazz Lab, an immersive experience that aims to create and hone the next generation of jazz musicians.

    The Jazz Lab meets every Saturday for an hour and a half where students work with instructors on jazz harmony and rhythm, ear training, jazz repertoire, improvisation, artistic creativity and jazz history. The start date is October 24th, 2026. The program fosters the importance of community and mentorship by hosting top-tier jazz musicians as guest teaching artists throughout the year, giving students public performance opportunities and providing field trips to listen to professional jazz musicians/ bands perform live. The culmination of the year concludes with the students performing at the iconic Newport Jazz Festival in the summer.

    This is a one year program.

    Audition Date: October 10th, 2026 10am-1pm (choose your time slot). 

    Location: The Rhode Island Philharmonic, 667 Waterman Ave, East Providence, RI.

    Program start Date: October 24th, 2026

  • Format: (000) 000-0000.
  • What instrument do you play?*

  • Audition Requirements

  • Auditions for the Jazz Lab will be held on October 10th, 2026 10am-1pm (choose your time slot) at The Rhode Island Philharmonic, 667 Waterman Ave, East Providence, RI.

    Please email leland@newportfestivals.org with any questions. 

    If there are no more audition time slots available, you may send in an audition tape following the audition requirements below. 

  • SELECT YOUR AUDITION TIME FOR OCTOBER 10th

  • During your audition, you will be asked to demonstrate the following: 

  •  Rhythm Section: (Piano, Bass, Guitar)

    - Demonstrate fluency in major scales, and 3 different qualities of chords (major, minor, and dominant) 

    - Perform 1-2 choruses of a one of the jazz solo transcriptions provided  (click here) OR you may pick one of your own. You will be asked in the audition to play along with the recording you choose. 

    - The emphasis on this part is accuracy of phrasing, dynamics, and articulation.

    - Any solo by known jazz masters of the music will be accepted. Some names included but are not limited to: Louis Armstrong, Ben Webster, Lester Young, Jackie McLean, Sonny Rollins, John Coltrane, Wayne Shorter, JJ Johnson, Curtis Fuller, Lee Morgan, Freddie Hubbard, Kenny Dorham, Clifford Brown, Roy Hargrove, etc. 

    - You may choose a solo that is played on a different instrument than the one you play OR the same instrument that you play.  


    - Pianists/Guitarists must demonstrate the ability to play the melody and to “comp” (accompany a soloist) on “Blue Monk” by Thelonious Monk, in the key of Bb. 

    - Bassists must be able to walk an appropriate bassline over the chord changes of a Bb blues. You may be asked to walk a bassline over the chord changes of a standard jazz song.Leadsheet (chordsheet with melody) will be provided during the audition.

    Please use this link to download music sheets for "Blue Monk."

  • Woodwinds/Brass: 

    - Demonstrate fluency in scale knowledge, be able to perform major scales up to 4 flats and 4 sharps with eighth notes at 120bpm.  

    - Demonstrate knowledge of Major and Minor triads and 7th chords. 

    - Perform 1-2 choruses of one of the jazz solo transcriptions provided (click here) OR you may pick one of your own. You will be asked in the audition to play along with the recording you choose. 

    - The emphasis on this part is accuracy of phrasing, dynamics, articulation.

    - Any solo by known jazz masters will be accepted. Some names included but are not limited to: Louis Armstrong, Ben Webster, Lester Young, Jackie McLean, Sonny Rollins, John Coltrane, Wayne Shorter, JJ Johnson, Curtis Fuller, Lee Morgan, Freddie Hubbard, Kenny Dorham, Clifford Brown, Roy Hargrove, etc. 

    -You may choose a solo that is played on a different instrument than the one you play OR the same instrument that you play.  

    - Play the melody of “Blue Monk” by Thelonious Monk, then improvise for two choruses, and then play the melody out. (Bb Blues)

     

  • Drums:

    - Drummers should be able to demonstrate the ability to play a swing feel with sticks and brushes at a medium and fast tempo. 
    - Demonstrate the ability to improvise and trade 4 and 8 bars with a soloist and maintain the tempo.
    - Demonstrate the ability to play with brushes on a ballad 
    - Demonstrate ability to play in medium swing ¾ meter
    - Demonstrate ability to play in a latin style (i.e. Bossa, Rhumba, Mambo, Cha-Cha, etc)

  • Vocalists: 

    - Be able to sing the melody of two jazz standards of your choice, they must be of contrasting styles. For example, one ballad/one bossa, one medium swing/one bossa, etc. It is strongly recommended to draw from the repertoire of jazz vocal greats such as Ella Fitzgerald, Sarah Vaughan, Dinah Washington, Frank Sinatra, Johnny Hartman, Nancy Wilson, etc. Listed below are some examples of songs. 

    1. Ballad (i.e,  Body and Soul, But Beautiful, Darn that Dream, In a Sentimental Mood…, etc)
    2. Medium or Uptempo Swing (i.e., There is No Greater Love, But Not for Me, All of Me, Autumn Leaves…, etc) 
    3. Brazilian/Bossa Nova (i.e. Wave, Triste, Chega De Saudade, Corcovado, The Girl from Ipanema, etc) 

    - Perform 1-2 choruses of a one of the jazz solo transcriptions provided (click here) OR you may pick one of your own. You will be asked in the audition to play along with the recording you choose. 

    - The emphasis on this part is accuracy of phrasing, dynamics, and articulation.

    - Any solo by known jazz masters of the music will be accepted. Some names included but are not limited to: Louis Armstrong, Ben Webster, Lester Young, Jackie McLean, Sonny Rollins, John Coltrane, Wayne Shorter, JJ Johnson, Curtis Fuller, Lee Morgan, Freddie Hubbard, Kenny Dorham, Clifford Brown, Roy Hargrove, etc. 

    - You may choose a solo that is played on a different instrument than the one you play OR a vocalists scat solo. 

     

  • Click here to download a guide to transcribing a jazz solo. 

     

  • Browse Files
    Drag and drop files here
    Choose a file
    Cancelof

  • Parent Signature: 

    By signing below, I allow my child to participate in the Newport Festivals Jazz Lab program. I understand that photos and videos of my child will be taken and posted on social media, television, etc. 

  • Should be Empty: