Mr. Smith Goes to Newport

The Nate Smith era dawns at the Newport Jazz Festival.

Nate Smith, keeping the beat during the 2026 Newport Jazz Festival, his first as Artistic Director. (Jonathan Chimene)

Midday sun blazed over Fort Adams on Sunday, as the Newport Jazz Festival made an impromptu pivot. Sienna Spiro, a buzzy young retro-soul siren from London, had just informed the Newport Festivals team that she wouldn’t be appearing as …