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The Art of the Story

Newport's new Artistic Director Nate Smith on what he wants to bring to the festival

By Kyla Marshell
Published July 28, 2026 at 9:00 AM EDT
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Ahead of his first Newport Jazz Festival as Artistic Director, drummer, composer and producer Nate Smith talks to WBGO's Kyla Marshell about how he got the gig, who he's excited to see perform, and what he hopes fans get out of this year's festival.

This year's festival is officially sold out, but you can still attend with WBGO via our daytrip bus trips, on sale through Wednesday, July 29. More info and tickets available here.

Nate Smith and Kyla Marshell full interview

Tags
The Art of the Story Nate SmithNewport Jazz FestivalHerbie Hancock
Kyla Marshell
Kyla Marshell is a writer whose essays, poems, interviews and criticism have appeared in The Guardian, The Believer, Kinfolk, Gawker, BuzzFeed, O, the Oprah Magazine, The Ringer, The New York City Jazz Record and elsewhere. She has earned Jacob K. Javits, Cave Canem, UCROSS and MacDowell fellowships; Ebony.com named her one of "7 Young Black Writers You Should Know.
See stories by Kyla Marshell