Newport rolls on thankfully

George Wein is a huge fan of Esparanza Spalding. The singer-bassist (pictured) has been a Newport regular for the past few years - and with her unexpected Grammy win - will be a featured artist at the 2011 edition of the Newport Jazz Festival. This year’s event runs August 5 to 7.

Wein’s production company didn’t waste time in getting out the lineup this year. Tickets go on sale this Saturday through TicketMaster and www.newportjazzfest.net.

Relatively young artists and veterans make up the bill, as Wein & Co. work in various ways to build an extended audience base that also spans generations and jazz genres - and reaches out to young fans and potential fans.

Besides Spalding, the younger players in the lineup include Ambrose Akinmusire, Rudresh Mahanthappa, Miguel Zenón, Avishai and Anat Cohen, Hiromi, Trombone Shorty and John Hollenbeck. The veterans include Wynton Marsalis, Michael Feinstein, Al Di Meola, Charles Lloyd, Eddie Palmieri, Randy Weston and Michel Camilo among others.

Wein told the Providence Journal’s Rick Massimo that Spalding will perform both Saturday and Sunday at Fort Adams State Park. Each day, she will draw from the talent on the bill to put together a different band.

It’s a way to put a bit of improvisational programming/jamming into a performance format that doesn’t see much jamming anymore.

Here's the lineup:

FRIDAY, AUGUST 5, 2011 / 8 p.m.

International Tennis Hall of Fame

Michael Feinstein w Special Guest Joe Negri

Wynton Marsalis

SATURDAY, AUGUST 6, 2011 / 11:30 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Fort Adams State Park

Wynton Marsalis

Esperanza Spalding & Friends I

Eddie Palmieri Latin Jazz Band

Al Di Meola World Sinfonia

Michel Camilo "Mano a Mano" with Giovanni Hidalgo and Charles Flores

Hiromi

Mujeres De Agua by Javier Limón featuring Buika

Trombone Shorty & Orleans Avenue

Regina Carter's Reverse Thread

Steve Coleman and Five Elements

Joey DeFrancesco Trio

Grace Kelly with Special Guest Phil Woods

Ambrose Akinmusire Quintet

Mostly Other People Do the Killing

New Black Eagle Jazz Band

SUNDAY, AUGUST 7, 2011 / 11:30 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Fort Adams State Park

Esperanza Spalding & Friends II

Angélique Kidjo

James Farm with Joshua Redman, Aaron Parks, Matt Penman and Eric Harland

Hiromi: The Trio Project featuring Anthony Jackson and Simon Phillips

Charles Lloyd with Special Guest Zakir Hussain

Trombone Shorty & Orleans Avenue

Mingus Big Band

Ravi Coltrane Quartet

Randy Weston's African Rhythms Trio

Miguel Zenón Presents the Puerto Rican Songbook

John Hollenbeck Large Ensemble with Special Guest Uri Caine

Avishai Cohen's Triveni with Special Guests Joshua Redman and Anat Cohen

Apex: Rudresh Mahanthappa & Bunky Green

Brubeck Brothers

Berklee College of Music All Stars