Greg Abate, who is listed in Downbeat Magazine’s latest critics poll as among jazz music’s top rising stars, brought his uptown jazz quintet to The Newport Playhouse & Cabaret Restaurant for a high powered night of music on Thursday.

Known for his straight-ahead jazz and bee-bop style, Abate’s performance is part of Bridgefest, linking the folk and jazz festivals, and came on the eve of the opening of the Newport Jazz Festival. It was a great way to get a jump start on a jazz-filled weekend.

The show, an official 2018 Newport Bridgefest event, was organized and produced by What’sUpNewp and The Newport Playhouse & Cabaret Restaurant.

Ryan Belmore is the owner and publisher of What's Up Newp. He took over the publication in 2012 and has grown it into a three-time Rhode Island Monthly Best Local News Blog (2018, 2019, 2020). He was named LION Publishers Member of the Year in 2020 and received the Dominique Award from the Arts & Cultural Society of Newport County the same year. He has been awarded grants for investigative and community journalism, and continues to coach and mentor new local news publications nationwide. Ryan...