Newport Jazz Assembly Band at Middletown Public Library flyer. Image provided by Town of Middletown.

The Middletown Outreach Department is hosting a free jazz concert to celebrate Black History Month on Feb. 6.

The Newport Jazz Assembly Band will perform at the Middletown Public Library at 6:30 p.m. for an hour-long show open to everyone.

This event, organized with the Newport Festivals Foundation, aims to introduce people to jazz music’s history and traditions.

Since seating is limited, it’s best to register online at https://mdl.town/Jazz or call the Outreach Department at 842-6599 for more details.

The band’s appearance in Middletown is part of a bigger educational effort. They regularly play at schools throughout New England, mixing live music with interactive talks to get students interested in jazz’s rich history.

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...