The Newport Folk Festival in Rhode Island is one of the longest-running and most famous festivals in the country. Founded in 1959 by Pete Seeger, Theodore Bikel, Oscar Brand, and Albert Grossman, Newport has served as a launching pad for the careers of many greats, including Joan Baez and Bob Dylan. The Festival is also where many "lost" bluesmen of pre-war blues were able to establish or revive their musical careers in the 1960s. Newport has hosted many famous performances, including Dylan's controversial electric debut in 1965 and a legendary set from Howlin' Wolf in 1966. This year, Newport Folk Fest will go from July 24 - July 26 and two groups with strong New Orleans ties will be performing. New Breed Brass Band take to the stage on Friday, July 24. Jon Batiste & Stay Human perform on Sunday, July 26.

New Breed takes the vibe of New Orleans Second Lining to their performances while still evolving the sounds of the street. "We bring outside influences like Earth, Wind & Fire and Brass Construction [in], trying to interpret a different song for every genre and make it all our own sound," said snare drummer Jenard Andrews. New Breed launches from the traditional brass band sound and infuses funk, rock, jazz, and hiphop. The nine-piece band has shared bills with many great New Orleans artists, including Dr. John and Trombone Shorty & Orleans Avenue.

Jon Batiste has a recognizable last name around this city. He comes from a rich lineage of musicians, including The Batiste Brothers and Russell Batiste, and grew up playing percussion with his family before switching to piano at age 11. Jon's success began early with acceptance to Julliard as a teenager. He remained in New York and has been ensconced in the music scene there for over a decade. In 2015, Batiste is having a banner year after being chosen as the new bandleader for "The Late Show" by Stephen Colbert as he takes the reigns from longtime host David Letterman. Colbert and Batiste will take to the television airwaves in September but before then, Batiste has a few appearances to fulfill, including the performance at Newport, with his group Stay Human.

Preview both groups below: