A Newport Jazz Festival of the Mind

Right about now, in any other year, many of us would be gearing up for a trip to Newport, R.I. This year, of course, is different. The Newport Jazz Festival is one of countless pleasures put on hold, with a hopeful marker in place for next year. Which got us thinking not only about what we’re missing, but also about what the festival means — as a summer ritual, as a rite of passage, as a historical nexus, as a brand name.