Download Free Music Samplers for Newport Folk and Jazz Festivals

The Newport Folk Festival and Newport Jazz Festivals are among the biggest celebrations of these music genres, and the folks at NPR Music are offering a free MP3 sampler of 12 songs for each of them. This is a good way to get up to speed on some of the musicians who are playing at this year's festivals and hear some of their tunes for free.

You can download the free Newport Folk Festival and Newport Jazz Festival samplers at this site, and see what tunes are included in each collection. Among the songs in the Folk Festival sampler:

• "I and Love and You" by The Avett Brothers from I and Love and You
  
• "I Keep Faith" by Billy Bragg from Mr. Love & Justice
  
• "Easy" by Deer Tick from Born on Flag Day
  
• "Chains, Chains, Chains" by Elvis Perkins in Dearland from Elvis Perkins in Dearland
  
• "Mykonos" by Fleet Foxes from the Sun Giant EP
  
• "Look at Miss Ohio" by Gillian Welch from Soul Journey
  
• "Belated Promise Ring" by Iron & Wine from Around the Well
  
• "God Is God" by Joan Baez from Day After Tomorrow

As usual, NPR Music will be covering the Newport Folk Festival (which is celebrating 50 years) with live broadcasts and Webcasts, and will also be checking on on the Newport Jazz Festival. Check these sites for details and schedules.

Also, check out FolkAlley's list of the 100 most essential folk songs, and stream them on your computer.