George Wein Announces Sponsorship Opportunities - Jazz Festival In Newport

March 17, 2009 - PRLog -- The world-famous jazz festival in Newport, RI, which was founded in 1954 by George Wein, is available for sponsorship for the first time in 24 years. A golden opportunity for any corporation, the festival, which will be held August 7 - 9 at Fort Adams State Park in Newport, will bring instantaneous world-wide recognition to the company that sponsors this renowned music event.

In announcing the new sponsor search, Wein thanked JVC for more than two decades of friendship and support. "The association with JVC is perhaps the longest running event sponsorship in history. The company placed us at a level that no one can ever imagine and affected jazz and the jazz festival in a way that increased awareness of the art form and touched people around the world.

"Jazz is synonymous with quality and innovation and any organization that gets involved with the jazz festival in Newport will immediately benefit from the more than five decades of this newsworthy celebration of America's music.  The sponsorship fee is attractive and we look forward to forging new relationships as we continue to bring great music to Newport and beyond," Wein said.

The jazz festival in Newport will feature at least 40 major jazz names over three days on multiple stages. Artists will be announced in early April.

The jazz festival in Newport has been the beacon of jazz for 55 years. It is the scene of Miles Davis' resurgences in 1955 and again in 1984 and Duke Ellington's historical 1956 comeback. Over the years, every major jazz artist has performed at the festival, including Thelonious Monk, Dizzy Gillespie, Ella Fitzgerald, Frank Sinatra, Sarah Vaughan, Louis Armstrong and Billie Holiday as well as contemporary artists including Herbie Hancock, Wynton Marsalis and Diana Krall. In 1978, President Jimmy Carter honored George Wein on the 25th Anniversary of the Newport Festival and in 1993, President Bill Clinton held a White House jazz festival in honor of the festival's 40th Anniversary.

In 1991, Mr.. Wein was decorated with France's Legion d´ Honneur for his creation of the contemporary jazz festival. George Wein pioneered the concept of sponsor association with music events, giving the sponsor the title presentation that guaranteed mention of the company's name in publicity and promotion. The Schlitz Salute to Jazz and the Kool Jazz Festivals preceded any other sponsor identity with jazz events.  Wein went on to produce the Mellon Jazz Festival, Benson & Hedges Blues Festival, Essence Music Festival and Verizon Music Festival, among others.

For more information on sponsorship opportunities for the jazz festival in Newport, contact John Phillips via e-mail at jphillips@georgewein.com.