Famed Newport Jazz and Folk Festivals Go Non-Profit

    NEWPORT, RI, January 25, 2011 /24-7PressRelease/ -- The famed Newport Jazz Festival and Newport Folk Festival, held in Newport, RI, since 1954 and 1959 respectively, have returned to their original roots as non-profit events. The Festivals will now be produced under the umbrella of Newport Festivals Foundation, Inc., a newly-formed 501(c)(3) organization. They will still be produced by George Wein and his veteran staff.

Under Newport Festivals Foundation, each festival will continue the tradition of featuring established and emerging performers. The Jazz Festival will present musicians who follow the traditions of New Orleans, swing, bebop and modal as the heart of jazz music. In addition, the Foundation will honor the evolving cultural expression and freedom of creativity necessary to the growth and continuing vitality of the music.

The Foundation will continue the Newport Folk Festival by maintaining the excellence of artists in the tradition of Pete Seeger, Joan Baez, Bob Dylan and others, in addition to presenting performers who respect and honor these folk music traditions while reflecting the changes in today's music trends.

Through the establishment of partnerships with local schools and colleges/universities, the Foundation will develop programs to help educate young people, primarily from Rhode Island and New England, about jazz and folk music.

Newport Festivals Foundation Board of Directors includes: Richard M. Cashin, Managing Director, One Equity Partners; Jerome A. Chazen, Chairman, Chazen Capital; Joshua Feigenbaum, Media Entrepreneur; Bruce S. Gordon, former President and CEO, NAACP and retired Verizon Executive; Elliot L. Hoffman, Founding Senior Partner, Beldock, Levine & Hoffman, LLP; Vikas Kapoor, President and CEO of iQor; William M. Lewis, Jr., Managing Director and Co-chairman of Investment Banking, Lazard Ltd; Deborah Ross, Chief Administrative Officer and Acting Executive Director of the Foundation; Bruce Trauner, Partner, Beldock Levine & Hoffman, LLP; William M. Vareika, Owner, William Vareika Fine Arts; and George Wein.

The 2011 Newport Folk Festival is set for July 29 - 31; the Newport Jazz Festival is August 5 - 7. Artists and ticket on-sale dates will be announced in the spring.

For more information, log on to www.newportfestivalsfoundation.org. For festival sponsorship opportunities, contact [email protected].

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