GEORGE WEIN

WEIN--George T. The Louis Armstrong Educational Foundation mourns the passing of our dear friend and colleague, George T. Wein. The impresario, promoter, pianist, educator, art collector philanthropist, Grammy Honorary Trustee Award recipient, and NEA Jazz Master, Wein was a co- founder, and creator of the Newport Jazz Festival and the Newport Folk Festival. For seven decades, he was the most influential presenter of music around the globe. He died peacefully in his sleep on Monday, September 13, 2021. He was 95. George Theodore Wein was born in Lynn, MA, on, October 3, 1925, to Dr. Barnet and Ruth Wein, and was the younger brother to Lawrence. The family moved to Newton where he started taking piano lessons at the age of eight; went on to serve in the Army during WW II and upon his return to Boston, graduated from Boston University. At 25 he opened his own jazz club, Storyville, where among others he presented jazz greats of the day including Louis Armstrong, and Wein started a record label of the same name, recording some of the best in live music. In 1954, he met Newport socialites, Louis and Elaine Lorillard, who asked him to create something to liven up summers in the City-by-the-Sea. With the necessary support from the Lorillards, Wein created the Newport Jazz Festival; and today it is still the gold standard for presenting jazz to the public. In 1959, he co-founded the Newport Folk Festival with folk artist Pete Seeger. The same year Wein married the true love of his life, Joyce Alexander, an African-American biochemist, who was his partner in all aspects of his life. In 1972, Wein came to New York City, and launched: the Newport Jazz Festival-New York. He pioneered the idea of sponsorship marketing for music events, and with promoter Dino Santangelo launched the KOOL Jazz Festivals, featuring jazz, R&B and soul artists on the same stages in large arenas in New York and across the country. As his productions grew they circled the globe with events in Warsaw, Copenhagen, Berlin, Tokyo, Paris and Niece, among others. His influence also made it possible for many international artists to work in the United States. Having sold his company in 2007, he later reacquired the festival names and later established his flag ship Newport based festivals as a charity. In 2016, the Newport Festivals Foundation began sending its Jazz Assembly Band into schools to celebrate the rich history of jazz, reaching more than 35,000 students, so far. Newport Festivals Foundation also provides relief to hundreds of musicians impacted by the pandemic and nationally presented over 100 grants for music education programs. Collectors of works by Black artists, Wein and his wife, who died in 2005, created The George and Joyce Wein Collection of African-American Art, which went on display at Boston University in 2019. The collection contained works from a host of artists including Romare Bearden, Elizabeth Catlett, Norman Lewis, Beauford Delaney and Jacob Lawrence. The Joyce and George Wein Foundation contributes to a number of cultural organizations and has established The Joyce Alexander Wein Artist Award recognizing African-American artists who demonstrate great innovation, promise and creativity. The Foundation also established The Joyce and George Wein Chair of African American Studies at Boston University and the Alexander Family Endowed Scholarship Fund at Simmons College. The Foundation also supports Dr. Glory's Youth Theater, a multi-ethnic non-profit children's theater. In 2014, the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Foundation opened the George and Joyce Wein Jazz & Heritage Center, an education and community facility in the city's Treme section. Wein was more widely known as a producer/promoter than musician and when he received a Grammy Honorary Trustee Award in 2015, the awards show host, rap star/actor LL Cool J, said, "George Wein defined what a music festival could be with the Newport Jazz Festival, Newport Folk Festival and the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival. This is a great guy. More than anyone, George set the stage for what great festivals today look like; festivals like Coachella, Bonnaroo - he made this possible." Throughout his career, Wein made stars of, and revived the careers of generations of musicians who performed at his venues. He has perhaps done more to preserve jazz than any other individual. As a pianist, he recorded over 10 records, including Wein, Women and Song, George Wein and the Newport All-Stars, and Swing That Music. He made his last public performance in 2019 in Newport at a pre-festival concert and he presented his band, the Newport All-Stars, at the 2010 and 2012 jazz festivals. Wein was honored by heads of state, educational institutions, and leading publications. He served as an Honorary Trustee of Carnegie Hall and on the board of The Louis Armstrong Educational Foundation. George T. Wein is survived by his nieces Margie Wein of Brooklyn, NY, and Carol Wein of Watertown, MA; sister-in-law Theodora McLaurin of Chestnut Hill, MA; and longtime friend, Dr. Glory Van Scott of New York City. George and Joyce had no biological children, but he loved and nurtured dozens of festival "children and grandchildren" around the world. Photo Credit: John Abbott