George Wein

George Wein earned his greatest recognition in jazz through his efforts in founding and managing festivals, most notably the Newport Jazz Festival that he co-established during 1954, along with the launch of his personal Storyville venue throughout the 1950s. Beyond these accomplishments, Wein performed skillfully as a pianist drawing from Earl Hines and sometimes lent his voice to songs, finding ease within swing and Dixieland contexts. Beginning in the 1950s and continuing sporadically, he performed and documented sessions alongside his Newport All-Stars ensemble featuring cornetist Ruby Braff, clarinetist Pee Wee Russell, and tenorman Bud Freeman, with subsequent additions of tenor saxophonist Scott Hamilton and cornetist Warren Vache. On September 13, 2021, George Wein passed away in New York City at the age of 95.