Newport Jazz Festival Newport Jazz Festival The Newport Jazz Festival is a music festival held every summer in Newport, Rhode Island. Elaine Lorillard established the festival in 1954, and she and husband Louis Lorillard financed it for many years. They hired George Wein to organize the first festival and bring jazz to Rhode Island. Most of the early festivals were broadcast on Voice of America radio, and many performances were recorded and released as albums. In 1972, the Newport Jazz Festival was moved to New York City. In 1981, it became a two-site festival when it was returned to Newport while continuing in
Isle of Wight International Jazz Festival Isle of Wight International Jazz Festival The Isle of Wight Jazz Festival ran from 2005 to 2008, in the small seaside town of Ventnor. Since the start of the festival it hosted a range of artists including Terry Callier, Cleo Laine, Maceo Parker, John Dankworth, Dennis Rollins. Humphrey Lyttelton and Ian Shaw. The 2009 Festival was cancelled and no festival has been held since. For 2009 some venues refused to accept bookings from the organisers until musicians and suppliers from previous years confirmed they have been paid. The organisers announced that after a new director was taken on, the financial