June is normally jazz month in New York City with the long-running JVC Jazz Festival New York covering close to two weeks of shows in concert halls and clubs. With JVC feeling the pinch of the recession and dropping its sponsorship of concerts, combined with Festival Network apparently still in financial straits, there will be no major jazz festival this coming June in Gotham.
Jazz Festival New York used to be produced by George Wein, who sold his Festival Productions to the Festival Network two years ago. However, Wein is producing three jazz concerts in June at Carnegie Hall in New York: British vocalist Jamie Cullum on June 20, and Canadian pianist/vocalist Diana Krall with a symphony orchestra on June 23-24.
These shows have no involvement with Festival Network. Wein no longer considers himself to be employed by Festival Network, which last paid him in November 2008. He subsequently handed in his resignation.
Wein is also returning to Newport, RI, as producer of the town’s annual jazz and folk festivals after Festival Network defaulted with a late payment to the local government for the use of Fort Adams State Park for last year’s festivals.
Additionally, Wein is reportedly planning several more Big Apple promotions in June.
