Jazz impresario George Wein has found a corporate sponsor for his Jazz Festival 55 in Fort Adams Park in Newport, RI, August 7-9. CareFusion, a medical equipment manufacturer for hospitals and the provider of medical services, will not only sponsor the Newport jazz festival but also the revival of Wein’s Jazz Festival New York next June.
The New York festival was cancelled this season after 34 years when Festival Network had financial problems, compounded by JVC withdrawing all of its sponsorships internationally this year. Wein sold his Festivals Productions two years ago to Festival Network.
Wein, however, has not found a sponsor for his Folk Festival 50, still scheduled at Fort Adams Park in Newport on August 1-2.
CareFusion will also sponsor four other jazz festivals nationally and internationally with which Wein will have no involvement: CareFusion Chicago Jazz Festival, September 4-6; CareFusion Presents Dizzy’s Den at the Monterey Jazz Festival, September 18-20; CareFusion Manly Jazz Festival (Australia), October 3-5; and CareFusion Paris Jazz Festival, October 16-24. All six of the CareFusion Jazz Festival series of concerts are some of the oldest and largest jazz festivals in the world.
CareFusion created the CareFusion Jazz Festival Series to support the launch of its new brand and recognize individuals and organizations working to improve patient care. CareFusion will also broadcast live to hospitals the performances of select festival artists.
“There is a clear connection between jazz and medicine that provides the perfect opportunity to launch our new brand, raise funds for and awareness of patient safety and help support and preserve the arts,” said David Schlotterbeck, CEO of CareFusion, in a statement.
“Both jazz and the practice of medicine embrace innovation, performance and change. Jazz has also been used to teach listening skills to medical students and resonates with our customers,” Schlotterbeck continued. “In addition, the musicians playing at these festivals are the best and the brightest — a great fit for our company whose products are recognized as leaders in our industry.”
“This is a critical time to invest in the arts,” noted Wein. “CareFusion is re-igniting a 34-year tradition in New York City and supporting cultural institutions around the world. Over the decades, sponsors have always found us, as is the case with CareFusion.”
Wein continued, “We were going forward in producing the jazz festival in Newport without a sponsor; but when we got the call from CareFusion, this guaranteed that our work of 55 years in Newport would continue. New Yorkers and jazz fans around the world will be pleased to know that CareFusion will make it possible for jazz to once again take over the city in June. We are looking forward to creating an exciting and innovative 2010 CareFusion New York Jazz Festival to add to the important New York cultural scene.”
