The Newport Jazz Festival All-Stars

The Newport Jazz Festival All Stars is a group assembled by jazz pianist George Wein - born October 3, 1925, in Lynn, Massachusetts – featuring veteran jazz musicians and new talent. George Wein’s career goes back to the early 1950s, but he is best known as one of the founders and organizers of the Newport Jazz Festival, which gave this group its name. In 1954, George Wein was approached by Louis and Elaine Lorillard, who invited him to organize a jazz festival in their hometown of Newport, Rhode Island. The Newport Jazz Festival became an extremely successful annual affair that still attracts the biggest names in jazz over 60 years later. The group was first brought together in 1959 to record an album to be made available by the opening of the 1960 Newport Jazz Festival. The first album, The Newport Jazz Festival All-Stars (1960) featured George Wein joined by Buck Clayton (trumpet), Vic Dickenson (trombone), Pee Wee Russell (clarinet), Bud Freeman (tenor saxophone), Champ Jones (bass), and Jake Hanna (drums). The group recorded the album in a jam session similar to the feel of the old Jazz at the Philharmonic sessions. The group returned in 1963 – as The Newport All-Stars – on the album George Wein & the Newport All-Stars (1963). The group featured a few of the musicians from the previous album joined by Ruby Braff (cornet) and others. Different variations of the group appeared on several different albums before taking a long break. George Wein revived the band name in 1985 with a whole new line-up including Scott Hamilton (tenor saxophone), Oliver Jackson (drums), Norris Turney (alto sax/clarinet), and others. They released their self-titled album in 1985 and followed that with European Tour (1989) and Bern Concert ‘89 (1990).

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