The Jazz Festival Returns to NYC

George Wein may be old and grandfatherly, but he's pretty hip. In a column at JazzTimes yesterday, February 3rd, 2010, the man who gave birth to the jazz festival as we know it reflected on reinstating a Summer jazz festival in New York City. Last year the tradition was halted due to financial woes. Turns out, the 84-year-old impresario has his ear to the ground: "What about Brooklyn? I keep hearing that there is an exciting jazz scene over the bridge." Finally, someone of the white-haired jazz enthusiast contingency understands! I always suspected that those old guys yelping about the demise of jazz really just had no idea where to look for it.

After attending the 2010 NYC Winter JazzFest, Wein noted that he "hadn't seen such energy for a genre of music since the folk scene in Greenwich Village when Dylan, Peter, Paul and Mary, The Clancy Brothers and many other wonderful artists were emerging." The turnout for and buzz around Winter JazzFest must have clued Wein in on the fact that in order to maintain the jazz lifeline, young people can't be locked out by high ticket prices. Most of the venues during the 2010 CareFusion Jazz Festival, which will take place from the 17th to the 26th of June, will charge $15.00, and won't require a drink minimum.
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http://jazz.about.com/b/2010/02/04/the-jazz-festival-returns-to-nyc.htm