Jazz enthusiasts gathered at The Supper Club last month, here, for the announcement of the 2005 JVC Jazz Festival. Now in its 51st year with Festival Productions Inc., and marking the 22nd year JVC has sponsored the festival, the concert series will run from June through October. Performers will appear in New York; Newport, R.I.; Miami Beach; Los Angeles; San Francisco; Chicago; Paris; The Hauge; and Warsaw, Poland.
While the band Romero played on stage in between speakers, roughly 400 people listened as Rick White, senior producer at Festival Productions, outlined what’s to come in this year’s festival. White paid tribute to JVC, noting that the company’s support of jazz “is unequaled in corporate America.” Karl Bearnarth, JVC’s marketing VP, praised the innovation of jazz, and said that the company strives to match that innovation and “continues to push the envelope for our fans.”
George Wein, CEO of Festival Productions, spoke of some of the highlights of the upcoming festival, including tributes to musicians Doc Cheatham, Rosemary Clooney and Jaco Pastorius, and a 90th birthday celebration for Les Paul. Over 300 artists in more than 100 concerts will perform at 30 venues in Manhattan and Brooklyn, N.Y. Three free concerts will also occur, including the festival’s debut at Prospect Park in Brooklyn, South Street Seaport and the World Financial Center.
For more information about the festival, visit www.festivalproductions.net.
