Jazz festival in Barcelona awarded its gold medal to entrepreneur George Wein

Barcelona (ACN).- The Artistic Director of the ‘Voll-Damm Barcelona International Jazz Festival’, Joan Anton Cararach, gave the festival’s Gold Medal to George Wein, the founder and organiser of the Newsport Jazz Festival, held in this American city since 1954. The award was presented on Newport Festival’s main stage, in front of 7,000 spectators waiting for the last performances of the day by Dianne Reeves and Pat Metheny. Cararach, said that “Newport is the grandfather of all the festivals, but still maintains a huge influence”, and Wein recognised the uniqueness of Barcelona’s jazz festival and the effort made by its organising company, The Projects.

Wein paid tribute to the jazz festival in Barcelona, recalling his first visit to the city: “It had nothing to do with what it is now, but it had the unique spirit of promoting the best jazz, as it continues to do”. He also spoke of Barcelona festival’s organising company , The Project, who according to Wein is “currently struggling with a situation that we can’t believe is true”, making reference to the Spanish Government’s increase of VAT for cultural services and activities.