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And a few older ones, too. Pianist and singer Freddy Cole -- brother to Nat King Cole
-- said he's looking forward to sharing a lineup with his niece, who is coming off a hit album and a European tour. He's also eager to catch up with old friends. "Anytime you get this many crazy musicians together, I wouldn't miss it," he said. "It's like a reunion. It's a chance to see all these guys who I don't get to see because they're out touring, just like me." Two years ago, Wein created a nonprofit foundation to oversee the festival
-- and its sister event, the Newport Folk Festival -- in an attempt to ensure their long-term survival. Nonprofit status allows for tax-deductible contributions from fans and corporate sponsors. The jazz festival is also sponsored by the investment firm Natixis Global Asset Management. Several other music festivals are already nonprofit, including the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival, which Wein also created. Although the status of jazz has waxed and waned in the nation that gave it life, it remains hugely popular in many other nations, and many of the performers playing Newport are at least as popular in Europe or Japan as they are in their homeland. Lewis, of the Dirty Dozen Brass Band, said he believes music in general and jazz in particular have a universal appeal. He recalled one concert when the band played for dignitaries in an Asian country. "Somebody told us, 'Don't expect these people to get up and dance. They just don't do that kind of thing,'" he said. "Well, we started playing, and I saw those feet start tapping. The response is always the same. One of the great things a musician can do is make people happy. If you make somebody happy, you can change somebody's life." ___ Online: Newport Jazz Festival: http://newportjazzfest.net/
[Associated
Press;
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