the next thing you know he was the biggest thing. >> reporter: under wein's direction the festival is now focusing more on jazz's future than its past. relative newcomers like recent grammy nominee vocalist cecile mclorin salvant. >> to be here, to perform here, is something pretty surreal. also, the view when you're on stage is really calming. >> reporter: as founder of the newport jazz fest, wein has been described as the most important non-player in jazz, which is not at all accurate. >> i would say do you know duke ellington's eight train? >> sure. >> let's play it. >> reporter: as i witnessed while admittedly mixing business with pleasure, he remains a vibrant and gifted jazz pianist. today, outdoor jazz festivals are held across the country, but all are rifts on a tune george wein has been playing since 1954. >> i'm going to be 89 years old

but the real benefactor was meant to be newport itself. a tony, old-money, new england enclave looking to spice things up making their pitch to george wein at the time, a boston jazz club owner. >> we'd like to do something with jazz in newport. >> reporter: today, the newport jazz festival is considered the granddaddy of outdoor festivals. >> the people that have played here before us, duke ellington, lewis armstrongs, they say, wow, we're on that list too. >> reporter: 60 years later george wein is still in charge. was it difficult to get big names to come at first? >> no because the big names weren't getting that much money in those days. >> reporter: it hasn't always been smooth sailing, but wein's proudest moments have been watching careers blossom from this stage. >> we brought miles davis back. he was finished and played about midnight here in 1955. the next thing you know he was