George Wein, the impresario who almost single-handedly turned the jazz festival into a worldwide phenomenon, died Sept. 13 at his apartment in Manhattan. He was 95.

Jazz Festivals were not a new idea when Mr. Wein was approached about presenting a weekend of jazz in the open air in Newport, RI. But there had been nothing as ambitious as the festival Mr. Wein staged in 1954. The lineup included Billie Holiday, Dizzy Gillespie, Oscar Peterson, Ella Fitzgerald and other stars. The inaugural Newport Jazz Festival drew thousands over two days. It made a profit of only $142.50, but merited a return engagement, establishing itself as a jazz institution.

Over the years, Mr. Wein received numerous honors and accolades, including a National Endowment for the Arts Jazz Master, induction into the French Legion of Honor, honors by two U.S. presidents, and a lifetime achievement award from the Recording Academy.