Which event is widely regarded for showcasing American jazz artists to global audiences?

The Newport Jazz Festival is widely recognized for its significant role in promoting American jazz artists to audiences around the world. Established in 1954, this festival became one of the first to focus exclusively on jazz and has hosted a remarkable lineup of legendary musicians throughout its history, including Duke Ellington, Louis Armstrong, and Ella Fitzgerald. The festival not only highlighted American jazz but also played a crucial role in the genre's evolution and its global reach, setting a standard for jazz festivals worldwide.

In contrast, while other festivals like the Montreux Jazz Festival and the North Sea Jazz Festival are influential in their own rights and have also featured American artists, they emerged later or differ in focus and style. The Montreux festival, for instance, encompasses a broader range of music genres beyond jazz, and the North Sea festival also includes a mix of contemporary styles. Thus, the Newport Jazz Festival stands out distinctly for its foundational role in showcasing jazz at an international level.