By Doug Levine
Washington
01 July 2008

With the summer season now underway in North America, people areflocking to the great outdoors, especially for concerts and musicfestivals. VOA's Doug Levine previews three popular jazz festivalsthat promise something for everyone, come rain or shine.

Detroit,Michigan, may be known as the birthplace of Motown Records, but it'salso home to one of the fastest-growing jazz festivals in the U.S.

Benny Golson

Celebratingits 29th year, the Detroit International Jazz Festival (8/29-9/1) willstretch its borders to pay tribute to the city of Philadelphia,Pennsylvania, with a musical celebration named "A Love Supreme: TheDetroit/Philly Summit." Representing Philadelphia, are trumpeter RoyHargrove, saxophonists Benny Golson and Jimmy Heath, guitarist PatMartino, and this year's Artist in Residence, bassist Christian McBride.

Alsoon tap are Detroit-born vocalist Dianne Reeves, pianists Hank Jones andGeri Allen, guitarist Jim Hall, the Dizzy Gillespie All-Star Big Band,and saxophonist Ravi Coltrane leading a special tribute to his mother,Alice Coltrane.

All of the concerts at the Detroit Jazz Festivalare free of charge, including a gospel show, a "Here and Now" stage foremerging artists, a jazz talk tent, a "Kid Bop" section, and a showcaseof the area's top high school and college jazz ensembles.

Montreal Jazz Festival

Thosein search of a musical outing further north can head to the MontrealJazz Festival in Quebec, Canada. The 11-day festival began on June 26,and is already delivering the most diverse lineup of jazz, rock, worldmusic, hip-hop and Afro-pop in its 29-year history.

Jazz divasCassandra Wilson, Dianne Reeves and Abbey Lincoln will each be therepromoting new releases, as well as piano masters Dave Brubeck, McCoyTyner and Hank Jones.

More than two million people are expectedto attend the 2008 Montreal Jazz Festival. Compare that to the 12,000fans who witnessed the very first festival in 1980. Music will stretchfrom one end of downtown to the other, with an offering of 500 concertson indoor and outdoor stages, in small jazz clubs, and on a cruise boatdocked on the Saint Lawrence River.

Far from the hustle andbustle of downtown Montreal are the welcoming breezes of NewportHarbor, the backdrop to "America's First Jazz Festival," the JVC JazzFestival in Newport, Rhode Island (8/8-8/10). Newport began hostingthe festival in 1954, and over the years, has featured some of thegreatest names in jazz, blues and R&B.

Fresh from theMontreal Jazz Festival, "The Queen of Soul," Aretha Franklin will makeher first appearance at the JVC Jazz Festival on August 9. Also comingto town that weekend are jazz giants Herbie Hancock, Wayne Shorter,Dave Holland and Sonny Rollins.