The Houston International Jazz Festival
Houston, Texas

When: early August

Where: Jonas Plaza in downtown Houston.

As the temperatures soar into the triple digits, tourists and locals alike can chill out with the cool jazz riffs performed at The Houston International Jazz Festival, a three-day bash that has benefited the budding be-boppers who have studied this all-American musical artform at annual jazz workshops since 1991.

The sultry tones of a saxophone winds like tendrils of cigarette smoke through Jonas Plaza during a series of indoor and outdoor concerts that showcase the genre's many musical inflections, ranging from the smooth notes of classic jazz and free-flowing form of improvisation to the melange of melodies that create jazz fusion.

Held in conjunction with "August Jazz Month Houston," over 5,000 music lovers each year enjoy the celebration of sounds, which prides itself as being the only US jazz festival featuring a roster of predominantly international artists.

For more information:

• visit www.jazzeducation.org