Raising children can be a full-time job. For keyboardist, composer and arranger Liz Kinnon, raising children while pursuing a career in jazz music was like having two full-time jobs. Liz's two sons inspired her to complete her first solo CD.

Legendary jazz vocalist Nancy Wilson celebrates her 70th birthday with special friends and colleagues on Wednesday, August 29, at 8:00 p.m. at the Hollywood Bowl. Since she began her professional singing career over fifty years ago, Nancy Wilson has built an inspiring repertoire, and continues to defy categorization with her versatile and sultry singing style.

An all-star lineup of jazz greats: Dave Brubeck, the Bruce Hornsby Trio and Madeleine Peyroux, treat Hollywood Bowl audience to their masterful and diverse performances, Wednesday, August 22, at 8 p.m. American jazz singer Peyroux, whose vocal style is often compared to that of Billie Holiday, opens the concert in her Bowl debut.

The State Theatre presents an all-new festival, the New Jersey Jazz Festival at the Backstage Jazz Club, September 28-30. It’s a dream-come-true weekend of all-star music in a creative setting for serious and casual jazz fans alike. There are four sets of Jazz-packed excitement.

JVC Jazz at the Hollywood Bowl continues its tradition of presenting the best of contemporary smooth jazz on Sunday, August 19, at 6 p.m. This year's artist roster includes world-renowned saxophone player Dave Koz; pianist David Benoit; vocalists Phil Perry and 19-year-old newcomer Kelly Sweet; guitarist Earl Klugh and His Little Big Band; and Summer Romance starring pianist Jim Brickman and saxophonist Michael Lington.

Lee Ritenour, one of the world's most prolific jazz guitarists, headlines an evening of first-rate jazz on Wednesday, August 15 at 8 p.m. featuring a distinguished line-up of musicians that includes Patrice Rushen, Richard Bona, Alex Acuna, and Brian Bromberg. West African jazz guitarist Lionel Loueke opens with his trio Gilfema, followed by the innovative John Scofield. This is the fifth of eight concerts that comprise the 2007 Jazz at the Bowl series.

Dubbo's jazz festival is vying to be the top event of its kind in New South Wales. The Dubbo Jazz Club will stage its 17th annual festival from today, which is expected to attract hundreds of jazz lovers from the eastern states to central western NSW.

Saxophonist and composer Randy Scott began his career with some of today's top jazz stars, including Nancy Wilson, Ronnie Laws and the group Hiroshima. But, as VOA's Doug Levine tells us, it was the music of the late sax great Grover Washington, Jr, and Scott's close friendship with Grover that he remembers most.

Bassist Art Davis, who backed jazz legends such as John Coltrane, Thelonious Monk and Duke Ellington, died at 73 of a heart attack at his home in California.

Who says Washington, D.C. isn't a blues town? For more than 30 years, Washington's premier blues band, The Nighthawks, has given the nation's capital a reputation as a thriving blues capital. From The Nighthawks came singer and guitarist Jimmy Thackery, who has made a name for himself outside the band and well-beyond the city limits.

Jazz singer Curtis Stigers describes himself as "a storyteller." With his latest album Real Emotional, Stigers tells not only his own stories, but also those of Bob Dylan, Paul Simon, Randy Newman and others. As we hear from VOA's Doug Levine, Stigers is in peak form on a new collection of songs that mix jazz with pop, rock and even country music.

Traps Magazine, known as "The Art of Drumming" is experiencing tremendous success with its targeted readers. The premiere issue of Traps sold 57% on the newsstand, and negotiated an expanded distribution agreement with Borders.