Most jazz people are night owls who don't get much sun, so summer festivals give the music, players and fans all a good airing out.

Jazz sounds different outdoors, in front of picnicking, sunbathing crowds, than it does in the musty clubs where it is normally played. And it's not just the speakers; the musicians actually play differently. A hot summer day tends to melt away some of the reclusive, introspective bluesy-ness of jazz, leaving the spontaneity and good-time feeling. And with so many people in the audience, including colleagues, musicians tend to give their best performances.

More than 50 festivals will be held throughout Japan from the end of this month through September. Among the foreign players participating are Lavay Smith, Gary Burton, Monty Alexander, Mike Stern and Antonio Hart. One of the great pleasures of festivals, however, is hearing someone you hadn't heard before. And with so many locations and times, wherever you are there's sure to be some excellent music close by. Only a few highlights of the upcoming jazz festivals will fit here, but more detailed listings will be included in a summer festival preview in this Wednesday's Re:View.