Cover: Women of Jazz
The AT&T San Jose Jazz Festival sweeps into downtown San Jose this weekend in a flurry of brass, strings and wild beats. Featured artist Sylvia Cuenca has found her groove. It hasn't always been that way for female instrumentalists.

Best of the Fest: Metro writers offer some of their San Jose Jazz Festival picks.

The In Sideman: Versatile Bay Area pianist Smith Dobson branches out with a new group.

Grand Big Band: Bandleader Ray Brown gets great big sounds from his Great Big Band.

Keep on Danzon: Charanga Nueve's subtle rhythms have deep historical roots.

Hiroshima Mon Amour: Japanese-American fusion band Hiroshima brings an edge to smooth jazz.

Fantastic Voyage: Jazz pianist Gonzalo Rubalcaba takes an introspective road with new album.

Bucking Bronx: The Bronx Horns heat up East Coast jazz with a blast of salsa and African beats.

News: Blackout Blues
Californians debate over nature's rapidly vanishing gifts in a land being usurped by corporate power plays.

Metropolis News Extras

• Santa Clara: Alternatives to VTA tax topic of conversation.
  
• Saratoga: Southwest YMCA physability program brings able-bodied and disabled together.
  
• Cupertino: Locals gear up to share passion for railroad modeling.

Beauty Calls: Are the scantily clad women who parade in swimsuit contests sex objects? No way, dude!

Public Eye: Big Brother Bill makes Valley's most powerful list. Dead man writes Merc news story. SJ mayor fumbles email etiquette.

Work: Confessions of a phat chick with cow eyes.

Proof Positive: Everclear puts on a happy face for the first of its two-part LP project, 'Songs From an American Movie, Volume I: Learning How to Smile.'

Rap en Español: Hip-hop beats amp up the Latin grooves on this year's Watcha Tour.

Aural Fixation: An all-ages rock festival hits South Bay venues this weekend.

Audiofile: Reviews of new CDs by Kina and Poison.

Hum-Drum Bum: A loafing oaf preaches macho nonsense in 'The Tao of Steve.'

Gold Standard: Miramax courts Oscar with 'Butterfly,' another boy-and-his-mentor movie.

Stage to Deceive: All the characters are putting on a show in clever Shakespeare Santa Cruz production of 'Cymbeline.'

Palate Pleaser: It's worth the trip to visit one of the Bay Area's most stellar chefs at Theo's in Soquel.

A La Carte: Willing spirits, winning wines, and free trips to Italy.