Sites & Sounds: The Riviera Maya Jazz Festival

This popular jazz festival continues to grow in international stature and this year marks its 10th anniversary. The festival takes place at a favorite Playa del Carmen party spot: beautiful Mamita's Beach where you can watch the lights of the island of Cozumel twinkling in the distance as the music plays.

Scheduled to appear on November 22 are Big Band Joe-D'Etienne, Pete Escovedo and Victor Wooten. The 23rd will see performances by Nortec, Pancho Sanchez and Level 42 (the Brit band famed as a pop/dance act was originally a jazz/funk fusion outfit) and the festival closes out on the 24th with shows by John Scofield, the Wayne Shorter Quartet and perennial festival favorites Aguamala. Admission to all shows is free. Playa del Carmen is about 45 miles down the beach from Cancun.