Fresh Air, Fresh Music

The sounds of the outdoors are a major part of many people's summertime - babbling brooks, rustling leaves, crickets . . .

Over 500 top jazz artists will perform at the Monterey Jazz Festival.

Why not add to that cacophony some great jazz, pop, and country music?

Here's a look at the best outdoor summertime festivals around the country for whatever kind of music you crave:

CMA Music Festival
June 8 -11
Nashville, TN

Get out your cowboy boots and head to the country's country music capital, where 400 of the industry's hottest stars will be performing at this famous fest. After you've seen Brooks & Dunn and Rascal Flatts perform, you might even get the chance to meet them - there will be 30 hours of autograph signing with the stars. Then you can head over to get a backstage tour of the Grand Ole Opry, or, on June 8th, you can attend a benefit for that institution at its former home, the Ryman Auditorium.

Bonnaroo
June 16 -18
Manchester, TN

When you're not dancing and singing along to headliners Radiohead and Tom Petty, go to the on-site cinema, take the kids to the playground, or catch Lewis Black's stand-up in the comedy tent. If you're not up for a muddy, Woodstocky experience, book a nearby hotel room but move fast - they fill up quickly, and the farther away you go for one, the more traffic you'll be facing each morning (during the festival, it can get backed up for miles). Best bet? Rent an RV.

Brevard Music Festival
June16 - August 6
Brevard, NC

The Brevard Music Center's 400 students, ranging in age from 14 to 30, collaborate with faculty and guest musicians to put on classical, opera, and chamber music performances almost every night for 7 weeks. The Center's resident opera company will be performing The Sound of Music in late July.

Summerfest
June 29 - July 9
Milwaukee, MN

If there's a national headliner you want to see play live, chances are they'll be playing at this massive festival on the shores of Lake Michigan. Mary J. Blige, Carrie Underwood, and Nine Inch Nails are on this year's lineup. Want to feel like one of the stars? Become a "Big Wig" to get front row seats and special privileges and to see your name up on the big screen.

Mostly Mozart Festival
July 28 - August 26
New York, NY

For 40 years, the Mostly Mozart Festival at New York City's Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts has been a summertime favorite. The festival celebrates the music of Mozart and other classical greats through string quartets, orchestras, and vocal performances. This year has another reason to celebrate: 2006 marks the 250th anniversary of Mozart's birth. Just a few blocks away, Café Mozart is honoring the maestro's birthday with a $10,000 scholarship for young musicians. On the last Wednesday of every month, you can go listen to the young hopefuls who are competing for it.

The Monterey Jazz Festival
September 15 -17
Monterey, CA

The world's longest running jazz festival will be held in the oak-studded Monterey Fairgrounds in California. Over 500 top jazz artists will perform on 7 stages across 20 acres in the spirit of jazz legends Dizzy Gillespie and Louis Armstrong, who played at the festival's premiere in 1958. Is golf your other passion? Then you'll love the festival's newly added event: the Golf 'n' Jazz Tournament, where you can play on Pasadera, the Jack Nicklaus Signature Golf Course, while humming Charlie Parker's "Salt Peanuts" (or any other jazz riff you please).