One perk I enjoy from living in Berks County, Pa., is the steady stream of A-list jazz performers who visit the region regularly.  The annual 10-day Berks Jazz Fest features hundreds of performers from all jazz-related musical styles and is one of the largest and most-respected jazz festivals in North America. Jazz Fest general manager (and my former boss at the local newspaper I worked for) John Ernesto keeps the spirit of jazz alive year-round at Gerald Veasley’s Jazz Base, a weekly jazz club housed in the Crowne Plaza Reading hotel. The caliber of the jazz and blues talent John books is nothing short of incredible. It’s one of the only music venues I know of where you can show up without knowing the night’s lineup and still be guaranteed a great experience. This past Thursday, the lineup was as hot as the weather, so hot that a second late show had to be added. With top-selling jazz stars Gerald Albright, Peter White and Rick Braun on stage, the musicianship couldn’t have been better. I’m not usually a fan of “smoother” jazz stylings, but these guys were having so much fun with their playing that their enthusiasm was infectious. The annual Berks Jazz Fest attracts thousands of music aficionados from all over the world, and if that description fits you, then look into attending it some year. And if you find yourself in Berks County, Pa., on a Thursday night, definitely try to get a ticket for a show at the Jazz Base. – Patty Mahlon, director of digital media