The syncopation of jazz rhythms reverberating across the waterfront will draw thousands of jazz fans to Baltimore's Inner Harbor this August. PAETEC Communications chose Baltimore to host its new three-day jazz festival Aug. 9-11.

Featuring Grammy-winning headliners, the PAETEC Jazz Festival Baltimore will span the Inner Harbor and downtown area with more than 40 concerts. Most details won't be announced until May, but confirmed venues to date include Pier 6 and Power Plant Live!

Mayor Sheila Dixon announced the coup for the city just as Black History Month kicks off. The city's history of African-American musicians like Billie Holiday, Eubie Blake and Chick Webb as well as its numerous African-American heritage sites were factors in Baltimore's victory over other cities vying for the festival, which included Providence, RI, and Charlotte, NC.