JAZZ

Fresno’s sixth annual Jazz Valley festival has been cancelled after the two headlining acts--fusion saxophonist Kenny G and the Brazilian group Azymuth--withdrew from their scheduled appearances. Kenny G will tour with Whitney Houston this summer, while Azymuth had trouble getting an artistic-entry visa. Ironically, the cancellation of the two-day festival, originally scheduled for Aug. 28-29, was announced during a kick-off party intended to celebrate the festival. Donna Leonard, promotions director for KVPR/KPRX, the San Joaquin Valley-wide public radio station that sponsors the festival, said, “Rather than risk taking big financial losses--something a public radio station can’t afford--we pulled the plug on it.”