Jazz It Up, Boston

If you have no plans for tomorrow and no money to spend, but want a good way to celebrate the birthdays of John Coltrane (at right) and Ray Charles (both of which are today, but still), allow Bostonist to suggest the Beantown Jazz Festival in the South End. From noon into the evening, two stages on Coumbus Avenue will provide a wide variety of local artists, from the gospel singing of Tracey Gibbs to the latin-influenced jazz of saxophonist Miguel Zenón. You are encouraged (but not required) to make a donation to help fund prostate cancer research, and if you really have no scratch whatsoever but want to do your part in exchange for all the free music, you can volunteer to help out. With weather "sunny but crisp with highs only in the 60s," it should be a fine fall day for some free music. (Also, there's a not-free ($25) concert tonight at the Berklee Performance Center with singer Lalah Hathaway, backed by Miguel Zenón and his quartet.)