VENTURA COUNTY / This Weekend

Jazz

Nate Birkey will bring his subtle jazz vocals and trumpet to Borders Books in Thousand Oaks tonight. With a strong regard for straight-ahead jazz, Birkey’s vocal and trumpet work has earned comparison to the late Chet Baker. Birkey will be backed by a solid aggregate of musicians: Justin Claveria, saxophones; Jamieson Trotter, piano; Jim Connolly, bass; Cougar Estrada, drums.

* Nate Birkey Quintet, tonight, 7:30, Borders Books, 125 W. Thousand Oaks Blvd., Thousand Oaks. Free. 497-8159.

Young Talent

New West Symphony will present its Discovery Artists Concerts on Friday and Saturday in Oxnard and Thousand Oaks. The performances feature seven young instrumental and vocal soloists who are winners of the audition for the Discovery Artists 2000 Concerts. Performers: Bronwyn Banerdt, 15, cello; Natalie Bonifede, 13, French horn; Keith Giacopuzzi, 16, mandolin; Kristopher Khang, 17, cello; Yevgeniy Milyavskiy, 15, piano; Chris Stoutenborough, 15, clarinet; Jessica Rivera, 25, voice. Each soloist will perform with the New West Symphony. Both concerts will be preceded at 6:15 p.m. by a Jazzfest, featuring student musicians.

* New West Symphony’s Discovery Artists Concerts, Friday, 7:30 p.m., Oxnard Performing Arts Center, 800 Hobson Way; and Saturday, 7:30 p.m., Thousand Oaks Civic Arts Plaza’s Kavli Theatre, 2100 E. Thousand Oaks Blvd. $7-$18. 497-5800.

Live Reading

The Ojai Playwrights Conference will present a live reading of Kevin Crowley’s dark comedy “Disgruntled Employees” Saturday evening at Nordhoff High School. The reading will be performed by David Hyde Pierce, John Mahoney, Peter Strauss and Christine Estabrook. Proceeds will benefit the Ojai Playwrights Conference, which will hold its third annual event in July.

* “Disgruntled Employees,” benefit reading Saturday, 8 p.m., Nordhoff High School, 1401 Maricopa Highway, Ojai. $50. Reservations suggested. 640-0400.

Family

The Gizmo Guys--Globetrotting jugglers extraordinaire will perform an installment of the Performances to Grow On series Saturday evening at Thousand Oaks Civic Arts Plaza. The New York-based duo--a.k.a. Barrett Felker and Allan Jacobs--combine their dazzling skills with original routines and witty repartee.

* The Gizmo Guys, Saturday, 7 p.m., Thousand Oaks Civic Arts Plaza’s Scherr Forum, 2100 E. Thousand Oaks Blvd. General, $12; children, $10; all children, regardless of age, must have a ticket. 646-8907 or 449-2787.