Hit-maker singer-songwriter Curtis Stigers, known for the chart-topping song “I Wonder Why,” arrived at KNKX’s Seattle studios for a dynamic studio session on a sunny fall day.

The outgoing and effusive entertainer visited with a small audience before enthralling the group with a sweet and sentimental session that veered more singer-songwriter than his previous jazz-centric fare. It's a move Stigers is making in a calculated manner as he works to grow his U.S. audience by touring old-school style: with his band in a van.

After beginning with the dark and rootsy Bob Dylan tune “Things Have Changed,” he thrilled the KNKX Studio X audience with his jazz vocals and sax playing on the Harry “Sweets” Edison song “Centerpiece.” He made sure to give props to lyricist Jon Hendricks.

What stood out from his previous sessions at KNKX was his guitar playing. Stigers' strumming was on full display with “Then I Had this Dream,” an original tune co-written with Carole King, that held a rich and bluesy quality. The song appears on the 1999 release Brighter Days, which wasn’t a commercial success but spotlighted his writing and playing passions.

Later that night at Seattle’s Triple Door, Stigers split his combo playing and his solo work down the middle. The performance exemplified Stigers' winning trifecta of singing chops, storytelling prowess and guitar swagger.

Enjoy this exclusive Studio X performance and connect to three previous Curtis Stigers sessions in the KNKX archive.

Musicians:

• Curtis Stigers - vocals, guitar, saxophone
• Randy Ingram - piano
• Cliff Schmitt - bass

Songs:

1. Things Have Changed (Bob Dylan)
2. Then I Had This Dream (Curtis Stigers/Carole King)
3. Centerpiece (Harry Edison/Jon Hendricks)