KNKX Studio Sessions

Picking up his first saxophone in 5th grade, Stuart MacDonald made the most of the Seattle school system's jazz educators. Today, working on his Masters in jazz studies at the University of Washington, his education continues even as he teaches younger players a thing or two on the bandstand. Plenty of work as a sideman has honed MacDonald's playing to a fine point, his ability to play in reggae and funk settings don't seem to distract from his own musical point of view. He's a creative player

Violin player, composer and bandleader Ranger Sciacca is a massive fan of gypsy jazz guitar legend Django Reinhardt, and his partner, violinist Stephane Grappelli. That said, Ranger's band isn't like most groups who play in this swinging style. The swing is still the motor that makes this band move, but the Re-Arrangers are breaking some of the unspoken rules of gypsy jazz bands. There's no lead guitar, that role is filled by the acoustic and electric mandolin of Dave Stewart. Such bands don't

Sharing a guitarist and a studio session performance, Birch Pereira & The Gin Joints split time with the duo Sundae + Mr. Goessl in the KNKX studios, both excited to share new music from upcoming albums. Jason Goessl plays guitar in both bands, and it felt like hanging out in the living room with your most musically talented friends. The new Gin Joints album is called Western Soul and transports the listener back in time to when jazz, country music and even early rock n roll were powered by

Pearl Django once again graced our studio for a lively performance that included founding member Guitarist Neil Andersson, now living and working as a painter in California. The group was preparing for a stint at Jazz Alley and gave our studio audience a short preview. They kicked things off with a lively rendition of “With Friends Like These” written by Tim Lerch and inspired by the song “Just Friends.” It is the title track to the group’s current release, which also features Andersson. The

It’s only been 8 months since the Rumba Kings’ first Studio Session on KNKX, but we couldn’t resist their excitement over releasing their first recording, a double-disc CD: The Instrumental and Vocal Sessions, Volume One. Once again, their energy and virtuosity delighted our listeners. The Rumba Kings bold and romantic blend of Latin, Mediterranean and Gypsy music is irresistible! The Band: Johnny Bacolas, bass; George Stevens, guitar; Teddy Adams, guitar; Andrey Zasypkin, drums; Tor Dietrichson

Bassist and composer Bren Plummer has put together a tasty band of Northwest allstars for his latest album, Moldy Figs . From Jay Thomas (trumpet) to Stuart MacDonald (sax), D'Vonne Lewis (drums) and Susan Pascal (vibraphone) as well as guitarist Frank Seeburger, it's a group of talented players and bandleaders themselves. Pascal may have put it best when she explained that she finds Plummer's music fresh and challenging, just what a good jazz musician wants to play. Surely it's exciting.

Following by ten years his original Contraband project, tenor sax player Cliff Colon has reformed the group to create more compelling modern jazz drawn from the melodies of late 80s video games. Whatever that looks like on paper to you, in practice Contraband Reloaded sounds like a genius. Colon says he remembers hearing rock bands cover these musical themes, but the world of modern jazz is a perfect setting to turn acorns of 8-bit melodies into mighty oak trees of creativity. A repetitive

Alto and soprano sax player Brent Jensen says no matter which horn he plays, people often tell him he sounds like Paul Desmond. That's a high compliment indeed, but live in the KNKX studios Jensen showed he's no imitator. You've probably heard Brent Jensen playing around the Northwest, or from his hit debut album on Seattle's Origin Records, The Sound of a Dry Martini: Remembering Paul Desmond from 2002. But he's only just recently moved to the Puget Sound region about a year ago and says he

Based in New York City and featuring two graduates of Seattle's legendary Roosevelt High School jazz program, the trio Mughal Muesli returned to the West Coast for a tour supporting their debut album Imperial Cereal. We're tracking down carpenters now because they nearly blew the roof off the place. Live in our studios, Mughal Muesli performed three new compositions that ebbed and flowed with intense grooves, aggressive and muscular sax and bass, and exotic melodies that reflected their musical

"It's not loud, it's more... dynamic" percussionist Ricardo Guity told our studio audience as The New Triumph prepared to launch into their soulful, rhythm-heavy live session. It wasn't loud, but it was passionate and dynamic. The Seattle septet pulses with the universal rhythms found in Latin, African and American soul music. Camilo Estrada, the band's leader, and main songwriter came to jazz later in life, with a youthful love of funk obviously contributing to his music today. Estrada guides a