KNKX Studio Sessions

A Seattle native who's been soaking in the energy of New York City for the past half dozen years, Jessica Lurie has released the first new album from her ensemble in nearly as long ago as her relocation. It was worth the wait. Long Haul is a diverse collection of all the style that Lurie has shown since her youthful days in legendary Seattle groups The Billy Tipton Memorial Saxophone Quartet and The Living Daylights. At times playful, frantic, mesmerizing, funky, mysterious and downright

Now in his second year at the University of Northern Colorado's highly regarded jazz program, drummer Ryan Leppich returned home to Puget Sound with a pair of college friends to play a few shows around town. We were lucky enough to host them for an energetic set of clever original songs live in the KNKX studios. Recent graduate Tom Amend showed off his well-honed piano chops alongside talented bass player Seth Lewis, and they both seemed right at home in the pocket of rhythm provided by Leppich.

He's known as one of the top trumpet players in jazz for the past quarter century, and returned to the KNKX studios with a fantastic new song for the city Roy says has always inspired him. "The Seattle Vibe" was so new, his quintet hadn't heard it until they arrived in town for their stay at Jazz Alley. There wasn't much time to chat with the band before our live broadcast, Roy was guiding them through the soulful changes and groovy tempo of his latest song. If you don't catch Hargrove in live

Seattle's 45th St Brass find plenty of funky fun in the tradition of New Orleans brass bands, but they also take the opportunity to stretch the possibilities of this classic lineup of horns and drums. Led by the baritone sax of Peter Daniel, forming a tight rhythm section with Nelson Bell on tuba and D'Vonne Lewis (playing on half of the new album) drumming for this performance. The trombones of Jason Cressey and David Marriott play with and against each other, and trumpeter Shawn Mickelson

On the first snowy day in the Puget Sound region, a group formed in sunny California warmed up our airwaves with a studio session filled with joy and beauty. The New West Guitar Group formed about ten years ago by students at the USC jazz program. With Will Brahm joining founding members John Storie and Perry Smith on guitars, they added their college friend, singer Sara Gazarek for their concert at the Kirkland Performance Center. Sara, a proud graduate of Roosevelt High School's legendary jazz

Hilary Gardner and Ehud Asherie have a new release out called “The Late Set’ and we were treated to a lovely afternoon performance at our studios in Seattle. The two met while both studying classical music together in Brooklyn, NY and quickly transitioned to jazz while playing the after hours set at Mezzrow Jazz Club in Greenwich Village. Those late night performances were the impetus for this new release. They kicked off their performance with the 1930’s song ‘Sweet And Slow’ by Harry Warren.

They may be the longest running jazz trio in history without a line-up change, but after 17 years The Bad Plus will see a new face behind the piano in the New Year. On their final trip to Seattle together, they stopped by our studios to celebrate the extended first chapter of their influential mix of jazz, classical and rock music.

Trumpet player, composer and jazz educator Jared Hall grew up in Spokane, Wash. His jazz studies took him to Whitworth University in his hometown, then to Indiana and Florida. But Hall has recently returned to the northwest, adding another potent voice on trumpet to the growing Seattle jazz scene. Jared Hall has performed live on KNKX before, as mentor with the Juanita High School jazz ensemble. His educational bona fides are no joke, Hall earned a Doctorate of Musical Arts from the University

Considering the career that Arturo Sandoval has had, which has included winning several Grammy Awards, performing at the Super Bowl, having his music featured in movies and television, and receiving a Presidential Medal of Freedom, you might think that he has run out of places to explore, new projects to create, or new people to perform for. This is far from the case. After he and his band opened the live studio session with a peppy version of Clifford Brown's Joy Spring, Sandoval talked about

Composer, pianist and bandleader Wayne Horvitz's original score to the 1920 silent film The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari, will be performed to a screening of the film live at The Royal Room in Seattle's Columbia City this Halloween night. Thursday afternoon, we were there for a preview.