KNKX Studio Sessions

Doug Macleod is a modern renaissance blues man. An award-winning musician and songwriter, he is also a columnist, radio host and teacher. As a sideman in the 1960s and 1970s he played with legends Big Mama Thornton, Eddie “Cleanhead” Vinson and Lowell Fulson among many others. When he embarked on his own career, that experience was invaluable, both as a player and a songwriter. Since 1984, Doug has released over two dozen albums of his own original material and has won multiple awards, most

Boston native LaVon Hardison has enchanted the South Sound with her warm, lively voice and personality. Utilizing her background in lyric opera and musical theatre, she goes deep into a song to tell its story. LaVon’s most recent CD, “Come Together,” showcases her creative connection with some of the Northwest’s finest musicians, and their performance at KNKX was a delight from start to finish. World, meet the LaVon Hardison Quartet!

The Greyhounds first came to national attention with the release of their 2016 album "Change of Pace," which features lush, yet airy psychedelic production, heart-wrenching songwriting and Stax-worthy soulful vocals. A duo out of Austin, Texas, the Greyhounds distinguish themselves with artful use of loops and studio expertise that supports their mellow vibe. The uplifting spirit of their music is reminiscent of the soul era of the 1960s, but their grooves are 21st century Southern soul.

His band's work supporting David Bowie on his final album, "Blackstar," has moved saxophonist and composer Donny McCaslin's Group into the spotlight in the last couple years, and the pride of Santa Cruz, California is ready for it. Expounding on the legendary pop star's finale, McCaslin told us that Bowie was looking for his quartet to keep doing what they'd been doing on their then-new album "Fast Future" - a blend of electronic atmosphere, smart compositions and free-flowing improvisation. The

Celebrating the birthday of one of the most influential figures in jazz for a fifth year at Tula's jazz club, trumpeter Thomas Marriott brought three friends from the East Coast to explore the music of Miles Davis. It was thrilling. With two members of his quartet on the recent Urban Folklore album, pianist Orrin Evans and bass player Eric Revis, plus New York native and UW artist in residence Ted Poor on drums, the band split a pair of Second Classic Quintet tunes with the great mid-50s number

The Rumba Kings have evolved over the last couple of years into a guitar-driven band that plays passionate music in the flamenco, rumba, Greek, Italian and Spanish styles, and more. The lush Mediterranean and Romani sounds and rhythms are irresistible, and the most recent addition to the group, vocalist Rustam Shtar, adds another romantic dimension. Musicians: George Stevens ( guitar), Johnny Bacolas (bass), Teddy Adams (guitar), Andrey Zasypkin (drums), Tor Dietrichson (percussion), Rustam

On the afternoon of day three of this year's Ballard Jazz Festival, the 10-clubs-for-one-cover Jazz Walk, KNKX welcomed a trio of Northwest jazz all-stars that reminded us how lucky jazz fans are in this corner of the world. Guitarist Brad Shepik was raised on jazz in Seattle, leaving for the thriving New York City scene in 1990 where he's earned a place as one of the first call players in the "Jazz Center of the World". Featured with his old friends, iconic Seattle bass player Phil Sparks and

Raised in the Midwest, one of pianist Larry Fuller's first jobs in jazz was here in Seattle, backing up iconic jazz singer Ernestine Anderson. So his debut performance live on 88.5 felt like a homecoming. His career has been spent mostly as a sideman, but in the shadows of some of the world's best jazz musicians life can be pretty great. After a few years with Miss Ernestine, Fuller began working with the great California drummer Jeff Hamilton's trio, which led to a dream job in bassist Ray

Based in Centralia, flugelhorn player and band leader Dmitri Matheny teamed up as a mentor with the Kelso High School all-star jazz combo in the KNKX studios and told us that smaller towns can provide great opportunities for musicians willing to look for them. These teens from the south end of the state made the most of their opportunity to play live on KNKX. On the day that the nation's biggest high school jazz competition, Essentially Ellington, began in New York City, band leader Daniel

The vocal trio Duchess came into being almost by accident. A couple of years ago, New York-based singer Amy Cervini, decided to do something special for one of her regular gigs at New York’s 55 Bar. She wanted to do one set of music as a tribute to the great vocal groups of the swing era, such as the Boswell Sisters and the Andrew Sisters. Amy enlisted the aid of two other New York singers, Hilary Gardner (a one-time resident of Seattle) and Melissa Stylianou. They learned one set’s worth of