The all-star jazz ensemble from Monroe High School, calling themselves Kelsey and the Boys, showed their love of jazz in the KNKX studios. The session provided a good reminder that as the Northwest grows, the once-small-town of Monroe is growing an impressive jazz program.

Asked about learning jazz in the red-hot Northwest scene, Interlake High School junior Kenji Wagner told us the best part is sharing jazz with the community of teenage musicians he encounters.

We first encountered talented pianist Dylan Hayes performing with a trio at Centrum's Jazz Pt. Townsend camp this Summer, and we knew this young man was ready for the KNKX studios.

KNKX hosted students of Seattle JazzED's Summer Advanced Institute for a second time in August, and the kids set a new record for largest group to play in our studios.

It was a fun jazz session with a great group of students, which included two different schools and a variety of age groups. The energy brought by some of the young lions melded nicely with the older aesthetic.

Students from Central Washington University and pianist Dawn Clement performed in our Seattle studios for a special School of Jazz performance.

We welcomed an energetic and skilled high school combo into our studios with Mountlake Terrace. Band members included leader Ethan Pyke on trombone, Benjamin Leonard on tenor sax, Henry Smith-Hunt on trombone, Gian Neri on guitar, Andrew Vinther on bass, Josh Setala on drums and Dimitrio Neri on piano.

The KNKX School of Jazz hit the road for a performance at Seattle Pacific University's beautiful Nickerson Studios and we were knocked out by the talented sextet that makes up the S.P.U. Jazz Ensemble.

The students from Tahoma High School in Maple Valley, Wash. performed effortlessly in our studios for their School Of Jazz studio performance. Led by trumpeter and mentor Bobby Medina, the group kicked off their performance with a rendition of “Girl From Ipanema.”

They planned it out and executed flawlessly. The teens of drummer Elijah Baradi's Quintet were well prepared for their KNKX School of Jazz studio session. Unlike most groups of a high school age, this talented group from Interlake High in Bellevue played live on 88.5 without an adult mentor. They didn't need one.