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KNKX Studio SessionsKNKX Studio SessionsJoey Alexander and Theo Croker join forces in the KNKX studiosThe art of musical improvisation is most commonly a conversation between artists. During a series of concerts at Dimitriou’s Jazz Alley, pianist Joey Alexander and trumpeter Theo Croker made the most of their meeting on stage and also did some collaborating in the KNKX studios.Both have three Grammy nominations for their recordings as bandleaders. Croker augmented Alexander’s trio on half of the pianist’s 2023 album Continuance, but this live engagement in Seattle was a special occasion.The mix of these two bandleaders’ styles, Alexander in mostly acoustic settings and Croker in more modern e...2025-05-1635 minKNKX Studio SessionsKNKX Studio SessionsThe blues blooms in the KNKX studios with Larkin Poe's Lovell sistersMegan and Rebecca Lovell have been touring musicians since they were teenagers, first performing with their older sister Jessica as the bluegrass group The Lovell Sisters. In 2005, the Lovells appeared on the syndicated radio program A Prairie Home Companion and won the show’s Teen Talent contest.Their parents got them involved with music as children, enrolling them in classical violin lessons at age 3 and 4. But, Megan said, “When we heard bluegrass music for the first time, something really clicked. The idea of being able to improvise and write our own songs, that sparked something inside us.”S...2025-05-1025 minKNKX Studio SessionsKNKX Studio SessionsCelebrate International Jazz Day with the Rumba Kings at KNKXThe Rumba Kings formed around a decade ago, but the guitar-focused Latin-Mediterranean-style group experienced a renaissance in their live show which now includes dancers, horns and a full string section. They shared some of their new assets, as well as new tunes, in a live performance at KNKX's Seattle studios.Bassist Johnny Bacolas and lead guitarist George Stevens, the band's co-founders, talked about their group's growth over the years. Stevens even used his guitar to demonstrate his evolution from ‘guitar guy’ at family gatherings to steady work playing parties in California, to writing and performing original tunes with...2025-04-3033 minKNKX Studio SessionsKNKX Studio SessionsJazz great Houston Person joins the Emmet Cohen Trio in SeattleTalk about a special guest: Saxophonist Houston Person joined pianist Emmet Cohen and his trio for a four-night run at Dimitriou’s Jazz Alley earlier this month. They performed a special set at the Seattle jazz club for KNKX.At 90 years old, Person has been making music for more than six decades. And you can tell; but in the best way. When he picks up his horn, that big, sweet, soulful tone is as strong as ever. It all feels effortless as he plays through songs that have been part of his life for decades; like old fr...2025-04-2536 minKNKX Studio SessionsKNKX Studio SessionsThomas Marriott delivers a fun, film-inspired session at KNKXSeattle's iconic trumpeter, Thomas Marriott recently celebrated a new album Screen Time with his East Coast friends at Dimitriou's Jazz Alley. The quartet also visited the KNKX studios to play music "from screens large and small." For the new album, Marriott selected seven pieces from television and film, as well as a pair of originals. He's accompanied by Orrin Evans, Robert Hurst III and Mark Whitfield Jr. at the piano, bass and drums on the recording and in the KNKX studios.Screen Time marks Marriott's fifth recording in collaboration with Evans, who produced this album...2025-03-1527 minKNKX Studio SessionsKNKX Studio SessionsIconic Seattle jazz vocalist Greta Matassa returns to the KNKX studiosGreta Matassa is a singer whose expansive energy fills up a room. Her light was on full display at a recent studio session at KNKX’s downtown Seattle studios. Matassa regularly performs around the Puget Sound region, and will appear at Dimitriou's Jazz Alley in April with her new sextet.Matassa is also a well-known music educator. Even the soundcheck at KNKX became a chance to educate the small audience, which included some of her former students. After singing three original tunes she sat down with KNKX host Paige Hansen for a frank discussion about ho...2025-03-0837 minKNKX Studio SessionsKNKX Studio SessionsThe Brubeck Brothers Quartet deliver a spirited show in the KNKX studiosOn a sunny February day, The Brubeck Brothers brought their long-running quartet to KNKX's Seattle studios for an exclusive session honoring the music of their father Dave Brubeck. They were in town for shows at Dimitriou’s Jazz Alley.Bassist (and trombonist) Chris Brubeck co-leads the band with his brother Dan Brubeck on drums. Mike DiMicco and Chuck Lamb handle guitar and piano. All four have considerable experience playing with Dave, who passed away in 2012, and honored the jazz giant with spirited performances of three of his compositions.Chris and Dan's other two brothers are al...2025-02-1955 minKNKX Studio SessionsKNKX Studio SessionsLowDown Brass Band brings feel-good grooves to KNKX studiosKNKX welcomed the LowDown Brass Band to our Seattle studios while they were in town for the sold-out Olympia Funk Festival in January. Hailing from Chicago, the brass ensemble began as a bar band with a sound reminiscent of New Orleans street parade bands. Over time, they gradually embraced the wide breadth of sounds in their Chicago's music scene. They began infusing their brass ensemble with elements of hip- hop, funk, reggae and pop. "When we did that, we really began to take off, because it was just true to us as people," said Shane...2025-02-1318 minKNKX Studio SessionsKNKX Studio SessionsPatterns Fly leads a soaring soul jazz celebration in the KNKX studios Galen Clark of Patterns Fly inside the KNKX Seattle studios. (Parker Miles Blohm / KNKX )Patterns Fly is a trio that began almost by accident, but they’ve developed a new modern jazz sound that could only come from these three players at this particular time.Portland-based keyboard player Galen Clark often worked with Seattle-based guitarist Andy Coe and drummer D’Vonne Lewis over the last two decades. They've collaborated on each other's projects, including Trio Subtonic and McTuff — but Patterns Fly is different.The band’s name came after the trio booked a tour through Californ...2025-02-1034 minKNKX Studio SessionsKNKX Studio SessionsTrumpeter Chris Botti makes us 'Smile' in the KNKX studiosKNKX welcomed global trumpet sensation Chris Botti to the KNKX studios for a quick performance while he was in town for concerts at Dimitriou's Jazz Alley. In the KNKX studios, Botti collaborated with Portland-based pianist George Colligan. They'd only played together once before, but their improvisational abilities came together for a gorgeous reading of the classic ballad “Smile,” a melody written by Charlie Chaplin.It was an extra-special occasion as jazz musicians from Bellarmine Preparatory School in Tacoma made up the studio audience and had the opportunity to ask Botti about his remarkable career.Th...2025-01-2927 minKNKX Studio SessionsKNKX Studio SessionsSamantha Fish shares her blues in a solo KNKX Studio SessionSamantha Fish is an in-demand guitarist and singer at the top of her game.And she seems to be everywhere that there are guitars. In 2024, she was on the cover of Guitar World magazine, toured with guitarist Slash’s S.E.R.P.E.N.T Festival, and opened for the Rolling Stones. In 2023, she performed at Eric Clapton’s Crossroads Guitar Festival, and appears in the related concert film and live album released last November.While in Seattle to perform at The Crocodile, Fish squeezed in a visit to KNKX between her sound check and...2025-01-0818 minKNKX Studio SessionsKNKX Studio SessionsBlind Boys of Alabama bring their historic gospel to the KNKX studiosThe Blind Boys of Alabama have been a working singing group since 1939, previously under the name Happy Land Jubilee singers. They performed their Christmas show at Dimitriou's Jazz Alley in December. While in town, the four sharply dressed vocalists stopped by the KNKX Seattle studios with their band for a few songs and some conversation.Resplendent in matching red and black suit jackets with vests, the Blind Boys matched down to their shoes, which were covered in black crystals. The Black southern traditions of wearing your "Sunday best" and gospel singing are alive and well...2025-01-0320 minKNKX Studio SessionsKNKX Studio SessionsBraxton Cook has some of the freshest sounds in jazzBraxton Cook is at the forefront of where jazz is going in 2025. The singer, saxophonist and songwriter integrates modern Black American music into the jazz tradition with ease. His artistry is a reflection of his influences and self. He's also connecting with younger audiences, as demonstrated by the crowd at his Dec. 5 show at The Triple Door.Cook grew up in a household of music but not always jazz. “It was like more of a Motown, Stax records, gospel household," he told KNKX. "And then my older brother was playing a bunch of hi...2024-12-2334 minKNKX Studio SessionsKNKX Studio SessionsTaj Mahal rings in the season with his annual trip to SeattleTaj Mahal is a once in a generation musician, whose insatiable curiosity and openness has fueled his distinctive career. He celebrated his eclectic style during a series of concerts at Dimitriou's Jazz Alley. KNKX captured one of these exclusive performances at the club from Mahal and his band.While he is often described as a blues musician, Mahal is more likely to mix his blues with reggae, African and Caribbean music, creating a hybrid sound all his own. He is one of the first major artists to connect the musical dots between American blues and...2024-12-1825 minKNKX Studio SessionsKNKX Studio SessionsNaomi Moon Siegel brings new album to life with Seattle friendsTrombonist and composer Naomi Moon Siegel made a big impact on the Seattle jazz community during her decade-or-so living around Puget Sound. After eight years based in Missoula, Montana, Siegel returned to the Northwest to celebrate her new album and shared a few tunes with her band in the KNKX Seattle studios.Siegel told KNKX that the new release Shatter the Glass Sanctuary reflects on her move to a smaller city and all the adjustments, sorrow and joy, and isolation that come with a new community.The album’s music has taken a journey as we...2024-12-0529 minKNKX Studio SessionsKNKX Studio SessionsAlways up to something fresh, Lettuce lets the funk lead the way in the KNKX studiosVeteran funk-jazz sextet Lettuce got into some sonic explorations in an action-packed KNKX studio session, while visiting Seattle for shows at Dimitriou’s Jazz Alley.In front of a buzzing studio audience, including members of the Bellarmine Prep jazz band from Tacoma, Lettuce found plenty of fresh ideas in three songs from over 20 years of recordings.In their first song “Silence is Golden,” Lettuce quoted “Summer in the City” by the late Quincy Jones. Trumpeter Eric “Benny” Bloom acknowledged the influence of the late producer on their band, noting that Lettuce had never played the song that way...2024-11-2646 minKNKX Studio SessionsKNKX Studio SessionsKhu.éex' deliver a dynamic, poetic performance at the KNKX studiosIn an energetic KNKX Studio Session, 10-piece band Khu.éex' filled the space with their unique blend of jazz, funk, rock, and spoken word in Indigenous languages Tlingit and Haida. Currently led by bassist Preston Singletary, powerhouse band Khu.éex' formed a decade ago after Singletary met keyboardist Bernie Worrell, a former member of George Clinton's Parliament Funkadelic who passed away in 2016. Their collaboration lives on through an ever-evolving group of musicians highlighting the perspectives and struggles of Native American communities through music.After a quick moment of gratitude shared by Gene Tagaban, th...2024-11-0839 minKNKX Studio SessionsKNKX Studio SessionsVincent Herring's Something Else! band puts a soul jazz twist on popular jazz standardsAlto saxophone great Vincent Herring brought a soulful feeling and a new all-star band to Dimitrou’s Jazz Alley, visiting the KNKX studios for an exclusive performance while they were in Seattle.The inspiration for his new Something Else! band came from Herring attending Motown revues as a kid. “The Temptations, Diana Ross… it was so fun to go to that concert because you knew all these songs,” he told KNKX.Herring took that idea and ran with it. Something Else! puts a soul jazz twist on some of the most popular songs in jazz...2024-10-1837 minKNKX Studio SessionsKNKX Studio SessionsSinger José James blends soul and activism at the KNKX studiosNo stranger to the Pacific Northwest, José James returned to the Emerald City to perform for two nights at Dimitriou's Jazz Alley. Along the way, this jazz singer for the hip-hop generation stopped by the KNKX Seattle studios for a smooth, soulful performance of tunes from his newest album 1978.The album’s crisp production harks back to classic names like Quincy Jones and Leon Ware and is matched by socially conscious lyrics that resemble Marvin Gaye and Prince. Named after James’ birth year, 1978 consists of two themes: party and social activism. James seamlessly balanced the contrasting energies of di...2024-10-1143 minKNKX Studio SessionsKNKX Studio SessionsRe-connecting with saxophonist BrandonLee Cierley in the KNKX studiosBrandonLee Cierley made his debut eight years ago in the KNKX studios for a School of Jazz studio session as a college student. Now a driving force in Portland, Oregon’s music community, Cierley returned to the studios with a new band and the same passion for jazz.The saxophonist from Tacoma relocated south during the Covid pandemic at the urging of his South Sound friend, Machado Mijiga. A multi-instrumentalist, Mijiga had made the move south himself, and has become Cierley’s musical “right-hand man.”Cierley’s quartet included Puget Sound area musicians Anand Landon on guitar...2024-10-0226 minKNKX Studio SessionsKNKX Studio SessionsKurt Elling sings, Joey Calderazzo plays in meeting of two great improvisersWhen asked if they’d looked to great albums of the past to inspire their vocals-piano duets tour, Kurt Elling and Joey Calderazzo answered quickly and definitively: “No.”This KNKX Studio Session was a meeting of two great improvising minds. Their music is the result of pure collaboration, bringing more than 60 years of combined jazz experience together with no expectations.The Chicago-native Elling has been at the top of the jazz vocal world from his earliest records, a modern musician with a mastery of standards and daring vocalese.A New Yorker, Calderazzo is best k...2024-09-2524 minKNKX Studio SessionsKNKX Studio SessionsPianist Bill Anschell goes acoustic on his electronic musicBill Anschell is one of the Northwest’s most beloved jazz pianists, though his new album Improbable Solutions was created with computer technology. The two sides of his music converged in the KNKX studios with Anschell’s acoustic piano leading a quartet though his new compositions.His love of progressive rock and emerging electronic music as a college student eventually led Anschell to pursue the jazz idiom, but he never gave up on the digital world. The extra time allowed by pandemic closures gave him a path to complete his years-long creative dream.“Finally! This was al...2024-09-0631 minKNKX Studio SessionsKNKX Studio SessionsSeattle Repertory Jazz Orchestra celebrates 30 years of big band music with all-star performanceThe Seattle Repertory Jazz Orchestra kicks off their 30th season this August with a KNKX Studio Session and two nights at Dimitriou's Jazz Alley.Over the course of 30 years as the Northwest's premiere large ensemble jazz band, the Seattle Repertory Jazz Orchestra has helped keep the big band music of Duke Ellington, Count Basie and more alive and vital. They've also created a strong collection of original music, some of which they shared in a quintet setting at the KNKX studios. Leading the group was SRJO's artistic director, co-founder and saxophonist Michael Brockman. ...2024-08-3042 minKNKX Studio SessionsKNKX Studio SessionsFrancesco Crosara celebrates new album and community in the KNKX studiosPianist and composer Francesco Crosara led a quartet of top-tier Northwest musicians in the KNKX studios, celebrating a new album with the Italian native’s new Northwest friends.Crosara was raised in Rome, Italy, by a mother whose broadcasting connections and love of jazz brought legends like Dizzy Gillespie, Chick Corea, Duke Ellington and more who inspired the budding musician. “I had the pleasure to basically see and interact with these giants at the kitchen table,” Crosara said.His musical talent was further developed at USC in Los Angeles, and he later moved on to...2024-08-2146 minKNKX Studio SessionsKNKX Studio SessionsKiki Valera shares his musical tradition in his return to the KNKX studiosKiki Valera y su Son Cubano stopped by the KNKX Studios last week to give us a preview of their new album Vacilón Santiaguero.Originally from Santiago, Cuba, Valera primarily plays locally here in Seattle. He’s been a bandleader for as long as he can remember, starting by taking over his family’s band when he was a teenager. During this studio session, Valera told the audience how he found his way to Seattle and explained why this style of music is still significant today. "It's a matter of tradition," Valera said...2024-08-0935 minKNKX Studio SessionsKNKX Studio SessionsGhost Note hits the KNKX studios with a blazing set of modern funkThe band Ghost Note was formed almost by accident. Snarky Puppy drummer Robert “Sput” Searight and percussionist Nate Werth attracted attention with their live solos. They both half-jokingly promised fans that they were recording as a side project.Regarding the pair’s first recordings as Ghost Note, “Nate kind of manifested it,” Searight said in an interview following the band’s recent KNKX studio session.Achieving success early, the pandemic slowed Ghost Note’s efforts until the release of their new fourth album Mustard N’ Onions.Ghost Note’s funk was extra tight in the KNKX studio...2024-08-0137 minKNKX Studio SessionsKNKX Studio SessionsEric Gales brings sweet solo blues to the KNKX studiosGuitar virtuoso Eric Gales was at KNKX for a very special solo session. He is considered one of the best, if not the best guitarist on the planet. The praise has come from all over the music world, from people like Joe Bonamassa, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Albert King and Carlos Santana, who is his godfather. If you listen to KNKX's radio show All Blues, you’ll hear him just about every night. He is arguably one of the most important and expressive guitarists of our time, in any genre. Starting at age 15, he’s made 19 studio albums and...2024-07-2443 minKNKX Studio SessionsKNKX Studio SessionsKarrin Allyson bring Brazilian sounds, collaborators to SeattleGrammy-nominated singer Karrin Allyson joined us in the KNKX studios for her 10th session when she visited Seattle for her concerts at Dimitriou's Jazz Alley. Allyson wears many musical hats including singer, songwriter, composer and pianist. Her latest project spotlights Brazilian music – specifically singer-songwriter Rosa Passos who joins Allyson on a couple tunes on the new release A Kiss for Brazil.Allyson said she was drawn to samba in her early years singing jazz. It was on a visit to Brazil over a decade ago where she met Rafael Barata who joins her in this se...2024-07-1827 minKNKX Studio SessionsKNKX Studio SessionsSpencer Day's ever-evolving musical journey brings him to the KNKX studiosFor more than 20 years, singer and songwriter Spencer Day has graced stages worldwide with his honey-golden voice. For the first time in more than five years, he was in Seattle for shows at Dimitrou’s Jazz Alley.Day had created original songs with a keen pen that unfolds life’s complexities in novel ways and is an adaptive interpreter of many styles ranging from Broadway songs, the great American songbook, modern pop and Mexican folk.Since his major label debut, Vagabond in 2009, Day has continued on his journey with music. It has taken him from his...2024-07-0321 minKNKX Studio SessionsKNKX Studio SessionsMonty Alexander celebrates his 80th birthday at Jazz AlleyThe nostalgia was thick in the air at Seattle’s Jazz Alley as pianist Monty Alexander celebrated his 80th birthday on a stage he’s played hundreds of times. Alexander spent part of the visit reconnecting with an old friend, John Dimitriou, the owner of Jazz Alley since its opening in 1980.Alexander's birthday, June 6, also marked the 80th anniversary of D-Day, when allied forces landed in northern France in 1944 and changed the direction of World War II. It's impossible to forget when you're born on such a famous date.“You’re reminded your whole life," Alexande...2024-06-2543 minKNKX Studio SessionsKNKX Studio SessionsTakuya Kuroda plots new, cool path for jazz trumpet in KNKX studio sessionTakuya Kuroda is a humble artist. When told the interview would be with just him, Kuroda expressed a little embarrassment, saying he didn't want his bandmates to feel subordinate. Making his Seattle debut as a bandleader at Dimitriou's Jazz Alley, Kuroda was a confident leader in a KNKX studio session performance of his original music.To be sure, everyone in Kuroda's band is worthy of his praise. Craig Hill made a strong impression on saxophone, bringing a strong new element to a band that has matched trumpet with Corey King's trombone for more than a decade.2024-06-1837 minJazz NorthwestJazz NorthwestNew Episodes of Jazz Northwest online with the KNKX On Demand PlayerNew episodes of jazz Northwest can be found through KNKX On Demand. Learn more here.2023-12-1300 minSchool Of JazzSchool Of JazzGuided by model mentors, the Auburn Mountainview High School jazz band swingsSaxophonist Jeff Chang mentors the jazz ensemble from Auburn Mountainview High School in a KNKX School of Jazz studio session.2023-05-0230 minSchool Of JazzSchool Of JazzSeattle Academy jazz musicians explore soulful grooves with organist Joe DoriaWatch and listen to an ensemble from the Seattle Academy performing a KNKX School of Jazz session with their mentor Joe Doria on organ.2023-03-2029 minSchool Of JazzSchool Of JazzVibraphonist Susan Pascal leads the Bainbridge Nine at KNKXAn all-star jazz ensemble from Bainbridge High School performed in the KNKX studios with their mentor Susan Pascal on vibraphone.2023-02-0631 minSchool Of JazzSchool Of JazzBellevue High School sextet performs with Thomas MarriottThe Bellevue High School jazz band performs with mentor and Seattle trumpet star Thomas Marriott in this KNKX School of Jazz studio session performance.2022-12-0827 minSchool Of JazzSchool Of JazzSnohomish High quartet Jazz Illusion at the KNKX studiosSnohomish High School "Jazz Illusion" quartet plays a School of Jazz studio session with a holiday twist.2022-11-2923 minSchool Of JazzSchool Of JazzDecatur High Jazztet returns to the KNKX studios with a new class of musiciansTrombonist Conner Eisenmenger mentors the Decatur High School Jazztet in a KNKX School of Jazz performance2022-11-0232 minMove to Tacoma PodcastMove to Tacoma PodcastAn Interview with the Reporters Behind “The Walk Home” Podcast on KNKX 88.5 FMAn Interview with the Reporters Behind “The Walk Home” Podcast on KNKX 88.5 FM This week on the MoveToTacoma Podcast we interview reporters Mayowa Aina & Kari Plog from KNKX 88.5 FM NPR. They talk their podcast “The Walk Home” which investigates the killing of Manny Ellis by Tacoma Police. Both reporters grew up in Pierce County and describe what drew them to create the podcast, the challenges of reporting on the community you live in, and the complexities of the justice system in a small city like Tacoma. The 2020 police killing of Manuel ‘Manny’ Ellis, a Black man in Tacom...2022-10-111h 03Forgotten PrisonForgotten PrisonNew Podcast: The Walk HomeKNKX Public Radio and The Seattle Times want to share a new podcast: The Walk Home. Listen to the first episode here. To get new episodes as they come out, look for The Walk Home wherever you get your podcasts or visit thewalkhomepodcast.org.2022-09-0732 minTransmissionTransmissionNew Podcast: The Walk HomeKNKX Public Radio and The Seattle Times want to share a new podcast: The Walk Home. Listen to the first episode here. To get new episodes as they come out, look for The Walk Home wherever you get your podcasts or visit thewalkhomepodcast.org.2022-09-0732 minOutsidersOutsidersNew Podcast: The Walk HomeKNKX Public Radio and The Seattle Times want to share a new podcast: The Walk Home. Listen to the first episode here. To get new episodes as they come out, look for The Walk Home wherever you get your podcasts or visit thewalkhomepodcast.org.2022-09-0733 minThe Walk HomeThe Walk HomePrologue: The Walk HomeOn the night of March 3, 2020 — three months before George Floyd was murdered — Manny Ellis encountered police while walking home in Tacoma, Washington. He died on that dark street corner. Officers say it was an accident brought on by Manny himself. The story almost ended there. Introducing a new podcast, The Walk Home, produced by KNKX News and The Seattle Times.2022-08-2407 minSchool Of JazzSchool Of JazzEdmonds Woodway High School jazz band finishes their year in style in North BendKNKX presents a School of Jazz studio session with the Edmonds Woodway High School jazz ensemble at Boxley's in North Bend2022-06-1639 minSports with Art ThielSports with Art ThielDeparture of Seahawks QB Russell Wilson worthy of return of KNKX sports commentator Art ThielThe Seattle Seahawks' blockbuster trade of quarterback Russell Wilson this week was enough to bring back former KNKX sports commentator Art Thiel.2022-03-1103 minSports with Art ThielSports with Art Thiel'It's not goodbye; it's see you later': Art Thiel ends weekly sports commentaries on KNKX after 15+ yearsFor more than 15 years on KNKX, Art Thiel has been musing about sports in weekly conversations with Morning Edition host Kirsten Kendrick. That is changing after this week. Art sat down with Kirsten to talk about his big announcement.2022-02-1807 minFOOD: A KNKX PodcastFOOD: A KNKX PodcastAfter eating East Coast bagels, a look at what the PNW has to offerIt’s been said, usually by people from there, that bagels are better on the East Coast than they are in the Northwest. But KNKX food commentator Nancy Leson – who grew up in Philadelphia – isn’t sure that’s still true.2022-01-2705 minSports with Art ThielSports with Art ThielNew NHL team Seattle Kraken in new Climate Pledge Arena: region's top sports story of 2021For their final conversation of the year, KNKX sports commentator Art Thiel and Morning Edition host Kirsten Kendrick recount the region's top five sports stories of 2021.2021-12-3103 minNerd Farmer PodcastNerd Farmer PodcastThe Bottom End of the Housing Market Has Been Destroyed — Will James, Special Projects Reporter, KNKX FM — #150In arguably the most important piece of local journalism of 2021, Will James did a three part story on the displaced residents of the Merkle Hotel in Downtown Tacoma. The Merkle was the last of its type: a residential hotel that provided no strings attached housing to very low income and disabled Tacomans. The conditions in the hotel were deplorable, a failure of municipal code enforcement, but it was a home with a door that locked. In 2018, a local developer seeking to renovate the Merkle Hotel pushed out the last remaining occupants. Three years later, Will...2021-12-2745 minSports with Art ThielSports with Art ThielWhy OL Reign is moving back to SeattleAfter three years in Tacoma, Seattle's team in the National Women's Soccer League, OL Reign, will once again be in Seattle, starting in 2022. We learn more about what's behind the big news in this week's conversation between KNKX sports commentator Art Thiel and Morning Edition host Kirsten Kendrick.2021-12-1702 minFOOD: A KNKX PodcastFOOD: A KNKX Podcast'Irish' Spaghetti and the power of food and familyIn the latest installment of FOOD, KNKX's Ed Ronco shares an old family recipe with food commentator Nancy Leson. Meet "Irish Spaghetti."2021-09-2407 minFOOD: A KNKX PodcastFOOD: A KNKX PodcastFOOD: The place with all the peppersIn this month's episode, KNKX's Ed Ronco and food commentator Nancy Leson head to Yakima County to visit a farm that grows more than 200 varieties of peppers, sold at farmers markets across western Washington.2021-08-2608 minOutsidersOutsidersEpisode 10: The Streets Change YouThis series started with Jessica. We find out what happened to her. Donate to KNKX: knkx.org/support Subscribe to The Seattle Times: seattletimes.com/subscribe2020-10-2100 minOutsidersOutsidersEpisode 9: On the GroundWhat’s with all the trash? Should you give cash to someone who asks for it? We took your questions about homelessness to the people best equipped to respond: those who are homeless themselves. Donate to KNKX: knkx.org/support Subscribe to The Seattle Times: seattletimes.com/subscribe2020-10-1400 minOutsidersOutsidersEpisode 8: A Ticking ClockOlympia’s response to homelessness defied conventions. Did it work? A year later, we look at the city’s results and whether they point to a way forward. Donate to KNKX: knkx.org/support Subscribe to The Seattle Times: seattletimes.com/subscribe2020-10-0700 minTransmissionTransmissionEpisode 19: The UnpaidSince the COVID-19 pandemic landed in Washington, the economic fallout has driven more than a million people in the state to apply for unemployment insurance. Those payments have become the safety net for workers during the worst recession in many decades. The federal government beefed it up significantly in the CARES Act — a recognition of how urgent the situation is for tens of millions of Americans. But now, after weeks and, in some cases, months out of work, large numbers of unemployed Washingtonians still have not gotten paid. There’s plenty of responsibility to go around — unprecedented demand, fraud of a shoc...2020-06-1216 minOutsidersOutsidersTransmission: A pandemic meets a homelessness crisisWhen the novel coronavirus outbreak hits Olympia, it arrives in the middle of a "state of emergency" around homelessness. What happens to people surviving outside when the government says to stay at home? This crossover episode with the KNKX podcast Transmission looks at the effects of the pandemic on the homeless population. Donate to KNKX: knkx.org/support Subscribe to The Seattle Times: seattletimes.com/subscribe For more dispatches from a COVID-19 "hot spot," subscribe to Transmission by KNKX.2020-03-2017 minOutsidersOutsidersTransmission: A pandemic meets a homelessness crisisWhen the novel coronavirus outbreak hits Olympia, it arrives in the middle of a "state of emergency" around homelessness. What happens to people surviving outside when the government says to stay at home? This crossover episode with the KNKX podcast Transmission looks at the effects of the pandemic on the homeless population.2020-03-2017 minOutsidersOutsidersEpisode 7: It's the WaterDoes something about Olympia attract desperate people from all over? We examine the “magnet theory” of homelessness.2020-03-1836 minOutsidersOutsidersInside OutsidersThe Outsiders team holds a live event to explain how we made the series and what we learned. We answer listeners’ questions: Are some people homeless by choice? After a year of reporting, do we feel society is any closer to solving homelessness? Donate to KNKX: knkx.org/support Subscribe to The Seattle Times: seattletimes.com/subscribe2020-03-1157 minOutsidersOutsidersEpisode 6: The BridgeHomelessness divides Olympia and forces people to re-examine their politics. Emotions converge on an encampment under the Fourth Avenue Bridge. Donate to KNKX: knkx.org/support Subscribe to The Seattle Times: seattletimes.com/subscribe2020-03-0444 minOutsidersOutsidersEpisode 5: Let's DanceSam Miller can help us understand how addiction and homelessness intersect because he’s lived them both. Plus he can make us laugh. He points to one reason he was able to overcome homelessness while many others get trapped. Donate to KNKX: knkx.org/support Subscribe to The Seattle Times: seattletimes.com/subscribe2020-02-2624 minSeattle Opera PodcastSeattle Opera PodcastJoshua Stewart shares CHARLIE PARKER’S YARDBIRD with KNKXSeattle’s jazz community is getting excited about Charlie Parker’s Yardbird. Tenor Joshua Stewart, who makes his Seattle Opera debut as Charlie Parker (a role he has now sung in many other cities), visited radio station KNKX, 88.5 FM, Seattle’s connection to Jazz, Blues, and NPR. He brought with him David McDade, Seattle Opera’s Head of Coach-Accompanists, and sang some of the arias he sings in this opera—as well as a special treat. Thanks to Robin Lloyd of KNKX for hosting this interview and sharing it with us.2020-02-2024 minOutsidersOutsidersEpisode 4: Parallel SocietyDespite Olympia’s efforts, hundreds of people remain in unsanctioned camps around the city. They invent ways to stay alive and help each other survive. Donate to KNKX: knkx.org/support Subscribe to The Seattle Times: seattletimes.com/subscribe2020-02-1941 minOutsidersOutsidersEpisode 3: All My NightmaresHow did people end up on the streets of Olympia? Some can point to a catastrophe that bent their lives toward homelessness. For others, it almost seemed like life was moving in that direction from the very beginning. Donate to KNKX: knkx.org/support Subscribe to The Seattle Times: seattletimes.com/subscribe2020-02-1242 minSchool Of JazzSchool Of JazzDecatur High's jazz all-stars have big fun in the KNKX studios with Alex DugdaleLocated between the cities of Seattle and Tacoma, Decatur High School in Federal Way is in prime position to soak up all the arts activities on offer. And these teenagers are creating their own art as part of a successful and still-growing jazz program.2020-02-0521 minOutsidersOutsidersEpisode 2: What Happened HereThe rise of homelessness in Olympia looked different depending on where you were standing. To many people, it swept over the city like a storm in a matter of weeks. But a few could see the pressure building for decades. Donate to KNKX: knkx.org/support Subscribe to The Seattle Times: seattletimes.com/subscribe2020-02-0540 minSchool Of JazzSchool Of JazzKate Olson and Snohomish H.S. Jazz Allstars brighten a winter day in the KNKX studiosSnohomish High School's band program celebrates it's 90th year this year, and the all-star jazz ensemble showed us how talented their musicians are. With saxophonists Kate Olson and Brent Jensen in mentor and instructor roles, it's clear there's some fantastic jazz blowing down from the north.2020-02-0324 minForgotten PrisonForgotten PrisonOutsiders: A new podcast about homelessness from KNKX and The Seattle TimesHomelessness on the West Coast is rising to crisis levels at a time of historic economic growth and prosperity. Why? KNKX Public Radio and The Seattle Times' Project Homeless spent one year in a city that’s grappling with homelessness. What’s it like to live outside for months on end? What’s it like when tents come to your neighborhood? What new solutions can city leaders find?2020-01-3003 minForgotten PrisonForgotten PrisonOutsiders: A new podcast about homelessness from KNKX and The Seattle TimesHomelessness on the West Coast is rising to crisis levels at a time of historic economic growth and prosperity. Why? KNKX Public Radio and The Seattle Times' Project Homeless spent one year in a city that’s grappling with homelessness. What’s it like to live outside for months on end? What’s it like when tents come to your neighborhood? What new solutions can city leaders find? This is Outsiders. Outsiders is available wherever you listen to podcasts. Subscribe now so you don't miss the first episode debuting Jan. 29.2020-01-3003 minOutsidersOutsidersEpisode 1: The RainThe West Coast's homelessness crisis arrives in Olympia, Washington. City leaders scramble to respond, and wonder if they can succeed where larger cities have failed. People trying to survive outside face a choice: whether to set aside years of distrust and go along with the city’s plans. Donate to KNKX: knkx.org/support Subscribe to The Seattle Times: seattletimes.com/subscribe2020-01-2937 minSchool Of JazzSchool Of JazzSchool of Jazz with the all-stars of Ingraham High SchoolIngraham High School's jazz program is booming, expanding to include a pair of big bands under the direction of Shane Henderson. With their mentor, saxophonist Peter Daniel, Ingraham's all-star jazz ensemble showed off their passion for this music in the KNKX studios with a trio of classic tunes.2020-01-2124 minOutsidersOutsidersIntroducing: Outsiders, a story about homelessnessHomelessness on the West Coast is rising to crisis levels at a time of historic economic growth and prosperity. Why? KNKX Public Radio and The Seattle Times' Project Homeless spent one year in a city that’s grappling with homelessness. What’s it like to live outside for months on end? What’s it like when tents come to your neighborhood? What new solutions can city leaders find?2020-01-0803 minOutsidersOutsidersIntroducing: Outsiders, a story about homelessnessHomelessness on the West Coast is rising to crisis levels at a time of historic economic growth and prosperity. Why? KNKX Public Radio and The Seattle Times' Project Homeless spent one year in a city that’s grappling with homelessness. What’s it like to live outside for months on end? What’s it like when tents come to your neighborhood? What new solutions can city leaders find? This is Outsiders. Outsiders is available wherever you listen to podcasts. Subscribe now so you don't miss the first episode debuting Jan. 29.2020-01-0803 minSchool Of JazzSchool Of JazzCentral Washington University jazz all-stars return to the KNKX studiosFor a third time, KNKX hosted an all-star jazz ensemble from CWU for a studio session performance. The fresh faces of this combo did have some familiarity, with two former School of Jazz high schoolers in the group as well as our friend, saxophonist Mark Taylor, acting as mentor.2019-11-2733 minSchool Of JazzSchool Of JazzA magical visit from the jazz all-stars of Eckstein Middle SchoolSaxophonist Anton Schwartz wished he'd had more time to work with the young jazz combo from Eckstein Middle School. In the KNKX studios, these six young women stepped up and showed Schwartz there was no need to be nervous. These kids can really play.2019-11-1926 minSchool Of JazzSchool Of JazzJazz kids of all ages: Hear the Jazz Night School studio sessionJazz musicians are always learning, and thanks to Seattle's nonprofit Jazz Night School program, students ages 10-74 are getting that education. An all-star ensemble mentored by trumpet and sax player Jay Thomas showed us how fun the early stages of learning jazz can be at any age.2019-09-2628 minSchool Of JazzSchool Of JazzJazz students at Bellevue College show off many skillsUnder the direction of Jim Sisko for the past seven years, the jazz program at Bellevue College is emphasizing a more diverse set of musical skills. The well respected big band remains, but students are focusing more on small groups, improvisation, arranging and composition. When Sisko brought an all-star combo from the college into the KNKX studios, he told us that new focus is paying dividends.2019-08-0232 minForgotten PrisonForgotten PrisonUPDATE: Laura McCollum leaves the islandLaura McCollum, who was profiled in Episode 2 of Forgotten Prison , has been conditionally released from the Special Commitment Center on McNeil Island. Hosts Simone Alicea and Paula Wissel spoke with KNKX's Kirsten Kendrick about what that means.2019-06-1808 minForgotten PrisonForgotten PrisonUPDATE: Laura McCollum leaves the islandLaura McCollum, who was profiled in Episode 2 of Forgotten Prison, has been conditionally released from the Special Commitment Center on McNeil Island. Hosts Simone Alicea and Paula Wissel spoke with KNKX's Kirsten Kendrick about what that means.2019-06-1808 minSchool Of JazzSchool Of JazzBallard High's jazz ensemble hits the KNKX studios, ya betcha!With one of the area's finest trumpet players acting as mentor, the all-star ensemble from Ballard High School's award-winning jazz program proved that these young musicians belong in any conversation about the northwest's finest teenage jazz bands.2019-06-1130 minSchool Of JazzSchool Of JazzTimberline High's inspired School of Jazz band hits the KNKX studiosAfter nearly two decades leading the bands at Timberline High School in Lacey, Cal Anderson knows he has some special players on his hands now. Performing three varied standards in the KNKX studios, these five young men impressed our audience and their mentor, Andy Omdahl.2019-04-1917 minSchool Of JazzSchool Of JazzSchool Of Jazz: Mercer Island High SchoolWe were so please to have the Mercer Island High School Combo for a School Of Jazz studio performance. Not only did they play some challenging works – they were also able to let us on their musical influences as well as why they love jazz. Band teacher Brian Lawrence described how he chose the tunes for the session. You can catch Dan Marcus preforming with EntreMundos and well as coaching the Seattle Youth Symphony.2019-04-1025 minSchool Of JazzSchool Of JazzKelsey and the Boys put Monroe High School on the jazz mapThe 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.2019-03-2924 minForgotten PrisonForgotten PrisonEpisode 6: Every Prison is an IslandMcNeil Island is an especially forgotten prison. But, in the end, all prisons are forgotten in some way. In the last episode of Forgotten Prison , hosts Simone Alicea and Paula Wissel wrestle with why that is.2019-02-2631 minForgotten PrisonForgotten PrisonEpisode 5: It Happened HereStudying the history of an American prison is really just a study in American history. Pick a major event, and odds are good you can find at least one story related to McNeil Island.2019-02-1936 minForgotten PrisonForgotten PrisonEpisode 4: Island LifeOne obvious thing that made the prison on McNeil unique was its island location. In Episode 4 of Forgotten Prison, we hear from former guards, inmates and children who grew up there, as well as someone descended from island homesteaders, about life in and around an island prison.2019-02-1231 minForgotten PrisonForgotten PrisonEpisode 3: Designing IncarcerationThe abandoned prison on McNeil Island and its 136-year history can tell us a lot about why we lock people up and how it has changed over time. Hosts Simone Alicea and Paula Wissel explore the decaying structures on the island to learn how the modern American prison system came to be.2019-02-0537 minForgotten PrisonForgotten PrisonEpisode 2: Not a PrisonWhile the prison on McNeil Island closed in 2011, Washington state still runs the Special Commitment Center there. It's where the state keeps "sexually violent predators" who have served their prison time, but are deemed too dangerous to release into society. Technically, the commitment center is not a prison, but the reality is more complicated.2019-01-2931 minForgotten PrisonForgotten PrisonEpisode 1: ForgottenThere are a thousand stories about McNeil Island. And odds are, you haven't heard any of them. In Episode 1 of Forgotten Prison , hosts Simone Alicea and Paula Wissel explain how we came to abandon one of the country's first federal prisons.2019-01-2228 minForgotten PrisonForgotten PrisonTRAILER: Forgotten Prison, a new podcast about McNeil IslandKNKX premiers Forgotten Prison on Jan. 22, a new podcast featuring McNeil Island — the Alcatraz you've never heard of.2019-01-1501 minForgotten PrisonForgotten PrisonTRAILER: Forgotten Prison, a new podcast about McNeil IslandKNKX premiers Forgotten Prison on Jan. 22, a new podcast featuring McNeil Island — the Alcatraz you've never heard of.2019-01-1501 minSchool Of JazzSchool Of JazzThe Kenji Wagner Quintet takes us to the jazz clubhouseAsked 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.2019-01-1130 minSchool Of JazzSchool Of JazzDylan Hayes' Jazz College DaysWe 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.2018-09-1922 minSchool Of JazzSchool Of JazzSchool Of Jazz Triple-Play With Seattle JazzEDKNKX 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.2018-09-1327 minSchool Of JazzSchool Of JazzSouth Puget Sound Community College And The Evergreen State CollegeIt 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.2018-08-0633 minSchool Of JazzSchool Of JazzCentral Washington University Jazz Ensemble With Mentor Pianist Dawn ClementStudents from Central Washington University and pianist Dawn Clement performed in our Seattle studios for a special School of Jazz performance.2018-05-2228 minSchool Of JazzSchool Of JazzSchool Of Jazz Live At Seattle Pacific UniversityThe 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.2018-04-2427 minSchool Of JazzSchool Of JazzElijah Baradi Quintet - Burnin' Boys From The EastsideThey 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. Drumming since age 6, Baradi drives a strong rhythm section. The sophomore teams with seniors Mert Selcuk on piano and Kai Wagner at the upright bass, an instrument this electric bass player only recently picked up. Kai's brother Kenji forms the "brass section" on trombone and trumpet, with fellow...2018-02-2335 minMove to Tacoma PodcastMove to Tacoma PodcastThe new KNKX with Matt Martinez & Mary DunawayDirector of Content Matt Martinez and Director of Development Mary Dunaway talk about how KPLU became KNKX and what it means for news and radio in the Tacoma and Puget Sound area. The post The new KNKX with Matt Martinez & Mary Dunaway appeared first on Move to Tacoma. 2017-04-1341 min