Jazz Northwest: Recent Episodes
KNKX Public Radio
Jazz Northwest, produced by Jim Wilke, focuses on the regional jazz scene from Portland to Vancouver, B.C. Albums by the best resident musicians from Seattle, Portland and Vancouver are featured, and the program also includes news about the best places to go for live jazz in the region. In addition, Jim goes "on location" to concerts, clubs and jazz festivals to record performances by resident and visiting artists for playback on Jazz Northwest. These one-of-a-kind recordings are available nowhere else!
The Barrett Martin Group, bassist Clipper Anderson, instrumentalist Anne Drummond and pianist Marc Seales
In this episode: Tracy Knoop, Diane Schuur, Meridian Odyssey, Roy Hargrove, Julien Priester.
In this episode: Tracy Knoop, Diane Schuur, Meridian Odyssey, Roy Hargrove, Julien Priester.
Vocalist Melody Daichun, the Ali Jackson Trio, Digable Planets and pianist and singer Darrius Willrich.
This episode features Don Lanphere and Pete Christlieb, vocalist Eugenie Jones and Cannonball Adderly.
Also on this week's show, music by Bren Plummer, Primo Kim and the Kelby McNayr Quintet from Hermann's Jazz Club in Victoria, B.C.
Thomas Marriott and Ray Vega team up on their third album together "Coast to Coast." Also featured this week, Jeff Johnson, Emmet Cohen and Richard Cole.
Also on this week's show, music from George Colligan, Greta Matassa, Mark Lewis and others.
Also featured are selections from recent albums by Dmitri Matheny, Tall and Small, Jovino Santos Neto and more.
This week we hear a song from Scenes' latest album "Variable Clouds" and music from Whitman Jazz Ensemble, Daniel Herszog Jazz Orchestra and the Jay Thomas Quartet.
The New York quartet debuts music from their new album "Move." Also on this week's show, music from Barney McClure, Brian Nova, Eugenie Jones and more.
Vancouver's Cory Weeds leads his Little Big Band and Edmonton alto saxophonist PJ Perry plays music from his latest release.
Also on the show, music from Portland, Ore., Vancouver B.C., Seattle and Edmonton as well as a prototypical New York trio visiting Seattle next week.
Saxophonist Denny Goodhew joins Towner on several selections. Also heard on this week's show, Tracy Knoop, Kelley Johnson and more.
The show also includes a new release from saxophonist Mark Lewis, and trumpeter Jared Hall.
On this show, Porter plays in a trio with Jon "Sticky" Lakey on bass and Alan Jones on drums. Also, The Jim Knapp Orchestra, Kelly Eisenhour, Ben Thomas, and Brazilian guitarist Bola Sete.
This week we hear from, Gordon Lee and the Mel Brown Septet, singer Miranda Sage, Jay Thomas, Jovino Santos Neto and more.
Music from Hadley Caliman, Pete Christlieb, Mark Lewis and more. Plus music from Emerald City Nights: Live At The Penthouse from Ahmad Jamal.
Also on this week's show, The Cookers, Frank Kohl & John Stowell, Kelley Johnson, and Kelby MacNayr's Quintet from Victoria, B.C.
Seattle Repertory Jazz Orchestra Artistic Director Michael Brockman selected a program representing Mingus' range as a composer from blues-based ballads to fiery bop burners.
Also on this week's show, Alex Dugdale, Seattle Women's Jazz Orchestra, the Dave Peck Trio and more.
Also on this week’s show, selections from Tall & Small and David Lee Joyner Trio, Jovino Santos Neto, and Brad Turner Quintet among others
Schneider's album "The Thompson Fields" will be showcased. Also on the show, selections by Milt Kleeb Dectet, Scenes, Primo Kim and more.
We crisscross the Pacific Northwest this week featuring local musicians and more music from Ahmad Jamal Trio at The Penthouse.
This week we feature music from Ernestine Anderson, a recent release by Tall and Small and an unreleased studio recording by the duo of Fred Radke and Primo Kim.
Stretching our focus on Pacific Northwest artists just a bit, we open this show with pianist Gene Argel, who began his career in Washington, but has been a resident of Hawaii since 1982. His album Luminescent features regional musicians Jay Thomas, Chuck Deardorf and Mark Ivester.
Also on this show, Jay Thomas Quartet at Seattle Art Museum, a harmonically rich composition by Ben Plummer, Portland singer Rebecca Kilgore and others.
New music from quartet Scenes, recorded live at the Earshot Jazz Festival. Other artists featured this week include The Ahmad Jamal Trio, Kelley Johnson, Jim Knapp Orchestra and more.
On our last Jazz Northwest before Christmas, we'll feature some unusual arrangements of seasonal songs and carols and new music from PJ Perry and Ahmad Jamal Trio.
Today on Jazz Northwest we feature new albums from Tall & Small and Ahmad Jamal Trio and showcase some holiday favorites by northwest musicians.
Pianist and composer David Lee Joyner's latest album, featuring two original compositions alongside his trio, will premiere on this week's episode of Jazz Northwest. The trio has backed other musicians, but this time Joyner is "Up Front" with his compositions and trio.
On today's episode of Jazz Northwest, we'll preview some upcoming performances by Bill Anschell, The Roosevelt Jazz Band, Kelly Eisenhour, Brent Jensen and Ben Thomas. Also featured this week, a jazz classic by Warren Rand and Dave Frishberg and two songs by the late Joni Metcalf.
One of the major personalities on the Seattle jazz scene from the 50s through the 80s, Joni Metcalf was a pianist, singer, composer and teacher. Metcalf passed last weekend at the age of 91. We'll remember her singing, playing piano and performing some of her original music on today's episode of Jazz Northwest.
Ernestine Anderson made her home in Seattle and the city gladly claimed the world renown singer as her own. Although she passed in 2016, she is fondly remembered around her November birthday by her many friends and fans. Accordingly, Jazz Northwest will feature a couple of her songs that illustrate her range on this week's show.
It's past being controversial by now, but the first "Jazz and Strings" albums were not always warmly received. Some regarded it as "selling out" to commercial interests, but in many cases, it was the artists themselves who fought for the opportunity to record with a string orchestra - think Nat King Cole, Charlie Parker, and Billie Holiday.
Portland based Owen Broder brings his group to the Earshot Jazz Festival next Thursday at The Royal Room. The Portland-based Broder teaches at Portland State University and Pacific University. His new album celebrating Ellington's great lead altoist Johnny Hodges will be featured in two selections on this episode of Jazz Northwest.
Diachun hails from Nelson, British Columbia and is often heard performing in Vancouver, B.C. and Victoria, B.C. The new album features twelve songs by Sting and was recorded this earlier this year in Vancouver. "Russians," dating from the Cold War years, is included for its sense of timeliness again.
Chuck Deardorf passed last Sunday at the age of 68 cue to complications from COVID-19. He was an active and versatile bassist as well as an educator and administrator. He had headed the jazz program at Cornish College and was on the faculty of Jazz Port Townsend workshops.
Jim Wilke debuts singer and songwriter Casey MacGill's new album "Love Letters." We also hear a selection of the Earshot Jazz Festival featuring artists Alex Dugdale, Johnaye Kendrick and Kurt Rosenwinkel.
Pianist Overton Berry was a popular figure on the Seattle music scene for over 50 years. Diane Schuur, Bruce Phares and other friends pay tribute to the late pianist in the opening concert of this year's Earshot Jazz Festival.
The concluding evening concert from this year's Jazz Port Townsend will air this week on Jazz Northwest. This concert brought together eight renown jazz musicians who were also on the faculty of the Jazz Workshop which preceded the festival the last week of July.
Also on this week's show, a modern classic from Ralph Towner and Denney Goodhew to mark the last weekend of Summer. Songs featuring singers Kelley Johnson, Nancy Erickson and more.
Trombonist Wycliffe Gordon is a popular favorite at Jazz Port Townsend, and this year's concert added to his legacy.
Flugelhorn player Dmitri Matheny's excellent "Cascadia" opens the show, followed by Vancouver bassist John Lee's CD "The Artist" and a young sextet called Meridian Odyssey playing original music on the CD "Earthshine."
Joel Frahm and Jay Thomas fronted a quintet that opened this Summer's Jazz Port Townsend, presented by Centrum on the last weekend of July. The concert was recorded for radio broadcast and we will hear excerpts on this week's Jazz Northwest.
The Jeff Hamilton Trio concert from the 2022 Jazz Port Townsend will air on this week on Jazz Northwest. The trio includes Jeff Hamilton on drums, Tamir Hendelman on piano and Jon Hamar on bass. The trio plays a crowd-pleasing selection of jazz standards and originals in this main stage matinee concert recorded last month.
Saxophonist Jim Pepper brought his Native American heritage to the fore with his memorable composition "Witchi Tia To." The late saxophonist is heard playing it on this week's show. We will also hear music by Tall & Small featuring saxophonist Pete Christlieb and trombonist Linda Small.
Among highlights on this week's episode is a 1989 recording of the Bud Shank Quintet playing music by David Peck, who was pianist in Bud's Northwest group. This recording was made at Fort Worden Theatre in Port Townsend.
A perennial favorite, the Jeff Hamilton Trio plays at Centrum's Jazz Port Townsend and Boxley's in North Bend this week. This Sunday's edition of Jazz Northwest leads off with music from the trio's 2013 recording "Great American Songs."
Saxophonist Joel Frahm, currently on a West Coast tour with a new album "The Bright Side" will be featured on today's episode of Jazz Northwest.
One of the busiest jazz musicians in the region is Dmitri Matheny, who's currently on a CD release tour in Washington and Oregon ranging up and down the I-5 corridor from his home base in Centralia. Two selections from his new CD "Cascadia" will be featured on this week's episode.
Every Sunday afternoon we feature some of the outstanding jazz artists who've graced our scene in Seattle and the Pacific Northwest. This week includes one of Ernestine Anderson's last recordings in front of a New York audience at Dizzy's Club.
Twelve of the 17-member Roosevelt Jazz Band were graduating Seniors this year, and it was also the last year for director Scott Brown who has led the multi award winning RHS Jazz Band for 38 years and retired after this concert.
Featured on this week's episode is the Captain Black Big band, led by pianist and composer Orrin Evans, who brings his New York-based big band to the Pacific Northwest for three performances next week.
German born composer arranger and trumpet/flugelhorn player Oliver Groenewald now makes his home on Orcas Island, but he led his NewNet in an excellent CD featuring Jay Thomas in 2018. Music from that album "I Always Knew" leads off today's episode, followed by the Dave Robbins Sextet from Vancouver BC, and the Rebecca Kilgore Trio from Portland, demonstrating the rich variety of Jazz talent in the Pacific Northwest.
On this show we showcase some original compositions featuring string ensembles. The new John Stowell/Dave Glenn album features the guitarist and trombonist alternating with original music for string quartet inspired by Stowell's compositions. Also, music conceived for a string orchestra by the late Jim Knapp is played by his chamber orchestra, Scrape.
Recent releases by Ben Thomas, Rich Pellegrin and Kelly Eisenhour will be featured on today on Jazz Northwest.
The second show of highlights from a two piano concert by Bill Anschell and Francesco Crosara will air today on Jazz Northwest.
Bill Anschell and Francesco Crosara play two restored Steinways from the 1920s from the collection at Stage 7 Pianos. in this show, they're playing music by Chick Corea, Francesco Crosara and Duke Ellington.
This week's show begins with the Jill Townsend Big Band from Vancouver B.C. playing music by the late saxophonist Ross Taggart, then we dip down to Portland for a trio with John Gross and Dave Frishberg and Charlie Doggett. We'll have Seattle guitarist Marco de Carvalho, revisit The Evergreen Classic Jazz Band and hear favorites by Oregon and Ernestine Anderson.
The late Bob Hammer was a highly regarded bi-coastal arranger and pianist who spent his last years in Seattle. On today's episode of Jazz Northwest, we'll hear some of his arrangements of the music of Charles Mingus, whose centennial is being celebrated this month.
Scott Robinson is well known as a saxophonist playing the entire family of saxes from contrabass to sopranino. Recently it's his baritone sax with Maria Schneider Orchestra as well as Bob Brookmeyer, Toshiko Akiyoshi and others that attracted attention.
Jessica Williams was a unique artist with an evocative touch at the piano. She passed away March 12 at the age of 73. She was a restless person who was born in Baltimore, studied classical piano, and built her career as house pianist at Keystone Korner in San Francisco where she backed many different international soloists including Dexter Gordon and Stan Getz.
Jovino Santos Neto played his most recent solo piano album "Luz" in one continuous session, like a live performance. It's a very enjoyable set and it engages the listener like an actual concert.
This week on Jazz Northwest, Vancouver flutist Tom Keenlyside debuts a new CD remembering an all-night coffeehouse where he found his love for jazz.