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Since 2005, KNKX's School of Jazz has provided mentorship, learning and performance opportunities to Western Washington middle school, high school and college jazz students. A cornerstone of the station's signature community outreach program, it has directly impacted thousands of jazz students, band directors and professional musicians. School of Jazz is sponsored by BECU.

School of Jazz guest DJ for November: Jackson McCormick

A young man holds a saxophone.
Courtesy of Jackson McCormick
Jackson McCormick

Saxophonist Jackson McCormick from Lynnwood High School will join Abe Beeson as guest DJ on Nov. 4 during Evening Jazz at 7 p.m. He is a junior and in the school's jazz band.

Which instrument do you play and why?
I started off on clarinet in 5th grade simply because that was the only instrument I could make a sound with. I picked up the baritone saxophone in 7th grade with hopes of joining the jazz band in 8th grade because I had just been amazed by their sound and I knew I wanted to do that. From there, I got an alto saxophone so I didn't have to carry the baritone saxophone to and from school all the time. In 9th grade, I was given a tenor saxophone and told to rotate between tenor and baritone saxophones in jazz band while I played alto saxophone and clarinet in concert band. For fun, in 10th grade I picked up a trumpet we had at home and I still dabble on it from time to time, but I'm not very good at it. Nowadays, I'm playing primarily tenor saxophone in jazz band and clarinet in wind ensemble, but overall, my favorite instrument to play is tenor saxophone because I love the deep, rich sound it can produce when played expressively.

What’s your all-time favorite jazz piece?
"Four Brothers" by Art Pepper

Who is your jazz hero?
Cannonball Adderley

Why jazz?
While I was originally simply striving to be in the "better" band in 7th grade, I continued with jazz because I love the feeling of jamming out with other talented musicians, which is generally much more fun with all subgenres of jazz.

JACKSON McCORMICKS'S PLAYLIST
"Moment's Notice," John Coltrane (Blue Train)

"Four Brothers," Art Pepper (Art Pepper + Eleven)

"My One and Only Love," Johnny Hartman (John Coltrane & Johnny Hartman)

"Funky Snake Foot," Alphonse Mouzon (Funky Snake Foot)

"Summertime," Charlie Parker (Charlie Parker with Strings)

"Misty," Ella Fitzgerald (Pure Ella)

"Pent-up House," Sonny Rollins (Sonny Rollings Plus Four)

"I Remember Clifford," Lee Morgan (Lee Morgan Vol. 3)

Follow @jackpm135 on Instagram.