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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.

Jazz Port Townsend participants chip in as September guest DJs

The Jazz Port Townsend participants take the mic for the School of Jazz guest DJ show
Abe Beeson
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Abe Beeson
The Jazz Port Townsend participants take the mic for the School of Jazz guest DJ show

Centrum's Jazz Port Townsendreturned to live attendance this year and KNKX was there to gather the festival's mainstage performances with Midday Jazz host Abe Beeson acting as emcee. While there, we also gathered requests from participants at Jazz Port Townsend for a back-to-school edition of the KNKX School of Jazz guest DJ show.

The requests reflect the diversity of the camp's participants, ranging from early teens to late 70s and at skill levels from beginner to professional musician. The music they chose was just as diverse, including big bands and modern jazz with a pair of tunes by Jazz Port Townsend instructors.

Jazz Port Townsend's Artistic Director John Clayton, who is also co-leader of the Clayton-Hamilton Jazz Orchestra, requested a bonus song: "Battle Royal" from the 1961 album First Time! The Count Meets the Duke.

Enjoy these great songs from our September School of Jazz guest DJs:

  • Marcus from Seattle — "The Essence" Marquis Hill (Modern Flows, Vol 1)
  • Carla from Port Townsend, Wash. — "Devil May Care" Bob Dorough/Dave Frishberg (Who’s On First?)
  • Charles from Los Angeles — "Dear Lord" Kenny Garrett (Pursuance: Music of John Coltrane)
  • Nata from Seattle — "Darben The Red Foxx" James Moody (YouTube Live Concert)
  • Doug from Portland, Ore. — "Charade" Blossom Dearie (May I Come In?)
  • Avery from the Ballard neighborhood in Seattle — "Embraceable You" Charlie Parker/Miles Davis (Out of Nowhere)
  • Noah from Los Angeles — "Wave" Antonio Carlos Jobim (Wave)
  • Mike from Seattle — "In a Mellow Tone" Duke Ellington/Sweets Edison (The Duke)
  • Sandy from Seattle — "Perhaps" Marian Hayden (Visions)
  • Jonathan from Portland, Ore. — "Bolivia" Freddie Hubbard/Cedar Walton (Bolivia)
  • Ian from Vancouver, B.C. — "Qu'est-ce Que C'est?" Joel Frahm (The Bright Side)
Abe grew up in Western Washington, a third generation Seattle/Tacoma kid. It was as a student at Pacific Lutheran University that Abe landed his first job at KNKX, editing and producing audio for news stories. It was a Christmas Day shift no one else wanted that gave Abe his first on-air experience which led to overnights, then Saturday afternoons, and started hosting Evening Jazz in 1998.