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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.

KNKX School of Jazz guest DJ for April: Don Tran

Listen to bassist Don Tran's guest DJ show
Don Tran
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Don Tran
Listen to bassist Don Tran's guest DJ show

Bass player Don Tran joins Abe Beeson as guest DJ for March. Don is a senior bass player with the Edmonds-Woodway High School jazz band. He showed off his talent in a virtual studio session with the school's ensemble at Boxley's in North Bend last year and will be traveling with the school's big band to the Lionel Hampton Jazz Festival later this month. Learn more about this big bass fan and check out his playlist below.

Which instrument do you play and why?

Bass because it is the coolest instrument in existence.

What’s your all-time favorite jazz piece?

I never get tired of "Waltz for Debby" by Bill Evans.

Who is your jazz hero?

John Patitucci.

Why jazz?

Jazz is a broad term for entire worlds of different sounds and feels, it’s good for the soul.

Don's Playlist:

  • "Waltz for Debby" Bill Evans Trio
  • "What's Baby Singin'" Himiko Kikuchi
  • "Nutville" Buddy Rich Big Band ft. Steve Smith
  • "Virgo" Benny Green Trio
  • "So Nice" Marcos Valle
  • "Scenery" Ryo Fukui
  • "Lush Life" John Coltrane Quartet
Abe grew up in Western Washington, a 3rd 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.