Abe Beeson
New Cool & Jazz HostAbe 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.
At the end of 2015, just as the campaign to save 88.5 began, Abe debuted his modern jazz show The New Cool. Saturday afternoons from 3 to 5 p.m., you can hear 21st-century jazz inspired and informed by the sounds of today: hip-hop, & funk, Electronic music and punk rock — the future of jazz has arrived.
His most memorable KNKX radio moments include introducing Dave Brubeck, Ray Charles, Oscar Peterson, and other greats; attending jazz festivals in Spain and Argentina with groups of KNKX jazz fans; and locking himself out of the station on a particularly cold winter night.
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Saxophonist Cliff Colon's Jazz Overhaul find improvisational possibilities in music of the grunge era. True to the spirit of 1992, and a nostalgic surprise for listeners familiar with the source material, the quartet delivers something all music fans can appreciate. -
Grooving through their fifth decade, the Yellowjackets quartet play a KNKX studio session.
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A new year brings new releases and new tours. KNKX's The New Cool will keep you connected to the latest in modern jazz in 2023. 19-piece band Snarky Puppy's "Empire Central" album is a hot winter treat, offering a world of thrilling music for modern times.
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Bassist Ethan Feiges joins KNKX's Abe Beeson as guest DJ for January. He is a senior and member of the jazz band at Newport High School in Bellevue. Get to know Ethan and check out his playlist.
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Live jazz and blues concerts returned in 2022, with some lingering pandemic bumps in the road. KNKX was overjoyed to welcome musicians back to our studios once again this year. Here are the artists and bands who brought the energy of live performances back to KNKX Studio Sessions.
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Joey DeFrancesco was considered by many to be the best Hammond organ player in the world. A musical prodigy who played multiple instruments, DeFrancesco sparked an organ revival in jazz and brought joy to everyone who heard him play. DeFrancesco passed away in August. Abe Beeson has more.
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Holiday grooves and modern jazz favorites populate this week's show, the final one before Christmas. Host Abe Beeson also looks at a few last concerts in 2022 and some exciting upcoming performances in the first weeks of the new year.
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Hawaiian ukulele master Jake Shimabukuro performs for KNKX listeners at the Moore Theatre in Seattle.
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London ensemble Kokoroko follow their hit 2019 single with the new album "Could We Be More."
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Portland-based trumpeter Cyrus Nabipoor spoke with KNKX's Abe Beeson about his newly focused modern style.
