KNKX records and produces exclusive Studio Sessions every month with world-class jazz and blues musicians from around the world and the Northwest. We also like to use Studio Sessions as an opportunity to showcase the talented local students participating in our award-winning School of Jazz program.
Studio Sessions typically last around an hour, but the exact program will depend on the artist. You can usually expect about 15-45 minutes of sound check and mingling, followed by 20-30 minutes of recorded studio session time. This consists of 2 to 3 songs followed by an interview from one of our hosts.
We'd love for you to join us for a session in our new Seattle studios next to Pike Place Market. Below you will find more information about each upcoming Studio Session along with a link to register.
Studio Sessions are very popular and are free to attend.
Please register for only one per three months so others can enjoy the show!
School of Jazz: Seattle Academy with mentor, guitarist Andy Coe
Tuesday, May 26, 1 p.m.
Hosted by Abe Beeson
Seattle Academy (SAAS) prepares students in grades 6–12 to Question, Imagine, and Create so they can Contribute Boldly to a Changing World. Since their founding in 1983, SAAS has championed a bold, student-centered education that equips young people with the skills, mindset, and confidence to thrive in college and in life. The SAAS Band Program is built on the belief that music is a powerful and joyful catalyst for personal growth. Open to all Middle and Upper School students, the program offers a year-long opportunity for musical development and creative expression. With concert band and jazz band as the two areas of focus, students learn from specialist coaches, guest artists, and clinicians who bring professional expertise into the classroom. All Band students perform in two school concerts each year as well as at End-of-Trimester Showcases, while the advanced ensemble travels and competes at regional jazz festivals. Stuart MacDonald leads the jazz program, which includes the four talented students who will perform in our studios.
SOLD OUT
Judith Hill
Friday, June 12, 1 p.m.
Hosted by John Kessler
Gutsy and nuanced as a vocalist, and an accomplished songwriter, arranger, and pianist as well, Judith Hill is likely the only musician who can cite Elton John, Spike Lee, Prince, and Michael Jackson among those who have sought out her talent. One of the highest-profile background singers of her generation, she got her start in the early 2000s, and in the next decade established a solo career with the soundtrack to Lee's Red Hook Summer (2012). Since making these strides, she has built a discography of increasingly refined and creative albums that includes the Prince-produced Back in Time (2015), followed by Golden Child (2018) and Baby, I'm Hollywood! (2021), all while continuing her work in support of other artists. Hill starred in the Academy Award- and Grammy-winning 20 Feet from Stardom, the documentary film showcasing the under-acknowledged work of backup singers.
KNKX presents Judith Hill at Dimitriou's Jazz Alley June 11-14.
SOLD OUT
Ann Reynolds and Clave Gringa
Friday, July 10 at 1 p.m.
Hosted by Myah Rose
From the charm of the cha-cha-cha to the depth of Afro Cuban rhythms, Clave Gringa presents a broad spectrum of Cuban music, and original engaging compositions by Ann Reynolds as well as Cuban classics. In 2000 Ann went to Cuba for the first time and fell in love…with the music and the people. She got tremendous support from the generous teachers at the National School for the Arts. For two weeks each year she had the wonderful experience of being in a top musical conservatory, and her studies of piano and Cuban music helped her blossom into a mature musician. By 2004 Ann was composing pieces and had found her lifelong dream - to compose and perform music that has movement to it and is representative of her life experience. Her music was recorded in 2014 in the debut album by Clave Gringa, Para Cuba con Amor and in the second recording, Joy in 2019. Ann was given the Earshot Golden Award for Best Northwest Jazz Recording of 2021. You can find Ann performing with Clave Gringa and other groups in the Seattle/Puget Sound region.