Live Studio Sessions

Mark O'Connor is a flexible master of the violin, or fiddle - depending on the music, earning awards playing classical, jazz, and bluegrass. It's this last style that dominates on his latest album, "Coming Home," which finds Mark joined by his musical family: wife Maggie on violin and vocals, son Forrest on mandolin and vocals, and Forrest's wife Kate Lee also playing violin and on vocals.

The 56th Army Band's jazz group visited our studios for a second time, but with the constant turnover in the military, only bass player Sgt. Nicholas Cressotti remained from the first group. This 5 Man Trio, a name further noting their ever-shifting personnel, brought a fresh look and a fresh sound with them. They talked about the Army's recent emphasis on performance for their musicians, and with Spc. Jessica Hall's magnetic vocal presence pushed to the fore, the 5 Man Trio were here to entertain.

Chicago native saxophonist Chico Freeman has spent the last decade being a citizen of the world.  Now back in New York City as his home base, he's taken to the road to promote his latest recording, "Spoken Into Existence."  We were delighted to welcome Freeman to Seattle, along with bassist Kenny Davis, Luke Carlos O'Reilly at the piano and Michael Baker on drums. 

Legendary drummer Elvin Jones was a good friend and mentor to Freeman, and the first tune played on this session, "Elvin" is a tribute to Mr. Jones and a showcase for drummer Michael Baker. 

We popped up some popcorn for Tony Foster's Project Paradiso - the pianist's tribute to the film music of Ennio Morricone ("Once Upon a Time in America", "Cinema Paradiso" etc.) and Henry Mancini ("Pink Panther", "The Party", etc.). Along with three songs from the new release, we heard from Tony how film scores inspire him and provide rich territory for jazz improvisation.

The Portlanders of Trio Subtonic made a second appearance in our studios armed with material from their new album "Fiction," their first for the ultra-hip Ropeadope record label. It features a pair of cool contemporary covers of songs by Elliott Smith and Sia, and live in our studios the band played the Black Keys' "Little Black Submarines", but it's their original songs that really shine.

Back in 1999, and out of nowhere, the KNKX (then ‘KPLU’) music department received a CD called "About Time" by a mandolin player named Don Stiernberg.  Frankly, it didn’t look all that promising but, of course, we gave it a listen.  To our collective surprise, it was delightful and we began playing it on the air, much to the delight of our listeners.  That was the first (and almost the last) time we heard from the guy.

Singer Duffy Bishop has been active (often overactive!) for years on the Northwest blues and R&B scene.  Several years ago, she expanded her audience when she began doing cabaret shows at venues including Seattle’s Tiatro Zinzani. 

In this studio session, Duffy and her ace band play three smokin’ tunes.  She also talks to KPLU (KNKX?) All Blues host, John Kessler, about her cabaret work.

Janis Siegel, Alan Paul and Cheryl Bentyne have been plenty busy working on their own solo projects, as well as working with countless bands around the world. But the passing of their collaborator (and the group's founder) Tim Hauser in October of 2014 had many of their fans thinking the Manhattan Transfer may have rolled into the station for the last time.

Blending classic swing tunes from jazz, country and early rock 'n' roll; bassist and singer Birch Pereira & The Gin Joints have found their own kind of cool. Live in our studios, the band performed four tunes from their varied songbook, including the music of Hoagy Carmichael, Fats Waller, Elvis Presley and Hank Williams.

Oregon jazz singer, Halie Loren, is one of our favorite guests—and one of our most frequent.  Recently, on her way to the Vancouver and Victoria, B.C. jazz festival, she and her husband, guitarist Daniel Gallo, stopped in.  

It was Halie’s third live Studio Session and perhaps her best so far; due in large part to the intimacy of the performance.  It was just Haile and her husband, putting their heads together to play some songs they love.

When Anat Cohen returned to the KPLU studios this spring, the bright young star of the clarinet was joined by a piano great who’s been looking back on a fantastic career. Live in our studios, the two friends were intently focused on the moment at hand.

The pair talked about their shared love of New York City, where they both live and play, and about the intimacy of the duet setting. Fred also shared his thoughts on the new documentary "The Ballad Of Fred Hersch," and his own upcoming memoir, "Good Things Happen Slowly."

At a certain point in her not-too-distant past, Seattle’s Eugenie Jones decided she needed to give herself a challenge, something to make her feel more alive.  She decided to try her hand at jazz singing.  It worked out.  

In 2013, Eugenie won the Earshot Jazz Society award for best recording of the year with her debut CD, "Black Lace, Blue Tears".  Her second CD, "Come Out Swingin’," nabbed her the Earshot award for best vocal recording of the year.  So, how did she do it?  Listen to this live studio session and find out.

Eugenie Jones - vocals

In his third visit to the KPLU studios, Christian McBride’s recent trio album "Live at the Village Vanguard" had just earned him a Grammy for best improvised jazz solo, and let us in on the little-known fact that 99 percent of the big awards that night are awarded well before the national telecast, and that he never gets tired of the red carpet.

The funk-jazz trio, McTuff did their first KPLU live studio session at 12:15 on an otherwise ordinary afternoon in 2015.  Before the performance, McTuff’s leader and organist, Joe Doria, asked if they should "tone things down" since it was early in the day.  We said they should follow their collective muse.  They did, and they rocked the house.  

A year later they came back and did it all over again — only different.  Here it is.

Joe Doria—organ

D’vonne Lewis—drums

Andy Coe—guitar