Jazz and Blues

 Jazz & Blues


Now on KPLU

On-Air Schedule
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Jazz & Blues Hosts' Bios
Top Ten Blues Releases 2009
KPLU's All Blues host John Kessler picked his best blues albums of 2009


Get To Know: The Cole Porter Songbook
Everybody loves Cole Porter. But most jazz musicians really love Cole Porter. Singers love his lyrics, which contain great wit, amazing rhymes and beautiful imagery. Instrumentalists love his elegant melodies and sophisticated song structures.

Beyond The Blues: The Blues Harmonica In Jazz
In the mid-1800s, a German harmonica manufacturer named Hohner started exporting his product to North America. Being relatively inexpensive, relatively easy to play and extremely portable, the harmonica (commonly called a "harp") was the perfect instrument for a nation on the move.

Slide Guitar, Past and Present
In American music, slide guitar (also known as bottleneck guitar) is a technique employed primarily by blues guitarists. It involves the use of a smooth cylinder that can fit over a player's finger, which is then moved up and down the neck of the guitar, raising and lowering the pitch of the strings without ever putting the strings in contact with the fretboard.

KPLU Studio sessions & concerts

Esperanza Spalding Live on KPLU
KPLU was lucky enough to have Esperanza Spalding visit our performance studio for a session with jazz host, Abe Beeson. Because of her rigorous touring schedule, Esperanza decided to give her band the afternoon off and showed up at the studio all by herself, with just her bass…and her voice. As you’ll hear, that was enough.

KPLU Jazz & Blues Staff

Nick Francis

Nick Francis

Dick Stein

Dick Stein

Abe Beeson

Abe Beeson

Kevin Kniestedt

Kevin Kniestedt

Robin Lloyd

Robin Lloyd

John Kessler

John Kessler

Mary McCann

Mary McCann

Rich Germaine

Rich Germaine

Paige Hansen

Paige Hansen

Nick Morrison

Nick Morrison

Ruby Brown

Jim Wilke

Ken Wiley

Jason Parker

Jazz and Blues On Demand

KPLU Music Q&A's
Jim Wilke's Jazz NW
In-Studio Performances
KPLU Christmas Jam
Find Our Videos on YouTube

This Weekend on KPLU


Jim Wilke
Nationally syndicated jazz host Jim Wilke can be heard on both Jazz NW and Jazz After Hours
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Marian McPartland
Marian McPartland's Piano Jazz can be heard weekly on KPLU
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All Blues
All Blues hosted by John Kessler can be Saturday and Sunday nights on KPLU
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Ken Wiley
Ken Wiley's Art of Jazz can be heard every Sunday on KPLU
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Jazz Blogs

Groove Notes with Kevin Kniestedt

Kevin Kniestedt Groove Notes with Kevin Kniestedt provides the opportunity to examine and discuss all things jazz. It will offer a perspective on recordings new and old, artist information, concert happenings, and any other jazz related topics big or small.

School of Jazz


KPLU School of JazzSeveral of Western Washington’s finest high school bands and jazz professionals are showcased on KPLU School of Jazz-Volume 4, the result of this year’s mentoring project. 
Click here for more information

Important Jazz Links

Jazz24
Listen to KPLU’s 24-hour jazz stream 24/7

Jazz and Blues Events
Information on local jazz and blues shows

Playlists & Schedule
See the daily playlists and on-air schedule

Jazz and Blues Venues
List of local jazz and blues venues, including contact information

Jazz Content from NPR