British Blues pioneer John Mayall performs with this band the Bluesbreakers at the Deutsche Museum in Munich, West Germany, on Jan. 21, 1970. Mayall, the British blues musician whose influential band the Bluesbreakers was a training ground for Eric Clapton, Mick Fleetwood and many other superstars, died Monday, July 22, 2024, at his home in California. He was 90.(CLAUS HAMPEL / AP) John Mayall, the British blues musician whose influential band the Bluesbreakers was a training ground for Eric Clapton, Mick Fleetwood and many other superstars, has died. He was 90. A statement on Mayall's Instagr ..read more

Guitar virtuoso Eric Gales was at KNKX for a very special solo session. He is considered one of the best, if not the best guitarist on the planet. The praise has come from all over the music world, from people like Joe Bonamassa, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Albert King and Carlos Santana, who is his godfather. If you listen to KNKX's radio show All Blues, you’ll hear him just about every night. He is arguably one of the most important and expressive guitarists of our time, in any genre. Starting at age 15, he’s made 19 studio albums and his most recent album, Crown, was nominated for a Grammy award in ..read more

Joan Osborne visits the KNKX Seattle Studios July 23, 2024.(Brenda Goldstein-Young / KNKX) Singer-songwriter and 8-time Grammy nominee Joan Osborne stopped by the KNKX Seattle Studios while in town for a show at the Triple Door July 23. Best known for her 1995 hit song “One of Us,” which achieved multi-platinum status, a closer look reveals a singer steeped in blues, R&B, Americana and country music. KNKX plays several of her songs on both blues and jazz programs. During our conversation, we talked about how her early love of filmmaking carries over into her storytelling and songwriting ..read more

( David Rowe / Daggerdrose Creations) Kitsap County is home to several unique local venues that have been long-time staples in the area. Not only can you find good food or wine, but you can also catch live jazz and blues music played by artists from the Puget Sound region. Bremerton If it’s jazz you're looking for, on Monday nights you’ll want to head to Brother Don's Bar & Grill, a family-owned restaurant on Kitsap Way near Oyster Bay. Established in 1978, Brother Don’s is proud of its grilled cheese sandwiches and offering “Music Often.” For the past two decades, Brother Don’s has suppor ..read more

Ruthie Foster is a Texas-based singer/songwriter who seamlessly weaves together blues, soul, gospel and even reggae. You can hear several of her songs on both KNKX jazz and blues programs. She’s been nominated five times for a Grammy Award and won multiple Blues Music Awards. Her latest album Healing Time came out in 2022 and received one those Grammy nods in the Best Contemporary Blues Album category. Foster visited Seattle earlier in April, putting on a show at The Triple Door, and stopping by the KNKX Seattle Studios for a performance and conversation with KNKX All Blues host John Kessler ..read more

Mavis Staples performs at the sixth annual Love Rocks NYC benefit concert for God's Love We Deliver at the Beacon Theatre on Thursday, March 10, 2022, in New York. (Evan Agostini / Invision/AP) Mavis Staples began singing in church at age eight, and by age 12, she was singing professionally with her family — father Roebuck “Pops” Staples, and siblings Cleotha, Pervis and Yvonne — as part of the Staple Singers. The churches were their venue of choice, ranging far and wide—from their hometown of Chicago to playing churches throughout the Midwest and South. With a voice that belied her tiny size ..read more

Maria Muldaur in a promotional photo for her 2011 album <i>Steady Love</i>. Muldaur began her music career in the early 1960s and released her first solo album in 1973.(Alen Mercer / Maria Muldaur) Maria Muldaur’s biggest hit – “Midnight at the Oasis” – dropped in 1973 and got to No. 6 on the Billboard Hot 100. Soft rock combined with her rough, yet sweet, voice blends blues sensibility with heart-felt softness. Muldaur has made a career of singing music beautifully, but also in a warm and approachable manner. Her cover of Peggy Lee’s “I’m a Woman,” which reached No. 12 on the Bill ..read more

The Wood Brothers recently visited the Pacific Northwest, performing shows to promote the release of their latest album, Heart is the Hero. They stopped by KNKX's Studio X for an exclusive trio performance with All Blues host John Kessler. The Wood Brothers are Oliver Wood on guitar, Chris Wood on bass, and honorary brother multi-instrumentalist Jano Rix. They are not easily categorized and draw on many influences including folk, gospel, blues and jazz. As The Wood Brothers, they have made nine studio albums since 2006 and five live albums. While living in Atlanta, Oliver played with well ..read more

(KNKX graphic via Canva) For Valentine's Day, KNKX compiled a list of songs about love that feature all of your favorite jazz and blues artists including Nina Simone, Billie Holiday, Stevie Ray Vaughn, Bonnie Raitt, Lamar Odom Jr., Chick Corea and Peggy Lee, just to name a few. Listen to a preview below or log into Spotify to enjoy the full set. Also, be sure to tune in on Feb. 14 for a romantic edition of Evening Jazz, starting at 7 p.m. Listen to KNKX on air, online, or using your smart speaker. Happy Valentine's Day ..read more

Bassist Keegan Harshman grew up on Whidbey Island and moved back in 2016. He owns Blue Sound Music in Langley and started producing LittleBIGFest in 2018.(Dennis Brown) If Keegan Harshman existed to do one thing, it was to do a lot with little. Harshman produces and sustains the grassroots all-ages music and arts festival Little BIG Fest. It’s a three day affair on Whidbey Island, Washington, that he works on 11 months out of the year. In August, he will not only helm the event, but also play in bands performing at the festival. Previous incarnations featured artists like Outer Orbit, High Pu ..read more