KNKX Marks Decade With Ailsa Chang and Jazz Performers
The public radio station hosts a conversation with the NPR host and a live set by Thomas Marriott's quintet at Town Hall Seattle on December 12.
By Bianca Shevchenko ·
KNKX is celebrating its 10th anniversary with a live event scheduled for Saturday, December 12, 2026, at Town Hall Seattle. The program features an interview with NPR host Ailsa Chang and a musical performance by the Thomas Marriott Special Quintet.
Chang, who hosts NPR All Things Considered, will speak with KNKX Morning Edition host Kirsten Kendrick. The conversation will cover Chang's career path from a litigator at a San Francisco law firm to a journalism intern at KQED in her 30s. She will also describe the structure of her radio show and the process of finding her on-air voice. A short question and answer session with the audience will follow the conversation.
Thomas Marriott, a jazz trumpeter, composer, and producer, will lead the musical portion of the evening. His Special Quintet includes pianist Orrin Evans, bassist Trevor Ford, tenor saxophonist Troy Roberts, and drummer George Fludas. Evans is also the artistic director of the Seattle Repertory Jazz Orchestra.
Marriott has recorded 15 albums that reached number one on jazz radio airplay charts. He was named a Jazz Hero by the Jazz Journalists Association in 2024 and one of Seattle's Most Influential People by Seattle Magazine in 2026. He founded the Seattle Jazz Fellowship, a non-profit organization dedicated to local artists and community mentorship.
Doors open at 6:30 pm, with the show beginning at 7:30 pm. The entry deadline for the event is Sunday, November 15, 2026.
