Curtis Stigers | KNKX Studio Session

Hit-maker singer-songwriter Curtis Stigers, known for the chart-topping song “I Wonder Why”, arrived at KNKX’s downtown Seattle offices for a dynamic studio session on a sunny fall day as he toured the U.S. West Coast with his band for the first time since the Covid pandemic had shut down Stiger’s moneymaking mainstay - touring.
The outgoing and effusive entertainer visited with a small audience before enthralling the group with a sweet and sentimental session that veered more singer-songwriter than his previous jazz-centric fare. It's a move Stigers is making in a calculated manner as he works to grow his US audience by touring old school style: with his band in a van.
After beginning with the dark and rootsy Bob Dylan tune “Things Have Changed” he thrilled the happy audience with his jazz vocals and sax playing as he’s done in previous studio sessions on the Harry “Sweets” Edison song “Centerpiece.” He made sure to give props to lyricist Jon Hendricks.
What stood out in stark contrast to his previous sessions with KNKX was his guitar playing which was on full display on an original tune that held a rich and bluesy quality. “Then I Had this Dream” was co-written with Carole King and showcased his storytelling prowess, a trait which he later said he held of highest import. The song appears on the release Brighter Days which wasn’t a commercial success but spotlighted his writing and playing passions.
His live show (he played later that night at Seattle’s Triple Door) split his combo playing and his solo work down the middle and demonstrated that Stigers possesses the winning trifecta of singing chops, writing finesse and guitar swagger that many younger singer-songwriters dream of having.
Enjoy this exclusive Studio X performance and connect to three previous Curtis Stigers sessions in the KNKX archive.
Musicians:
Curtis Stigers (‪@curtisstigers‬) - vocals, guitar, saxophone
Randy Ingram (‪@randyingram‬‪@randyingrammusic‬) - piano
Cliff Schmitt (‪@cliffschmitt4462‬) - bass
Songs:
0:00 Things Have Changed (Bob Dylan)
5:15 Then I Had This Dream (Curtis Stigers/Carole King)
10:41 Centerpiece (Harry Edison/Jon Hendricks)
Audio:
Brian Moynihan
Video:
Parker Miles Blohm
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