Jazz host Jim Wilke to retire from KNKX (fka KPLU)

[AuxRSS]

Jim's final "Jazz Northwest" show is this Sunday (8/27) at 2 PM. He's been on the jazz radio acene for 60+ years.

The best part of the shows lately is when he airs old jazz tracks from a 30-minute radio show aired live weekly (I think) from the Pioneer Square jazz club "The Penthouse" in the 60s. Some of the clips are intro'd by a 60-years-younger Jim Wilke, who also produced that show.

Jim Wilke takes a walk through almost 65 years of broadcasting

KNKX celebrates legendary broadcaster, jazz ambassador and live recording archivist Jim Wilke as he retires from hosting Jazz Northwest and a six-decade long broadcast career.

www.knkx.org

 

[placebo1969]

I'm assuming he's related to Dan Wilke of KISW?

 

[AuxRSS]

I'm assuming he's related to Dan Wilke of KISW?

Not sure. Through some Googling I found a piece from earlier in 2023 detailing how his KING-FM radio show from the Penthouse was produced (and how the audio was accidentally archived). The piece doesn't mention a brother. Jim started in 1962 at age 24, so now he's retiring at 85, a nice round number.

Seattle’s coolest jazz club replaced decades ago by parking garage

In a tiny storefront club on First Avenue at the foot of Cherry Street 60 years ago, jazz history was made, and a local man was there to preserve some

mynorthwest.com

 

[AuxRSS]

Wilke waited until the last minute of his last Jazz Northwest show to self-announce his retirement on the air. The show will continue with a new host, local musician Kareem Kandi.