Sailors of Navy Band Northwest's Cascade Jazz Combo played live in front of an audience on radio station KPLU Seattle/Tacoma 88.5 FM, Jan. 27.

The six Navy musicians were invited to play on the station during an afternoon broadcast, which also included an interview between songs.

The intimate set was played in front of a small audience who were invited by the station to come and listen.

Prior to the event, members of the band and KPLU evening jazz broadcaster Abe Beeson, from Seattle, laughed and shared stories over coffee about their experiences getting to meet famous musicians over the years.

"I started here while still in college and was picking up any extra shifts as they came around," said Beeson. "After a while of that I got the chance to do on-air overnights, then Saturday afternoons and finally hosting the evening jazz. I've had the opportunity to meet a lot of amazing musicians over the years, not all of them were perfect, but it's been a great experience."

After everyone filled up on coffee and snacks they moved back to the bright red studio, which resembled a candy cane with the white sound buffers protruding from the wall. Slowly members of the audience were led in with Beeson leading the rear to take his place behind the microphone. With a quick introduction the show began.

As the Sailors played, many different employees of the radio station began stopping by to watch and dance from the other side of the glass. Halfway through the first song, one audience member commented it was "against the rules to not dance to music this uplifting."

After the first song Beeson asked a few questions about how someone can become a musician in the Navy, how you are chosen for instruments or ensembles, and other facets of the lifestyle.

"We all play in different ensembles depending on where we are needed," replied Musician 1st Class Robby Taylor, from Stewarts Draft, Virginia. "We could have someone who is smoking hot on the bass but be playing in a big band group where they don't get the chance to do so, it's the cards that are dealt sometimes."

After the interview the music began again, this time in more of a Louisiana blues sound than the uplifting jazz that was prevalent in the first song.

As the songs ended and the show wrapped up, the Sailors and civilians gathered for a group photo and to share jokes one last time before heading back to normal life. In job occupations like those shared by both groups its hard to say anyone is going back to what would be considered normal, though.

For more news from Navy Public Affairs Support Element, visit www.navy.mil/.