Kate Olson

Kate Olson is a killer improvising saxophonist and music educator who's made Seattle her home since 2010, diving headfirst into the local jazz and experimental scenes. With a BA in Music (Jazz Emphasis) from the University of Wyoming and an MM in Improvisation from the University of Michigan, she's built an impressive resume teaching jazz sax at Pacific Lutheran University and University of Puget Sound, while leading projects like KO Solo, KO Ensemble, and KO Electric—plus collabing with heavy hitters like Wayne Horvitz's Electric Circus, Birch Pereira and the Gin Joints, and even sharing stages with legends such as Terry Riley, Pauline Oliveros, and Elvis Costello.

She's racked up Earshot Golden Ear Award noms over the years, including Emerging Artist in 2011/2013, Best NW Instrumentalist multiple times (winning in 2025), and group nods for KO Ensemble and KO Electric, plus grants like a 4Culture Projects award. Her latest drop, *So It Goes* (2026 on Origin Records), her debut as bandleader with originals featuring trombonist Conner Eisenmenger, bassist Tim Carey, and drummer Evan Woodle, spotlights tracks like **Bumbling Thumbs Blues** with that bebop bounce fans of Thelonious Monk will dig—proving she's as sharp a composer as she is a player.