KBEM

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Recognized as the Twin Cities’ public radio voice for jazz and education, KBEM is a program of the Minneapolis Public Schools (MPS) Approximately 150 students annually participate in KBEM’s hands-on educational program, which focuses on all aspects of broadcasting and production. Students who develop their skills and select broadcasting experience can gain significant on-air time. The station is on-air 24/7 with 35 hours of student programming each week, with live professional announcers and pre-recorded, syndicated programming filling out the rest of the schedule. KBEM is the only station in the Twin Cities market which offers a jazz format and officially provides MN-DOT traffic reports.

KBEM was initially established at Minneapolis Vocational High School in the 1960s. The station was moved to North High School in 1983 as a part of the District’s desegregation initiative and it continues to reside there today. The vast majority of KBEM students attend North High School.

Series

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62 Pieces

Minneapolis High School Students, with the help of a team of educators and poets, were encouraged to write poetry. The poems created by the students are in some cases hard-hitting, and in others, cute.

  • From: KBEM
  • Updated: Jan 13, 2014
Caption: Susan Spongberg, Credit: Frank T. Heffelfinger III
9 Pieces

Minnesota Creates is curious about how creativity occurs, so Susan Spongberg asked an assortment of Minnesota artists how do you choreography a dance? Where do your novel’s characters come from? How do you decide what to paint?

  • From: KBEM
  • Updated: Jan 14, 2014
Caption: Minnesota Jazz Legends: The Elders, Credit: Jim Davis
7 Pieces

Minnesota has many wonderful jazz musicians, still playing well into their 80's. Minnesota Jazz Legends: The Elders, features live and in studio performances and interviews, talking about their careers in the Twin Cities from early on to present.

  • From: KBEM
  • Updated: Nov 11, 2021
Caption: Jazz 88 FM, Credit: http://www.jazz88fm.com
15 Pieces

Minnesota Music Moment is a weekly feature of KBEM FM 88.5, each week highlighting a different Minnesota musician.

  • From: KBEM
  • Updated: Feb 25, 2011
Caption: KBEM logo, Credit: Tim Nyberg (Octane Creative)
424 Pieces

Each item in the series tells how a musicians is inspired, how s/he works, their goals and intents for their work; in general, how each gets motivation and follows through with a creative project.

  • From: KBEM
  • Updated: Oct 09, 2015
Caption: Arne Fogel, Credit: John Whiting
65 Pieces

Minnesota Voices-Certain Standards Minnesota Vocalists perform new renditions of the Great American Songbook. Arne Fogel-Host

  • From: KBEM
  • Updated: Oct 31, 2012
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2 Pieces

In a world and time of differences, music has the power to bring us together, to unite us through a shared experience. Music knows no boundaries. It transcends that which keeps us apart. Join Jazz88 for an evening of discovery with Music Without Borders.

  • From: KBEM
  • Updated: Sep 04, 2019
Caption: Bobb Fantauzzo performing with Lyz Jaakola, Credit: Andrea Canter
18 Pieces

Native flute player Bobb Fantauzzo illuminates the contributions made by jazz musicians with Native American heritage.

  • From: KBEM
  • Updated: Apr 19, 2016
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4 Pieces

Butch Thompson's Piano Bench Show looks at the piano stylings of the early performers of jazz.

  • From: KBEM
  • Updated: Jul 14, 2011
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0 Pieces

Perspectives relating to Minnesota culture, history and the arts contributed by Minneapolis high school students.

  • From: KBEM
  • Updated: Apr 04, 2010

Latest Pieces

Caption: Dameun Strange, Credit: Josh Olson
Although Dameun Strange has been focused on composing music for practically his entire life, the way in which he composes has been a grand evolutio...

  • Added: Jan 21, 2017
  • Length: 10:28
Caption: Mississippi Hot Club, Credit: Matt Lien
The Mississippi Hot Club has a slightly different strategy depending of it if plays for dancing, listening, or a mixture of both. Group members Jos...

  • Added: Jan 21, 2017
  • Length: 07:50
Caption: Mississippi Hot Club, Credit: Matt Lien
Great dance bands are often great concert bands. But you approach the different types of venues with slightly different strategies. Members of the ...

  • Added: Jan 21, 2017
  • Length: 05:00
Caption: Tom Loftus, Credit: Chris McDuffie
The Cedar Commissions presents two nights of new music this weekend. Over two nights, six composers will present works never played previously. The...

  • Added: Jan 16, 2017
  • Length: 05:00
Caption: Stanley Kipper, Credit: Miles Kipper
When you see the New Primitives, you’re seeing a band that is a master at creating and maintaining a great vibe. Stanley Kipper helped start the ba...

  • Added: Jan 14, 2017
  • Length: 08:29
Caption: Stanley Kipper, Credit: Miles Kipper
The New Primitives. The group is a 4-time winner of the Minnesota Music Academy award winners for best reggae and world band. And the group perform...

  • Added: Jan 13, 2017
  • Length: 05:01
Caption: Nick Jordan, Credit: Moriah Ziman
Nick Jordan is a contemporary rhythm and blues and pop artist who has a handle on all phases of his act, including songwriting, singing, and dancin...

  • Added: Jan 09, 2017
  • Length: 07:06
Caption: Oudyano, Credit: Margie O'Loughlin
Who would have thought that an Arabic music based oud player and an American pianist schooled in jazz and roots traditions could interact musically...

  • Added: Jan 07, 2017
  • Length: 06:01
Caption: Oudyano, Credit: Margie O'Loughlin
We live in an era where most people have multiple music styles available to them. On top of that, there is so much travel, that players representin...

  • Added: Jan 06, 2017
  • Length: 04:59
Caption: Poster for Blackout, Credit: Frank Cage
The Cedar Cultural Center hosts Blackout, a concert featuring local artists. The intents are to entertain, but also to serve to get people together...

  • Added: Dec 29, 2016
  • Length: 05:00