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)
421 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

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Vocalist Linda Peterson is an international recording artist. She is a song writer, pianist and vocalist, and the daughter of the legendary pianist...

  • Added: Dec 14, 2023
  • Length: 06:36
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In this archival interview Minnesotan saxophonist Dave Sletten spoke with broadcaster Leigh Kamman about his effort in writing a book that covered ...

  • Added: Dec 14, 2023
  • Length: 06:16
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In this archival interview Leigh Kamman spoke with legendary drummer Dave King. Dave, a master percussionist based in Minneapolis, has appeared in ...

  • Added: Dec 14, 2023
  • Length: 06:06
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In this interview from March 2005 versatile trombonist Dave Graf sat down with Leigh Kamman to discuss the release of his Mulligan Stew CD. In th...

  • Added: Dec 07, 2023
  • Length: 06:10
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In this interview from 1990 Leigh Kamman talks with Cornetist Charlie DeVore. Charlie was cornetist for the Hall Brothers New Orleans Jazz Band an...

  • Added: Dec 07, 2023
  • Length: 06:24
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In this archival interview Leigh Kamman interviews guitarist, band leader, composer, author and educator Bill Banfield. In 1997 Banfield was a musi...

  • Added: Dec 07, 2023
  • Length: 05:51
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In this interview in 2003, Leigh Kamman interviews trombonist Andre Stephani. Andre Stephani was raised in Indiana where his father worked as a pro...

  • Added: Dec 07, 2023
  • Length: 05:51
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Leigh Kamman interviews pianist, composer and arranger Adi Yeshaya. Adi has arranged and orchestrated for many great musicians including Lena Horne...

  • Added: Dec 07, 2023
  • Length: 05:48
Caption: Luke LeBlanc by Sara Bel Kloetzke, Credit: Sara Bel Kloetzke
Creating a CD is a process that has a lot of moving parts. In a conversation with Phil Nusbaum, Luke discussed how his CD Places came together, sta...

  • Added: Dec 06, 2023
  • Length: 08:00
Caption: Luke LeBlanc by Sara Bel Kloetzke, Credit: Sara Bel Kloetzke
Songwriter Luke LeBlanc presents his new CD Places next Friday, December 15 at Icehouse in Minneapolis. Creating a CD requires coordinating a lot o...

  • Added: Dec 06, 2023
  • Length: 08:00