Minnesota Music Profiles

Series produced by KBEM

Caption: KBEM logo, Credit: Tim Nyberg (Octane Creative)
Image by: Tim Nyberg (Octane Creative) 
KBEM logo 

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.

Each Minnesota Music Profile focuses on a musician or group. Listeners learn some of the behind-the-scenes stuff related to the creative process. Programs in the series are under 10 minutes in length. They can be run anytime because they are not time sensitive. These pieces are especially appropriate when subjects perform in the areas served by given radio stations.


423 Pieces

Order by: Newest First | Oldest First
Caption: Honeybutter, Credit:  Nic Lafrance
Honeybutter is a Twin Cities folk-jazz-bossa-nova-pop band. It’s eclectic because its members, Clara Wicklund, Andreas Fenner and Zak Khan come fro...

  • Added: May 30, 2022
  • Length: 08:00
Caption: Jazz 88 logo 2022, Credit: Tim Nyberg (Octane Creative)
Piano player Ethan Iverson, bassist Anthony Cox and drummer Kevin Washington play a version of Jazz that is both grounded and free. Kevin expanded ...

  • Added: Jun 12, 2022
  • Length: 08:00
Caption: Jazz 88 logo, Credit: Tim Nyberg (Octane Creative)
One of Jeff Perry’s specialties is giving Jazz spins to pop music. Audiences get a big kick out of both the excellence of Jeff’s group, and also fi...

  • Added: Jun 14, 2022
  • Length: 08:00
Caption: No Room For Squares, Credit: Ann Cirelli
No Room For Squares is a be-bop era tune originally released by iconic tenor saxophone Hank Mobley. And No Room For Squares is also the name of the...

  • Added: Jul 12, 2022
  • Length: 08:00
Caption: Jazz 88 logo 2022, Credit: Tim Nyberg (Octane Creative)
Wain McFarlane is a transcendent Minnesota musician. Wain figured prominently is the famed Ipso Facto, and he’s still touring widely with his eclec...

  • Added: Jul 18, 2022
  • Length: 08:00
Caption: Red Planet, Credit: Nick Lethert
Red Planet is composed of three great improvisers, drummer Jay Epstein, bassist Chris Bates and electric guitarist Dean Magraw. In a conversation a...

  • Added: Jul 28, 2022
  • Length: 08:00
Caption: Augmeanted, Credit: John Stewart
Mary Overlie and Geoffrey Taylor have different types of musical backgrounds, but their family connection brings them together. Theirs is a mix of ...

  • Added: Aug 09, 2022
  • Length: 08:00
Caption: Sophia Shorai, Credit: Bernadette Pollard
Sophia Shorai has always sung jazz standards. But her songwriting goes way back in her career, too. The songs she writes are not necessarily jazz, ...

  • Added: Aug 11, 2022
  • Length: 08:00
Caption: J.C. Sanford, Credit: Andrea Canter
As the name implies, The Imminent Standards play standards. But of course they put their own twists on the tunes. Trombonist JC Sanford is the grou...

  • Added: Aug 19, 2022
  • Length: 08:00
Caption: Lady J Griot and the Root Doctors, Credit: Dennis Maddix
Lady J Griot and her Root Doctors not only play the blues, but tell of the connections with African religion, philosophy and folklore. When Lady J ...

  • Added: Aug 22, 2022
  • Length: 08:00
Caption: Maryann Sullivan, Credit: Emily Jane Davis
Maryanne Sullivan has teamed up with the Twin Cities Seven to perform some of the highlights of the swing era. But the show will present more than ...

  • Added: Aug 24, 2022
  • Length: 08:00
Caption: Jonatha Brooke and Lin Arons, Credit: Lin Knott
The Cello Songs Project presents a unique musical synthesis involving composition, arranging and seeking new musical directions. Rebecca Arons, the...

  • Added: Aug 28, 2022
  • Length: 08:00
Caption: Charlie Maguire, Credit: Cheryl Walsh Bellville
Charlie Maguire has been writing songs he sings in performances for a half century. He specializes in songs about working people and their work. Wh...

  • Added: Aug 30, 2022
  • Length: 08:00
Caption: KBEM logo, Credit: Tim Nyberg (Octane Creative)
Daina de Prez calls herself a piano entertainer, and that’s what she does. Sure, she plays with groups, too, but her main focus is singing and play...

  • Added: Aug 31, 2022
  • Length: 08:00
Caption: jazz88 logo 2022, Credit: Tim Nyberg (Octane Creative)
Kevin Washington views himself as an artist in the tradition of Pharaoh Sanders and john and Alice Coltrane, of spirituality and healing. When Kevi...

  • Added: Oct 14, 2022
  • Length: 08:00
Caption: Luke LeBlanc, Credit: Sara Bel Kloetzke
Luke Leblanc’s ’s new CD, Fugue State reflects Luke’s concern about the polarization you see everywhere today. According to Luke the trouble today ...

  • Added: Oct 19, 2022
  • Length: 08:00
Caption: jazz88 logo 2022, Credit: Tim Nyberg (Octane Creative)
Minneapolis-based vibes player is part of an exciting flamenco fusion project with Miguel Espinoza of Colorado. This is the latest of many musical ...

  • Added: Oct 20, 2022
  • Length: 08:00
Caption: KBEM logo, Credit: Tim Nyberg (Octane Creative)
For Curtis and Loretta, the Covid Pandemic was a time for reflection and composing new songs. Many of the songs are on the new CD, Lift The World. ...

  • Added: Oct 28, 2022
  • Length: 08:00
Caption: Aaron Kerr, Credit: Elizabeth Thonen-Kerr
Aaron Kerr’s new opera captures the spirit of the times of the assassination of President Kennedy and resignation of President Nixon. Inspired by T...

  • Added: Nov 02, 2022
  • Length: 08:00
Caption: Graydon Peterson at Crooner's, Credit: Andrea Canter
Graydon Peterson’s Thoughtcast has issued a new CD named Nimbus In motion. Jake Baldwin plays the trumpet, Ben Erlich is the drummer, Joe Strachan ...

  • Added: Nov 10, 2022
  • Length: 08:00