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.


426 Pieces

Order by: Newest First | Oldest First
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: 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: 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: 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: Pert Near Sandstone, Credit: Jayme Halbritter
Pert Near Sandstone. They had been friends most of their lives which turns out to be a great basis for driving around the country as a band.

  • Added: Feb 07, 2017
  • Length: 08:52
Caption: Twin Cities Latin Jazz Orchestra, Credit: Diego Ramallo
The Twin Cities Latin Jazz orchestra is a 19-piece group playing in the 21st century. The size of the band might seem incongruous in an era of stri...

  • Added: Feb 19, 2017
  • Length: 06:59
Caption: Zack Baltich, Credit: Matt Barber
If you want to know about a creative spirit, take the case of Zack Baltich. Zack synthesizes his informal and formal music experiences to create so...

  • Added: Feb 21, 2017
  • Length: 08:20
Caption: Jon Pemberton, Credit: Lana Pemberton
When you listen to Jon Pemberton, the feeling that he has much to offer grows and grows. He is best known as a piano player, and you’ll see him as ...

  • Added: Feb 24, 2017
  • Length: 08:20
Caption: Kronick Quintet at Golden's Deli, Credit: George Tofoya
The Kronick Quintet: It’s the Variety that Pleases the Fans What’s the key to success if you are playing in clubs? It’s being about to play a wide ...

  • Added: Mar 10, 2017
  • Length: 07:18
Caption: Andrew Walesch, Credit: Heidi Ross
While pop music styles come and go, the pop of the big band era has a timeless quality. Andrew Walesch is a young man carrying on where singers lik...

  • Added: Mar 15, 2017
  • Length: 09:53
Caption: Jazz 88 logo , Credit: Tim Nyberg (Octane Creative)
As a kid Dee Miller decided to become a blues singer. She’s worked tirelessly over the years, and it’s paid off in high level performances. She to...

  • Added: Apr 07, 2017
  • Length: 07:00
Caption: Julian Manzara, Credit: Jax Ravel
Julian Manzara is a young Twin Cities guitarist whose composing and improvising abilities have started to make a name for himself. He plays solo an...

  • Added: Apr 09, 2017
  • Length: 06:53
Caption: Aaron Kerr, Credit: Elizabeth Thonen-Kerr
Aaron Kerr. He’s a man of multiple musical personalities. Aaron is first and foremost a composer. Owing to his formal musical training, he plays cl...

  • Added: Apr 16, 2017
  • Length: 05:45
Caption: Bobb Fantauzzo, Credit: Andrea Canter
Like many good things, Bobb Fantauzzo’s recent music is both new and old. Both the Native American flute and jazz have been around awhile, but putt...

  • Added: May 03, 2017
  • Length: 07:38
Caption: Nikki Matteson Roux, Credit: Joel Jackson
The Blues has been around a long time because it’s a way of telling it like it is. And that is how Nikki and the RueMates operates. Nikki told Phil...

  • Added: May 05, 2017
  • Length: 08:12
Caption: Ritika Ganguly, Credit: Vinod Srinivasan
Ritika Ganguly is conversant in many music styles. But her true genius may just be in finding ways of combining them so that the outcome is greater...

  • Added: May 09, 2017
  • Length: 12:28
Caption: Matra, Credit: Alison Bents
Today there are so many instrument combinations and influences coming in that would not have happened a few decades ago. Like matra, with its combi...

  • Added: May 19, 2017
  • Length: 08:12
Caption: Monroe Crossing, Credit: Jamey Guy
Our area’s first outdoor bluegrass festival is is coming this weekend. Matt Johnson helped organize the Spring Kickoff, and he tells Phil Nusbaum a...

  • Added: May 25, 2017
  • Length: 05:00
Caption: Jazz 88 logo, Credit: Tim Nyberg (Octane Creative)
Regina Marie Williams. When she sings a song, it is a combination of honoring the great singers that came before her, and advancing her own style o...

  • Added: Jun 10, 2017
  • Length: 07:48
Caption: KBEM logo, Credit: Tim Nyberg (Octane Creative)
AJ Srubas is a young country musician from Minneapolis. But “Country” does not quite tell the story of AJ’s expertise, as different types of countr...

  • Added: Jun 16, 2017
  • Length: 07:40