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: Maud Hixson, Credit: Olivia Wilcox
Vocalist Maud Hixson has a deep knowledge of American song, including songs for the holidays. In a conversation with Phil Nusbaum, she first talked...

  • Added: Nov 29, 2023
  • Length: 08:00
Caption: Davu Seru, Credit: Andrea Canter
Percussionist Davu Seru, Levi Schwartzberg on the vibes and saxophonist Nathan Hanson have played together over the years in multiple bands. Nathan...

  • Added: Nov 22, 2023
  • Length: 08:00
Caption: CD Cover, I Awake, Credit: design by Ryan Picone, logo by Jacqui Cary, graphic work by Ian Stenlund
Ryan Picone’s new CD features Ryan’s compositions which frequently reference people and events important to Ryan. When Ryan talked to Phil Nusbaum ...

  • Added: Nov 18, 2023
  • Length: 08:00
Caption: Pavel Jany, Credit: Andrea Canter
In Minnesota, guitarist Pavel Jany is best known for leading Ticket to Brasil, which performs Brazilian jazz. But since his early days in the Czech...

  • Added: Nov 17, 2023
  • Length: 08:01
Caption: Crystal Myslajek and Liz Draper, Credit: Chama Devora
Liz Draper is the bassist, while Crystal Myslajek sings and plays keyboards. Together, they are known as Chama Devora, and their performances leav...

  • Added: Nov 14, 2023
  • Length: 08:00
Caption: Twin Town Strings, Credit: Maeve Gimpl
Twin Town Strings are banjoist Pete Hennig and guitarist Joel Shapira. Pete is best known as a jazz drummer but has a long-standing interest in Blu...

  • Added: Oct 26, 2023
  • Length: 08:00
Caption: Boom Island String Quartet, Credit: Emma Halet
When you see a performance by the Boom Island String Quartet, you expect music from unusual sources and frequently, the presentation is thematic. A...

  • Added: Oct 20, 2023
  • Length: 08:00
Caption: Riverside Jazz Quartet, Credit: Connor Hilstrom
The Riverside Quartet features original Jazz. The drummer, Nicholas Peterson, leads the group, and composes a lot of the group’s repertoire. When h...

  • Added: Oct 19, 2023
  • Length: 08:00
Caption: jazz88 logo 2022, Credit: Tim Nyberg (Octane Creative)
Skarlett Woods, Brainerd singer-songwriter writes of intimacy as well as big societal issues. When she talked about her work with Phil Nusbaum, Ska...

  • Added: Oct 13, 2023
  • Length: 08:00
Caption: Raycurt Johnson, Credit: Rachel Luhrs Austin
When Raycurt a.k.a. Fiddla plays for brunch, he often calls it Bach for Breakfast. But it’s really a lot more than that. The music often reflects a...

  • Added: Oct 06, 2023
  • Length: 08:00
Caption: Stablemates, Credit: Dik Hedlund
Stablemates is a Twin Cities Piano Trio with Dale Alexander on the piano, bassist Gary Raynor and drummer Jay Epstein. It has many decades of exper...

  • Added: Oct 05, 2023
  • Length: 08:00
Caption: Tjårnblom, Credit: Erika Pirness
Tjärnblom celebrates its third CD, “Woods,” and a new member, cellist Erin Walsh, joining Val Eng on the harmonium, mandolinist Joe Alfano and nyck...

  • Added: Sep 17, 2023
  • Length: 08:00
Caption: Victor Zupanc and Kevin Kling, Credit: Brandi Carlisle
Writer and storyteller Kevin Kling teams with singer Victor Zupanc to highlight Summer turning to Fall. It’s the latest in a series of performances...

  • Added: Sep 05, 2023
  • Length: 08:00
Caption: jazz88 logo 2022, Credit: Tim Nyberg (Octane Creative)
One of the most popular jazz acts ever was the Nat King Cole trio. Cole’s widespread popularity began in the 1940s, and he still commands the atten...

  • Added: Aug 31, 2023
  • Length: 08:00
Caption: Wayne Anthony, Credit: David Murphy
Wayne Anthony sings the standards, with a big emphasis on the Frank Sinatra repertoire. When Wayne talked to Phil Nusbaum, they talked about Sinatr...

  • Added: Aug 28, 2023
  • Length: 08:00
Caption: JazzMN, Credit: Donald Jackson
JazzMN is a Twin Cities jazz orchestra that works frequently with international talent. We talk to JazzMN music director Pete Whitman about JazzMN,...

  • Added: Aug 03, 2023
  • Length: 08:00
Caption: Mila, Credit: Larry Morisette
Members of the Mila Vocal Ensemble have been singing together for over 40 Years. Today, Mila is a group of nine women who travel to eastern Europe ...

  • Added: Jul 24, 2023
  • Length: 08:00
Caption: Ticket to Brasil, Credit: Andrea Canter
Like all Bossa Nova groups, Ticket to Brasil builds on the musical legacy of Antonio Carlos Jobim. But until now, the group has never devoted an en...

  • Added: Jul 14, 2023
  • Length: 08:00
Caption: Leslie Vincent, Credit: Michelle Bennett
Leslie Vincent’s New CD is filled with unexpected new songs and reimagined old songs. The project is called About Last Night and Leslie will be sin...

  • Added: Jul 05, 2023
  • Length: 08:00
Caption: Phantom Cries album cover, Credit: Kashimana Ahua
As a grant-supported Cedar Commissions artist, Kashimana created a set of songs about becoming a mother. The songs are now on CD, called Phantom Cr...

  • Added: Jul 05, 2023
  • Length: 08:00