The Jazz Image Minnesota Edition

Series produced by KBEM

Caption: Leigh Kamman, Credit: Andrea Canter
Image by: Andrea Canter 
Leigh Kamman 

During his 60-plus years in jazz broadcasting, Leigh Kamman conducted hundreds of interviews with jazz artists, including many from the Minnesota scene. These are being preserved and edited by the Leigh Kamman Legacy Project and presented as The Jazz Image: Minnesota Edition, a continuation of the The Jazz Image: Special Edition series. These projects are part of the process of preserving and sharing the massive archive of historical recordings he left when he passed away in October 2014.

Leigh Kamman was an internationally known broadcaster and supporter of jazz music who was on the air in Minnesota – with a hiatus for World War II and 6 years in Harlem/New York City - from the late 1930’s at the University of Minnesota radio station to his retirement from Minnesota Public Radio in 2007.

Leigh conducted hundreds of interviews of jazz musicians including those from Minnesota, or lived and performed here from the 1950’s to the early 2000’s. The segments include interviews with musicians such as Irv Williams, Jeannie Arland Peterson, Percy Hughes, Mike Elliot and Anthony Cox.


57 Pieces

Order by: Newest First | Oldest First
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Two Minnesota jazz icons speak: broadcaster Leigh Kamman and stride pianist/clarinetist Butch Thompson.

  • Added: Jun 29, 2020
  • Length: 05:02
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Pianist, composer, educator, author, and community arts organizer Carei Thomas visits with Leigh Kamman.

  • Added: Jun 29, 2020
  • Length: 05:04
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From church and school singing in her native Hibbing to dates on worldwide stages and 10 album releases, Connie Evingson has a place as one of Minn...

  • Added: Jun 29, 2020
  • Length: 05:03
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Leigh Kamman's visit with trumpeter-songwriter Gene Adams.

  • Added: Jun 29, 2020
  • Length: 05:04
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Woodwinds, didgeridoos, percussion, and instrument building are some of the musical outlets for Douglas Ewart who has been part of the Twin Cities ...

  • Added: Jun 29, 2020
  • Length: 05:04
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Trumpeter Steve Kenny has worked prominently with the Illicit Sextet, and books a long-running series of Saturday night shows in St. Paul. Here he...

  • Added: Jun 29, 2020
  • Length: 05:04
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A Philly native, drummer Eric Kamau Gravatt has played with McCoy Tyner, Joe Henderson, & Weather Report. A resident of the Twin Cities for decade...

  • Added: Jun 29, 2020
  • Length: 05:04
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Sometimes called the Twin Cities' First Lady of Song, Debbie Duncan has been based in Minneapolis since 1984 after growing up in Detroit and studyi...

  • Added: Jun 29, 2020
  • Length: 05:03
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Saxophonist-educator Donald Washington moved from Detroit to the Twin Cities in 1987, bringing with him wife/vocalist Faye, and their son Kevin, no...

  • Added: Jun 29, 2020
  • Length: 05:04
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Born in Germany, Herb Pilhofer was gigging on piano in the Twin Cities by the mid-'50s and became the Guthrie Theater's musical director in 1963. ...

  • Added: Jun 29, 2020
  • Length: 05:04
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Pianist Bobby Peterson grew up in a music family first starting clarinet and eventually switching to piano, which became his primary instrument. B...

  • Added: Dec 15, 2022
  • Length: 07:16
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Vocalist Bruce Henry is a storyteller, historian, composer and performer extraordinaire. Mr. Henry has an impressive 3 and a half octave range wh...

  • Added: Dec 15, 2022
  • Length: 08:46
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Born in Birmingham, Alabama, vocalist Charmin Michelle moved to Minnesota while still a child. Based in Minneapolis, Charmin is no stranger to lif...

  • Added: Dec 16, 2022
  • Length: 05:21
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Chris Bates has been very active in the Twin Cities since the 1990's. He is a founding member of many local jazz groups including The Motion Poets...

  • Added: Dec 16, 2022
  • Length: 07:31
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Jazz musician, vocalist and actor, Dennis Spears is well know for his work as an actor at Penumbra Theater and also for his work in the late 80's a...

  • Added: Dec 16, 2022
  • Length: 05:56
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Since he was a young man in the 1950's, until his death in 2020, Gary Berg was a mainstay on the local jazz scene. Over the course of his career Ga...

  • Added: Dec 16, 2022
  • Length: 07:00
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A native of Saint Paul, Drummer Kenny Horst has been a part of the Twin Cities Jazz scene since the 1960's and has played for many local musicians....

  • Added: Dec 16, 2022
  • Length: 06:29
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Internationally acclaimed jazz singer, recording artist, voice teacher, coach, Lucia Newell is originally from Minneapolis. She has been a mainstay...

  • Added: Dec 16, 2022
  • Length: 06:29
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Anthony Cox is a world renowned arranger, composer, educator and musician from Minneapolis. He has played and recorded with many of the greats of ...

  • Added: Dec 21, 2022
  • Length: 06:04
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Pianist, vocalist, producer and radio show host Arne Fogel has been a regular performer at clubs and concert venues in the Twin Cities for many yea...

  • Added: Dec 21, 2022
  • Length: 05:56