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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20 Pieces

Joan Griffith, Twin Cities musician and educator, has conversations with prominent Minnesota jazz musicians.

  • From: KBEM
  • Updated: May 25, 2016
Caption: Joan Griffith, Credit: Ann Marsen
20 Pieces

Joan Griffith, Twin Cities guitar player and educator, interviews Minnesota jazz artists.

  • From: KBEM
  • Updated: May 27, 2016
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13 Pieces

Minneapolis Public School teachers talk with Kevin O'Connor about their accomplishments.

  • From: KBEM
  • Updated: Jul 14, 2011
Caption: Leigh Kamman, Credit: Andrea Canter
57 Pieces

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.

  • From: KBEM
  • Updated: Jun 29, 2020
Caption: Leigh Kamman, Credit: Andrea Canter
14 Pieces

Minnesota jazz broadcasting legend Leigh Kamman conducted hundreds of interviews with jazz artists, including some of jazz's illustrious figures. Now, these treasures have been lovingly preserved and edited into a new series of broadcasts, The Jazz Image: Special Edition. These recordings preserve priceless conversation Leigh Kamman had with such luminaries as Duke Ellington, Sarah Vaughan and Stan Kenton. In his ninth decade, Kamman adds fresh commentary to round out these 5 minute broadcasts, 13 in all in this series.

  • From: KBEM
  • Updated: Jan 14, 2014
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784 Pieces

5 to 8-minute, highly produced heads-ups highlighting great musical activities in the Twin Cities broadly conceived. The pieces feature the musicians, their music, club owners, fans, in short all of those responsible for creating musical experiences.

  • From: KBEM
  • Updated: Dec 10, 2019
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0 Pieces

Viva City, Festival of the Arts, was initiated thirteen years ago as a way to showcase arts education in Minneapolis Public Schools (MPS). In this pod cast, we feature the musical portion of Viva City from the Ted Mann Concert Hall at the University of Minneapolis.

  • From: KBEM
  • Updated: May 29, 2011
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31 Pieces

Minneapolis High School Students comment on Minnesota Arts, Culture and History

  • From: KBEM
  • Updated: Aug 24, 2011

Latest Pieces

Caption: Erin Schwab, Credit: Dan Brakke
Singer Erin Schwab has been singing to the accompaniments of pianist Jay Fuchs for a long time. Their performances are audience engaging with reque...

  • Added: Feb 15, 2018
  • Length: 08:00
Caption: Erin Schwab, Credit: Dan Braake
Erin Schwab has been singing to the accompaniments of pianist Jay Fuchs for a long time. Their performances grab audiences through the combination ...

  • Added: Feb 15, 2018
  • Length: 08:00
Caption: Cassandra Cole, Credit: Drew Jonell
Cassandra Cole is a local songwriter who writes pop songs reflecting sometimes hard realities. In a recent conversation with Phil Nusbaum, Cassandr...

  • Added: Feb 08, 2018
  • Length: 08:00
Caption: Cassandra Cole, Credit: Drew Jonell
Cassandra Cole is a local songwriter who writes pop songs reflecting sometimes hard realities. And her songs are the center of attention in her sin...

  • Added: Feb 08, 2018
  • Length: 08:00
Caption: Cody Steinmann, Credit: Kyndal Johnson
Cody Steinmann leads the Sightless Quartet. It’s a jazz group that that is open to influence by other contemporary genres, such as pop and metal. C...

  • Added: Feb 07, 2018
  • Length: 08:00
Caption: Cody Steinmann, Credit: Kyndal Johnson
Cody Steinmann leads the Sightless Quartet. It’s a jazz group that that is open to influence by other contemporary genres, such as pop and metal. C...

  • Added: Feb 07, 2018
  • Length: 08:00
Caption: Silverback Trio, Credit: Sara Horishnyk
With its strong emphasis on improvisation, the Silverback Trio of Minneapolis does “outside” well. But it also plays with a strong group feeling. Y...

  • Added: Feb 05, 2018
  • Length: 08:00
Caption: Jazz 88 logo, Credit: Tim Nyberg (Octane Creative)
We know Judi Vinar as a singer’s singer, a voice that likes to take risks. Her show of love songs is a great example. Judi and the band put out som...

  • Added: Feb 01, 2018
  • Length: 08:00
Caption: Jazz 88 logo, Credit: Tim Nyberg (Octane Creative)
We know Judy Vinar as a singer’s singer, a voice that likes to take risks. Her Valentine’s Day show at the Capri in Minneapolis, Feb 10 at 7 and Fe...

  • Added: Feb 01, 2018
  • Length: 08:00
Caption: Cedar Commissions poster, Credit: photos by Anna Schultz; design by Alana Horton
One of the most unique and, cutting edge musical shows of the year, the Cedar Commissions, is coming to the Cedar Cultural Center in Minneapolis. T...

  • Added: Jan 30, 2018
  • Length: 08:00