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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62 Pieces

Minneapolis High School Students, with the help of a team of educators and poets, were encouraged to write poetry. The poems created by the students are in some cases hard-hitting, and in others, cute.

  • From: KBEM
  • Updated: Jan 13, 2014
Caption: Susan Spongberg, Credit: Frank T. Heffelfinger III
9 Pieces

Minnesota Creates is curious about how creativity occurs, so Susan Spongberg asked an assortment of Minnesota artists how do you choreography a dance? Where do your novel’s characters come from? How do you decide what to paint?

  • From: KBEM
  • Updated: Jan 14, 2014
Caption: Minnesota Jazz Legends: The Elders, Credit: Jim Davis
7 Pieces

Minnesota has many wonderful jazz musicians, still playing well into their 80's. Minnesota Jazz Legends: The Elders, features live and in studio performances and interviews, talking about their careers in the Twin Cities from early on to present.

  • From: KBEM
  • Updated: Nov 11, 2021
Caption: Jazz 88 FM, Credit: http://www.jazz88fm.com
15 Pieces

Minnesota Music Moment is a weekly feature of KBEM FM 88.5, each week highlighting a different Minnesota musician.

  • From: KBEM
  • Updated: Feb 25, 2011
Caption: KBEM logo, Credit: Tim Nyberg (Octane Creative)
424 Pieces

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.

  • From: KBEM
  • Updated: Oct 09, 2015
Caption: Arne Fogel, Credit: John Whiting
65 Pieces

Minnesota Voices-Certain Standards Minnesota Vocalists perform new renditions of the Great American Songbook. Arne Fogel-Host

  • From: KBEM
  • Updated: Oct 31, 2012
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2 Pieces

In a world and time of differences, music has the power to bring us together, to unite us through a shared experience. Music knows no boundaries. It transcends that which keeps us apart. Join Jazz88 for an evening of discovery with Music Without Borders.

  • From: KBEM
  • Updated: Sep 04, 2019
Caption: Bobb Fantauzzo performing with Lyz Jaakola, Credit: Andrea Canter
18 Pieces

Native flute player Bobb Fantauzzo illuminates the contributions made by jazz musicians with Native American heritage.

  • From: KBEM
  • Updated: Apr 19, 2016
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4 Pieces

Butch Thompson's Piano Bench Show looks at the piano stylings of the early performers of jazz.

  • From: KBEM
  • Updated: Jul 14, 2011
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0 Pieces

Perspectives relating to Minnesota culture, history and the arts contributed by Minneapolis high school students.

  • From: KBEM
  • Updated: Apr 04, 2010

Latest Pieces

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: 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. This Friday and Saturday, it’s all Sinatra. The show is cal...

  • Added: Aug 28, 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: Tim Sparks, Credit: Tim Hasbach
The greatness of the pop group the Beatles might just be in the musical possibilities inherent in the group’s songs. This Saturday night at 6:30 at...

  • Added: Aug 15, 2023
  • Length: 08:00
Caption: Tom Wells and Thomassina Petrus, Credit: Sue Kearns
The Selby Avenue Brass Band is led by Tom Wells who writes and arranges a lot of Selby Avenue Brass Band music. He goes about it differently depend...

  • Added: Aug 08, 2023
  • Length: 08:00
Caption: Tom Wells and Thomassina Petrus, Credit: Sue Kearns
The Selby Avenue Brass Band does a lot of performing with singer Thomassina Petrus. On Sunday, August 27, the whole group performs during a church ...

  • Added: Aug 08, 2023
  • Length: 08:00
Caption: jazz88 logo 2022, Credit: Tim Nyberg (Octane Creative)
The 30-Days Foundation’s Art and All that Jazz Festival comes to the Ames Center and Nicollet Commons Park in Burnsville, Friday and Saturday Augus...

  • Added: Aug 07, 2023
  • Length: 08:00
Caption: Orkestar Bez Ime, Credit: Stefan Iwasykewicz
Orkestar Bez Ime travels widely to learn folk music from the Balkans, and works with local people. The result is a Twin Cities-based Balkan band w...

  • Added: Aug 04, 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