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)
425 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: Twin Cities Latin Jazz Orchestra, Credit: Diego Ramallo
Tonight we look ahead to next week, Tuesday November 28, when the 18-piece Twin Cities Latin Jazz Orchestra performs at Jazz Central Studios in Mi...

  • Added: Nov 19, 2017
  • Length: 08:00
Caption: Jazz 88 logo, Credit: Tim Nyberg (Octane Creative)
Mango Jam. It’s a Twin Cities band that formed in 1989, and has played in 46 states. And throw in a good deal of recording as well. Because of fami...

  • Added: Nov 16, 2017
  • Length: 08:00
Caption: Jazz 88 logo, Credit: Tim Nyberg (Octane Creative)
Mango Jam. It’s a Twin Cities band that formed in 1989, and has played in 46 states. And throw in a good deal of recording as well. Because of fami...

  • Added: Nov 16, 2017
  • Length: 08:00
Caption: Cedar Avenue Big Band, Credit: Jim Richards
The Cedar Avenue Big Band. After 25 years, it’s still a leading Twin Cities Big Band. Why do they do it? They just love playing big band music, and...

  • Added: Nov 09, 2017
  • Length: 08:00
Caption: Cedar Avenue Big Band, Credit: Jim Richards
The Cedar Avenue Big Band. After 25 years they still love playing big band music, big band fans love what they do. Currently, the group plays secon...

  • Added: Nov 09, 2017
  • Length: 08:00
Caption: Twin Cities Community Gospel Choir, Credit: Jerry Nelson
The Twin Cities Community Gospel Choir had its first performance in 1990 at which it won award for quality. From that point, it assumed an importan...

  • Added: Nov 09, 2017
  • Length: 08:00
Caption: Twin Cities Community Gospel Choir, Credit: Jerry Nelson
The Twin Cities Community Gospel Choir had its first performance in 1990 at which it won award for quality. From that point, it assumed an importan...

  • Added: Nov 09, 2017
  • Length: 08:00
Caption: Gentlemen's Anti-Temperance League, Credit: Aaron Davidson
The Gentlemen’s Anti-Temperance League calls what it does Prohibition Swing. It’s a collection of styles nearly a century old with a lot of cool. ...

  • Added: Nov 03, 2017
  • Length: 08:00
Caption: Gentlemen's Anti-Temperance League, Credit: Aaron Davidson
It’s a whole new combination of styles nearly a century old with a lot of cool. The Gentlemen’s Anti-Temperance League plays this Thursday night at...

  • Added: Nov 03, 2017
  • Length: 08:00
Caption: Monroe Crossing, Credit: Jamey Guy
Bach and bluegrass. The combination really works, as Monroe Crossing proved a few years ago when they performed a bluegrass mass created by compose...

  • Added: Nov 02, 2017
  • Length: 07:59