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
Caption: PRX default Series image
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: Captain Gravitone CD cover art, Credit: Al Fack
It’s music, and theater, and circus, and throw in half-grounded in reality, too. Captain Gravitone has a whole new thing going called Banjo Time an...

  • Added: Oct 25, 2017
  • Length: 08:00
Caption: One Ukulele, Credit: Dan Wilder
One Ukulele. Well, it’s actually three men who sing with ukuleles and guitars, too. The group performs and spreads the word about how fun it is to ...

Bought by PRX Remix and WRST-FM Oshkosh


  • Added: Oct 18, 2017
  • Length: 08:00
  • Purchases: 2
Caption: One Ukulele, Credit: Dan Wilder
One Ukulele. Well, it’s actually three men who sing with ukuleles and guitars, too. The group performs and spreads the word about how fun it is to ...

  • Added: Oct 18, 2017
  • Length: 08:00
Caption: Greenwood Tree, Credit: Roger Lundgren
Greenwood Tree is a hammered dulcimer group featuring Stu Janis on the hammered dulcimer with Bill Cagley on the guitar. Stu and Bill have been pla...

  • Added: Oct 16, 2017
  • Length: 08:00
Caption: Greenwood Tree, Credit: Roger Lundgren
Greenwood Tree is a hammered dulcimer group featuring Stu Janis on the hammered dulcimer with Bill Cagley on the guitar. Stu and Bill have been pla...

  • Added: Oct 16, 2017
  • Length: 08:00
Caption: Pavel Jany, Credit: Andrea Canter
Pavel Jany (Yanny) is known as one of the Twin Cities’ leading jazz guitarists. His most recent recorded project is called Acoustic Condition. On t...

  • Added: Oct 12, 2017
  • Length: 08:00
Caption: Pavel Jany, Credit: Andrea Canter
Pavel Jany (Yanny) is known as one of the Twin Cities’ leading jazz guitarists. His most recent recorded project is called Acoustic Condition, and ...

  • Added: Oct 12, 2017
  • Length: 08:00
Caption: Mumblin' Drew, Credit: Zoe Prinds-Flash
Mumblin’ Drew is a local guy who discovered folk music, and followed the interest. His playing is based on classic performances of American folk mu...

  • Added: Oct 11, 2017
  • Length: 08:00
Caption: Mumblin' Drew, Credit:  Zoe Prinds-Flash
Mumblin’ Drew is a local guy who discovered folk music, and followed the interest. His playing is based on classic performances of American folk mu...

  • Added: Oct 11, 2017
  • Length: 08:00
Caption: Brass Lassie, Credit: Nick Lethert
Celtic tradition goes back literally centuries, and well over 100 years in our town. But if you think there’s nothing new under the sun when it com...

  • Added: Oct 07, 2017
  • Length: 08:00