KBEM

StationAccount image
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

Series image
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
Series image
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
Series image
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: JC Sanford, Credit: Andrea Canter
Trombonist JC Sanford is a prolific composer of jazz, and spends a lot of time making sure the pieces reflect different styles and inspirations. An...

  • Added: Sep 20, 2017
  • Length: 08:00
Caption: JC Sanford, Credit: Andrea Canter
Trombonist JC Sanford leads his quartet into the Black Dog in Saint Paul this Saturday night September 30 at 8:30. JC is a prolific composer of jaz...

  • Added: Sep 20, 2017
  • Length: 08:00
Caption: Patty Peterson, Credit: Jennifer Bong
The Jazz Women All-Stars are back in a big show coming soon. Phil Nusbaum tells us about it.

  • Added: Sep 19, 2017
  • Length: 08:00
Caption: Southside Aces, Credit: Jonathan Hankin
The period after World War I in the USA is known as the Jazz Age. It was a time when Americans were trying out new things, new kinds of fun, and ja...

  • Added: Sep 12, 2017
  • Length: 08:00
Caption: Southside Aces, Credit: Jonathan Hankin
F. Scott Fitzgerald is one of the leading sons of Saint Paul. He wrote about what has come to be known as the jazz age, the period after World War ...

  • Added: Sep 12, 2017
  • Length: 08:00
Caption: The Overtones, Credit: Chimgee Haltarhuu
Background music is the specialty of the Overtones and the group does it well. Interviewer Phil Nusbaum talked to Dave Hofgren of the Overtones, wh...

  • Added: Sep 11, 2017
  • Length: 08:00
Caption: The Overtones, Credit: Chimgee Haltarhuu
Background music is the specialty of the Overtones and they do it well. Catch the Overtones act at the Riverview Wine Bar, every Wed from 7:30 to 9...

  • Added: Sep 11, 2017
  • Length: 08:00
Caption: Debbie Duncan, Credit: Nathan Yungerberg
When you go to a Debbie Duncan show you enjoy a great vocal jazz stylist. But Debbie says that it is all in service of the lyrics to the songs, and...

  • Added: Sep 08, 2017
  • Length: 08:00
Caption: Debbie Duncan, Credit: Nathan Yungerberg
When you go to a Debbie Duncan show [like this Friday night at 9 at Vieux Carre in Saint Paul at 9PM], you enjoy a great vocal jazz stylist. But De...

  • Added: Sep 08, 2017
  • Length: 08:00
Caption: Jugsluggers, Credit: Lisa Friedlander
Tom Cornish, Russ Rayfield and Mark Briere. They are known as the Jug Sluggers, a group of acoustic musicians that has been singing and playing for...

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