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)
421 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: Mayyadda, Credit: Osaro Obanor
Once she made the decision to enter the field of music, Mayyadda has been firing on all cylinders, creating new songs and recordings to document th...

  • Added: Aug 09, 2016
  • Length: 05:00
Caption: Mark Kreitzer Band, Credit: Gary Mortensen
Mark Kreitzer has always enjoyed playing a variety of songtypes and he’s a whiz on many instruments. Plus, he has refined ideas on working in diffe...

  • Added: Aug 05, 2016
  • Length: 08:14
Caption: Paul Cantrell, Credit: David J Turner
The Twin Cities is filled with passionate creators of new music, and much of the greatest work turns up at Composers Night at Studio Z in Saint Pau...

  • Added: Aug 04, 2016
  • Length: 05:00
Caption: Filthy Animals, Credit: Ben Mielke
The Filthy Animals. Well, there’s a band name that’ll grab your ear. But so does their music. The group has been playing for a number of years, it’...

  • Added: Jul 30, 2016
  • Length: 07:26
Caption: Sarah Mae and the Birkeland Boys, Credit: Wendy Birkeland
It’s gotten to be quite a tradition: The City of Roseville hosts the Mosquito Bluegrass jam, this Sunday afternoon at the Frank Rog (rhymes with bo...

  • Added: Jul 28, 2016
  • Length: 05:00
Caption: jazz 88 logo, Credit: Tim Nyberg (Octane Creative)
What a showcase for local music is Nershfest. It presents 10 varied acts in 10 hours on 2 stages in an accessible spot in Saint Paul. Festival orga...

  • Added: Jul 22, 2016
  • Length: 05:00
Caption: Patty and the Buttons, Credit: Elizabeth Windsperger
They play pre-world war II jazz, but featuring the accordion gives their offerings a whole new twist. Plus, they have fun entertaining. The basis o...

  • Added: Jul 18, 2016
  • Length: 07:19
Caption: Patty and the Buttons, Credit: Elizabeth Windsperger
Pre-World War II Jazz is unforgettable for many musicians and members of the public. That’s what drives the Sunday Swing brunch with Patty and the ...

  • Added: Jul 18, 2016
  • Length: 05:00
Caption: Sherry Minnick, Credit: Kate MacKenzie
Old Traditional folk songs. Without any promotion from the commercial world, the songs last for centuries. Sherry Minnick of St Paul sings old song...

  • Added: Jul 10, 2016
  • Length: 10:46
Caption: 651Jazz, Credit: Dave Miller
651Jazz. It’s a group of Rosemount, MN-area people who started playing jazz in high school, but saw no reason to quit at graduation. They sought ea...

  • Added: Jul 10, 2016
  • Length: 06:53