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: Twin Cities Latin Jazz Orchestra, Credit: Diego Ramallo
Jazz Central Studios is a nonprofit organization supporting the Twin Cities jazz community. Its Fundraiser is Saturday April 30, and artists are co...

  • Added: Apr 13, 2016
  • Length: 05:00
Caption: Jim Falbo, Credit: Gilliane Mansfeldt
Jim Falbo is a talented classical-based guitarist. He has a command of many music styles makes him a wedding guitarist who is in demand.

  • Added: Apr 09, 2016
  • Length: 08:48
Caption: Jim Falbo, Credit: Gilliane Mansfeldt
Jim Falbo has a base in classical guitar, but he is a lover of many music styles. In advance of his Studio Z show in Saint Paul this Friday night, ...

  • Added: Apr 09, 2016
  • Length: 05:00
Caption: Southside Aces, Credit: Jonathan Hankin
The Southside Aces is a Minneapolis-based New Orleans-style Jazz group playing uncompromised traditional Jazz. They play it the old way, but when a...

  • Added: Apr 07, 2016
  • Length: 09:10
Caption: Southside Aces, Credit: Jonathan Hankin
The Southside Aces is a New Orleans-style jazz band that has loads of fun playing for dancers and listeners. Founder and clarinetist Tony Balluff (...

  • Added: Apr 07, 2016
  • Length: 05:00
Caption: Diane Jarvi, Credit: Nick Lethert
She’s an artist of many talents, and she keeps embracing more and more. Diane Jarvi is touched by Finnish, American and other world cultures, and s...

  • Added: Mar 28, 2016
  • Length: 09:19
Caption: The Dakota Combo, Credit: Andrea Canter
The Dakota Combo. It’s a jazz group made up of metro area high school players whose players are immersed in soaking up lessons from their mentors. ...

  • Added: Mar 27, 2016
  • Length: 05:00
Caption: Kip Peltoniemi, Credit: Mary Crimi
Kip Peltoniemi is the type of player who combines the music he has heard during his lifetime into a style and outlook that is personal yet inviting...

  • Added: Mar 22, 2016
  • Length: 10:29
Caption: Dr James Leary, Credit: Jeff Miller of University Communications at UW-Madison
The Celebration for the publishing of Dr James Leary’s Folksongs of Another America takes place Friday Night April 1 at Celtic Junction. It is a wo...

  • Added: Mar 19, 2016
  • Length: 05:00
Caption: jazz 88 logo, Credit: Tim Nyberg (Octane Creative)
They do the old blues and a lot of new blues, too. Stephen Faison and the 3 O’Clock Gruv is a band of musical veterans hungry to make its mark with...

  • Added: Mar 14, 2016
  • Length: 05:50