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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20 Pieces

Joan Griffith, Twin Cities musician and educator, has conversations with prominent Minnesota jazz musicians.

  • From: KBEM
  • Updated: May 25, 2016
Caption: Joan Griffith, Credit: Ann Marsen
20 Pieces

Joan Griffith, Twin Cities guitar player and educator, interviews Minnesota jazz artists.

  • From: KBEM
  • Updated: May 27, 2016
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13 Pieces

Minneapolis Public School teachers talk with Kevin O'Connor about their accomplishments.

  • From: KBEM
  • Updated: Jul 14, 2011
Caption: Leigh Kamman, Credit: Andrea Canter
57 Pieces

During his 60-plus years in jazz broadcasting, Leigh Kamman conducted hundreds of interviews with jazz artists, including many from the Minnesota scene. These are being preserved and edited by the Leigh Kamman Legacy Project and presented as The Jazz Image: Minnesota Edition, a continuation of the The Jazz Image: Special Edition series. These projects are part of the process of preserving and sharing the massive archive of historical recordings he left when he passed away in October 2014.

  • From: KBEM
  • Updated: Jun 29, 2020
Caption: Leigh Kamman, Credit: Andrea Canter
14 Pieces

Minnesota jazz broadcasting legend Leigh Kamman conducted hundreds of interviews with jazz artists, including some of jazz's illustrious figures. Now, these treasures have been lovingly preserved and edited into a new series of broadcasts, The Jazz Image: Special Edition. These recordings preserve priceless conversation Leigh Kamman had with such luminaries as Duke Ellington, Sarah Vaughan and Stan Kenton. In his ninth decade, Kamman adds fresh commentary to round out these 5 minute broadcasts, 13 in all in this series.

  • From: KBEM
  • Updated: Jan 14, 2014
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779 Pieces

5 to 8-minute, highly produced heads-ups highlighting great musical activities in the Twin Cities broadly conceived. The pieces feature the musicians, their music, club owners, fans, in short all of those responsible for creating musical experiences.

  • From: KBEM
  • Updated: Dec 10, 2019
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0 Pieces

Viva City, Festival of the Arts, was initiated thirteen years ago as a way to showcase arts education in Minneapolis Public Schools (MPS). In this pod cast, we feature the musical portion of Viva City from the Ted Mann Concert Hall at the University of Minneapolis.

  • From: KBEM
  • Updated: May 29, 2011
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31 Pieces

Minneapolis High School Students comment on Minnesota Arts, Culture and History

  • From: KBEM
  • Updated: Aug 24, 2011

Latest Pieces

Caption: Solomon Parham, Credit: Andrea Canter
Playing music is more than a technical skill. It is often a spiritual experience for those who play it. But while performing can be a personal thin...

  • Added: Jan 03, 2016
  • Length: 06:39
Caption: Solomon Parham, Credit: Andrea Canter
Word is spreading about Solomon Sessions. The group is headed by Solomon Parham and a talented core of musicians, plus musical friends. The group p...

  • Added: Jan 03, 2016
  • Length: 05:00
Caption: Sound Skirmish, Credit: Kelle Green
Many say there’s no better way to learn a music style than to jump in and do it. That’s what the members of Sound Skirmish have done. Still college...

  • Added: Dec 24, 2015
  • Length: 06:44
Caption: Sound Skirmish, Credit: Kelle Green
Sound Skirmish is a group of Twin Cities young people who have been playing serious jazz for years, and with a heavy composing emphasis. Levi Schwa...

  • Added: Dec 24, 2015
  • Length: 05:00
Caption: Irv Williams at the Dakota, Credit: http://www.dakotacooks.com/artist/irv-williams/
He’s 96 and still blows a saxophone. And it’s still a pleasure. Irv Williams talks to interviewer Phil Nusbaum about his music and about the scene ...

  • Added: Dec 17, 2015
  • Length: 05:00
Caption: Captain Gravitone CD Cover, Credit: Al Fack
Captain Gravitone and the String Theory Orchestra. Musically, the group is an omnivore, with a heavy influence from the theater and circus. Band le...

  • Added: Dec 08, 2015
  • Length: 06:50
Caption: Captain Gravitone CD Cover, Credit: Al Fack
The group’s leader plays the banjo but this is no bluegrass band. It’s part acoustic group, part theatrical troupe and 100% fun. And it’s available...

  • Added: Dec 08, 2015
  • Length: 05:00
Caption: The Capri Big Band, Credit: Brianna Johnson
Big Band music has persisted over the generations. Why? It might be because big band music is a big part of formal learning for horn players in hig...

  • Added: Nov 28, 2015
  • Length: 06:09
Caption: Capri Big Band, Credit: Brianna Johnson
The Big Band is part of the American cultural heritage. The Capri Big Band of Minneapolis is rehearsing hard right now for two Shows in December. T...

  • Added: Nov 28, 2015
  • Length: 05:00
Caption: Rio Nido, Credit: Dennis Widstrand and Matt Spector
A generation, a young trio known as Rio Nido was delighting audiences through its renditions of old vocal jazz. But in music, so it seems, all good...

  • Added: Nov 24, 2015
  • Length: 05:00