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: Students playing
Join Yonci Jameson as Minneapolis Roosevelt High School Jazz Combos 1 and 2 perform live from Studio 1 at KBEM.

  • Added: May 14, 2015
  • Length: 57:48
Caption: JaAnn Funk and Jeff Brueske, Credit: Laurenb Photography
JoAnn Funk and Jeff Brueske. Jazz for voice, piano and bass. They’ve been holding forth Friday and Saturday nights at the St Paul hotel lobby for 7...

Bought by KSRQ


  • Added: May 09, 2015
  • Length: 05:00
  • Purchases: 1
Caption: Ancia Saxophone Quartet, Credit: Daniel Soderstrom
The Ancia Saxophone Quartet specializes in contemporary American Saxophone quartet music. It’s a field that bridges formal music and jazz. The ense...

Bought by KSRQ


  • Added: May 03, 2015
  • Length: 05:00
  • Purchases: 1
Caption: Reynaldo Moreno CD cover, Credit: ason Wozny
Reynaldo Moreno. He’s a young local guy to whom the Motown sound speaks. And so, he recreates some of the great Motown songs of a generation ago, a...

  • Added: Apr 23, 2015
  • Length: 05:00
Caption: Jon Wood Plays DJ at KBEM-FM, Credit: Philip Nusbaum
Jon Wood stumbled into recording his first 2 CDs, both available at his CD release party on April 25 at the Black Dog Café in St Paul. He happened ...

Bought by KSRQ


  • Added: Apr 08, 2015
  • Length: 05:00
  • Purchases: 1
Caption: Patty Peterson, Credit: Jennifer Bong
The Peterson Family of the Twin Cities is a Jazz family from ‘way back. They gain musical inspiration from each other and they are happiest when wo...

Bought by KSRQ


  • Added: Apr 07, 2015
  • Length: 05:00
  • Purchases: 1
Caption: Charanga Tropical, Credit: Walter Horishnyk
Doug Little leads Minnesota’s great Charanga Band, Charanga Tropical. Charanga is a substyle of salsa, one that adds three violins to the mix. The ...

Bought by KSRQ


  • Added: Apr 04, 2015
  • Length: 05:00
  • Purchases: 1
Caption: Chris Becknell at home, Credit: Phil Nusbaum
A representative of House of Mercy Recordings heard Chris Becknell play a few of his interpretations of hymns and gospel songs and wanted more. So ...

Bought by KSRQ


  • Added: Mar 25, 2015
  • Length: 05:00
  • Purchases: 1
Caption: Orkesta Bez ime, Credit: Stefan Iwaskewycz
Orkestar Bez Ime, Bulgarian for orchestra with out a name, or OBI for short, has been performing in our town and more widely for well over a decade...

Bought by KSRQ


  • Added: Mar 22, 2015
  • Length: 05:00
  • Purchases: 1
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Twin Cities guitarist Zacc harris and vibes player Dave Hagedorn met over their admiration for a 1962 year old LP: Bags Meets Wes by vibraphonist M...

  • Added: Mar 08, 2015
  • Length: 05:00