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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776 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: Tim Cheesebrow, Credit: Phil Nusbaum
Tim has some great new songs, a great new CD, a fresh perspective, and he rolls it all together into a great show on Saturday October 4.

Bought by KSRQ


  • Added: Sep 25, 2014
  • Length: 05:00
  • Purchases: 1
Caption: Mac Santiago, Managing Director of Jazz Central Studios, Credit: Philip Nusbaum
We talk to Mac Santiago, managing director of Jazz Central about David Karr’s music, and about what it is like to play with David Karr. Karr's next...

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  • Added: Sep 19, 2014
  • Length: 05:00
  • Purchases: 1
Caption: Ticket to Brasil, Credit: Jane Jany
The first concert was in 2003, and now it’s a major family, locally-produced International music event. We speak with event organizer Pavel Jany, t...

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  • Added: Sep 11, 2014
  • Length: 05:00
  • Purchases: 1
Caption: Curtis and Loretta as the Haymarket Minstrels, Credit: Carr Hagerman
Curtis and Loretta transform themselves into the Haymarket Minstrels for Renaissance Festival in Shakopee, which they are playing Sept 13-14, 2014....

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  • Added: Sep 04, 2014
  • Length: 05:00
  • Purchases: 1
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It’s the 13th year of the Washington County Bluegrass Festival, held at the Lake Elmo Park Reserve near Stillwater, MN, 2-6pm on September 6, 2014....

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  • Added: Aug 24, 2014
  • Length: 05:00
  • Purchases: 1
Caption: Davina and the Vagabonds, Credit: Christie Williams
Davina and the Vagabonds, definite road warriors take the stage in their home base, Minneapolis on August 29, 2014. There'll be lots of sassy vocal...

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  • Added: Aug 23, 2014
  • Length: 05:00
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Caption: Dan Newton, leader of Cae Accordion, Credit: Phil Nusbaum
Cafe Accordion leader Dan Newton discusses the directions for Cafe Accordion. Established in 1995, variety is the key to the group's success.

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  • Added: Aug 16, 2014
  • Length: 05:00
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Caption: Jack Klatt, Credit: James Eastman
Jack Klatt talks about how he met Charlie Parr, and also reflects on his work with Charlie, as we play examples of Jack's work solo and with Charli...

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  • Added: Aug 06, 2014
  • Length: 05:00
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Caption: Scott Crosbie at the piano, Credit: Phil Nusbaum
The First John Philip Sousa Memorial Band is the Centerpiece of an Evening of Entertainment at Centennial Lakes in Edina, the program begins with n...

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  • Added: Aug 02, 2014
  • Length: 05:00
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Caption: Poor Benny, Credit: Lois Bjorlie
Debbie Cash, Lead Naturalist for the Harriet Alexander Nature Center and Recreation Program Supervisor for Roseville Parks and Recreation tells us ...

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  • Added: Jul 26, 2014
  • Length: 05:00
  • Purchases: 1