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: Peter Moore and Jane Froiland, Credit: Patrick O'Laughlin
For those who long for "the grand old days" of radio, Jazz88 KBEM presents the second installment of Jazz Noir, an original radio drama series, com...

  • Added: Jul 01, 2014
  • Length: 01:01:02
Caption: Butch Thompson and Russ Hall, Credit: Marjie O'Laughlin
Butch Thompson and friends perform live at The Cedar Cultural Center. It was a celebration of the well-remembered Hall Brothers Jazz Band, and its ...

  • Added: Jun 27, 2014
  • Length: 58:40
Caption: Steve Heckler in the Jazz Festival office, Credit: Phil Nusbaum
The Twin Cities Jazz Festival is a great showcase for Jazz, including the great variety of local acts.

Bought by KSRQ


  • Added: Jun 26, 2014
  • Length: 05:00
  • Purchases: 1
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Music and conversations from the 20th annual Viva City celebration of fine arts in the Minneapolis Public Schools. Listen to the 800-strong all-cit...

  • Added: Jun 26, 2014
  • Length: 57:55
Caption: PRX default Piece image
Towards the start of the show, we present some bluegrass love songs. These are not those depicting exit points of relationships, but ones that refl...

Bought by KSJD, WNTI.ORG-Internet Radio from Centenary University, WOUB, KEOS, KRZA and more


  • Added: Jun 25, 2014
  • Length: 59:00
  • Purchases: 12
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Sarah Vaughan is a coy subject. Leigh has some fun interviewing her.

Bought by KSRQ


  • Added: Jun 25, 2014
  • Length: 05:04
  • Purchases: 1
Caption: Lorna Landvik
Lorna Landvik – The author of nine novels, Lorna Landvik also wears the hats of actor, stand-up comic, playwright and improviser. Her writing is c...

Bought by KSRQ


  • Added: Jun 25, 2014
  • Length: 03:30
  • Purchases: 1
Caption: Mark Martin, Credit: Dawn Peterson-Cobb
One-man band Mark Martin tells us how his one man band got started and how he does it.

Bought by KSRQ


  • Added: Jun 24, 2014
  • Length: 05:00
  • Purchases: 1
Caption: Jon Pemberton, Credit: Lana Pemberton
Jon's group plays the Loring Pasta Bar in Minneapolis on June 21. The group plays there every couple of months. Jon has a solo piano show at Sunfis...

Bought by KSRQ


  • Added: Jun 11, 2014
  • Length: 05:00
  • Purchases: 1
Caption: Shai Hayo, Credit: Phil Nusbaum
It's a 9-piece salsa band and is playing on Friday the 13 at the Crooked Pint in Minneapolis. And don't forget their monthly shows at Santorini's i...

Bought by KSRQ


  • Added: Jun 06, 2014
  • Length: 05:00
  • Purchases: 1