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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778 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: Ticket to Brasil collage, Credit: Jane Jany
Ticket to Brasil plays classic and contemporary Brasilian music. The May 18 show at Landmark Center, held between 1 and 3 in the afternoon is part...

Bought by KSRQ


  • Added: Apr 09, 2014
  • Length: 05:00
  • Purchases: 1
Caption: Toni Lindgren (l) and Reina del Cid (r), Credit: Philip Nusbaum
Reina del Cit, a Twin Cities 4-piece group plays Sat April 12 at the 331 Club in Minneapolis, and every Monday at 10 at the Amsterdam in Saint Paul

Bought by KSRQ


  • Added: Apr 05, 2014
  • Length: 05:00
  • Purchases: 1
Caption: Dakota Combo, 2014, Credit: Kelle Green
The Dakota Combo is a group of hand-picked high school musicians who play serious jazz. Under the direction of Adam Linz, the show is at the Capri ...

Bought by KSRQ


  • Added: Mar 25, 2014
  • Length: 05:00
  • Purchases: 1
Caption: Ben Riggs, Credit: Paul Nixdorf
Harvey Milk, first gay elected official in San Francisco, was assassinated in 1978. The Twin Cities Gay Men's Chorus, which has been performing for...

  • Added: Mar 22, 2014
  • Length: 05:02
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Melvin comments in his poem, that there are too many people in our society not really connecting with one another.

  • Added: Mar 20, 2014
  • Length: 04:26
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Joseph's father re-enters his life after years away.

Bought by KSRQ


  • Added: Mar 20, 2014
  • Length: 02:12
  • Purchases: 1
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Herbert addresses the importance of free speech in our country.

Bought by KVSC and KSRQ


  • Added: Mar 20, 2014
  • Length: 02:21
  • Purchases: 2
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Gunshot Sonata

Bought by KSRQ


  • Added: Mar 20, 2014
  • Length: 02:30
  • Purchases: 1
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Poem that attempts to comfort a friend who has a broken heart.

  • Added: Mar 20, 2014
  • Length: 01:51
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In this poem, Daniela wishes that her relationship with her sister was closer.

Bought by WAMC Northeast Public Radio and KSRQ


  • Added: Mar 20, 2014
  • Length: 02:15
  • Purchases: 2