KBEM

StationAccount image
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

Series image
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
Series image
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
Caption: PRX default Series image
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
Series image
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
Series image
31 Pieces

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

  • From: KBEM
  • Updated: Aug 24, 2011

Latest Pieces

Caption: Jazz At MPS with Josh Jones and the Dynamics
Join Ester Swanson on Jazz at MPS with music from Minneapolis Southwest High School.

Bought by KSRQ


  • Added: Oct 15, 2013
  • Length: 59:24
  • Purchases: 1
Caption: Dakota Dave Hull
Piece for broadcast Oct 14-17. Dave talks about the inspirations for a few of the tunes on his new, all-original CD.

Bought by KSRQ


  • Added: Oct 08, 2013
  • Length: 05:00
  • Purchases: 1
Caption: The New Standards, Credit: Travis Anderson
Program for Oct 7-11, 2013, The New Standards re-imagines great songs of the past 40 years. We talk about how the trio got started, how the member...

Bought by KSRQ


  • Added: Oct 05, 2013
  • Length: 05:00
  • Purchases: 1
Caption: la Familia Torres-Pena, Credit: Phil Nusbaum
The group, la Familia Torres-Pena has been prominent in Twin Cities Mexican music for decades. The couple's two children figure in this group. In t...

Bought by KSRQ


  • Added: Sep 22, 2013
  • Length: 05:00
  • Purchases: 1
Caption: Gary Schulte, Credit: promotional photo
Piece centers on a swing dance hosted by the Park Grove Library in Cottage Grove, MN. We hear from Gary Schulte, the swing violinist leading the tr...

  • Added: Sep 18, 2013
  • Length: 05:00
Piece image
Join Ester Swanson on Jazz at MPS with music from Minneapolis Southwest High School.

Bought by KSRQ


  • Added: Sep 16, 2013
  • Length: 57:35
  • Purchases: 1
Caption: SteamHeat, Credit: Brad Tutch
SteamHeat has a show on Sept 20, 2013. Band members tell of how much fun it is to play big band music.

Bought by KSRQ


  • Added: Sep 13, 2013
  • Length: 04:59
  • Purchases: 1
Caption: Lady J Griot, Credit: KFAI publicity shot
The Selby Avenue Jazz Fest: a local institution with great local acts and a national one, community activities, and a location for teaching about A...

Bought by KSRQ


  • Added: Sep 08, 2013
  • Length: 04:59
  • Purchases: 1
Piece image
Join Ester Swanson on Jazz at MPS with music from Minneapolis Southwest High School.

Bought by KSRQ


  • Added: Sep 05, 2013
  • Length: 58:20
  • Purchases: 1
Caption: The Middle Spunk Creek Boys, Credit: Ron Colby
The Middle Spunk Creek Boys bluegrass group has been around since 1968, The group created the Laughing Waters Bluegrass Festival in Minneapolis' Mi...

  • Added: Aug 17, 2013
  • Length: 05:00