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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800 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: Will Aldrich Quintet, Credit: Benny Moreno
They’re calling themselves the Will Aldrich quintet, with Will and Gabe Hartnett playing saxophones, Rafi Karpowitz on the piano, Callum Schultz on...

  • Added: Jun 13, 2023
  • Length: 08:00
Caption: Michael Maiorana , Credit: Mandy Faccett
Michael Maiorana is a Twin Cities Composer who does what few others do: Michael composes for bass and cello, low-tone instruments most associate wi...

  • Added: Jun 08, 2023
  • Length: 08:00
Caption: Michael Maiorana , Credit: Mandy Faccett
The focus is on compositions for bass and cello on this year’s first Vanguard New Music Series concert, this Friday at 7 at Zion Lutheran Church in...

  • Added: Jun 08, 2023
  • Length: 08:00
Caption: Kathleen Johnson in center, Credit: David Eisert
Kathleen Johnson leads a group of Twin Cities vocalists who should be better known into the Dakota in Minneapolis, Friday night June 16 at 7PM. The...

  • Added: Jun 07, 2023
  • Length: 08:00
Caption: Lori Dokken  , Credit: Jennifer Bong
Lori Dokken is not only for her singing, playing and arranging, but for curating musical events. Her next one is called the Say Gay All Day Cabaret...

  • Added: Jun 01, 2023
  • Length: 08:00
Caption: jazz88 logo 2022, Credit: Tim Nyberg (Octane Creative)
He goes by Cap’n Al, and he’s been playing the bass around the Twin Towns for decades. But suddenly, Cap’n Al has a new role: bandleader. He’s got ...

  • Added: May 31, 2023
  • Length: 08:00
Caption: jazz88 logo 2022, Credit: Tim Nyberg (Octane Creative)
He goes by Cap’n Al, and he’s been playing the bass around the Twin Towns for decades. But suddenly, Cap’n Al has a new role: bandleader. He’s got ...

  • Added: May 31, 2023
  • Length: 08:00
Caption: jazz88 logo 2022, Credit: Tim Nyberg (Octane Creative)
A group of prominent music North Side Minneapolis music people are creating a Minneapolis Sound Museum. Sure there is Paisley Park which documents ...

  • Added: May 25, 2023
  • Length: 08:00
Caption: SWHS Jazz Band, Credit: Sara Johnson
The Southwest High School of Minneapolis showcases its Jazz Big Band and Jazz Combos, Thursday June first at the school. The show features not only...

  • Added: May 23, 2023
  • Length: 08:00
Caption: KBEM logo, Credit: Tim Nyberg (Octane Creative)
Geoff Jones’ bio includes singing in Sounds of Blackness, with several Penumbra Theater productions, and his was the voice of John Henry in a Walt ...

  • Added: May 18, 2023
  • Length: 08:00