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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784 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: Zoe Norling, Credit: Phil Nusbaum
A generation ago, it was colorful clothing, but today, kids are more into shopping for specific brands. Why? Zoe Norling, a student at Susan B Anth...

  • Added: May 10, 2011
  • Length: 01:00
Caption: Ruth Mullin, Credit: Philip Nusbaum
"Technology is great," says Ruth Mullin, student at Susan B. Anthony Middle School (Minneapolis). But too much texting can cause you to ignore your...

  • Added: Apr 24, 2011
  • Length: 01:00
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Grace Wenner, student at Susan B. Anthony Middle School (Minneapolis) tells us that the emotional scars from verbal bullying are worse than the phy...

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  • Added: Apr 24, 2011
  • Length: 01:00
  • Purchases: 1
Caption: Abdul Kadir Farah, Credit: Phil Nusbaum
Abdul Kadir Farah, a Minneapolis Edison high school senior, is one of many Minneapolis high school students who collect college credit while still ...

  • Added: Feb 12, 2011
  • Length: 01:00
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When you are a senior, and planning for the future, it seems there is no such thing as spare time. You are either in class or doing something that ...

  • Added: Feb 12, 2011
  • Length: 01:00
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The Asian Club at Minneapolis Edison High School puts on a yearly Hmong New Year event. It features elaborate Hmong clothing, as well as as a feast...

  • Added: Feb 12, 2011
  • Length: 02:00
From: KBEM
Series: What's Real
Caption: Amy Vang, Credit: Phil Nusbaum
Business professionals are helping high school students get started in business careers through an e-mentoring program. The program, through the Ta...

  • Added: Feb 12, 2011
  • Length: 01:00
Caption: Monglon Tran, Credit: Phil Nusbaum
Minneapolis Edison high school student Monglon Tran is a member of Edison's Art Club, which puts her in contact with a great variety of artistic me...

  • Added: Feb 12, 2011
  • Length: 01:00
From: KBEM
Series: What's Real
Caption: April Nelson, Credit: Phil Nusbaum
When you play high school volleyball, you have to learn the moves that make your team competitive. April Nelson tells us about it.

  • Added: Feb 12, 2011
  • Length: 01:00
Caption: Simorra Jones, Credit: Phil Nusbaum
As you step up from one level of school to the next, there is added responsibility, Simorra Jones, a Minneapolis Edison high school student tells u...

  • Added: Feb 12, 2011
  • Length: 01:00