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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783 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: Joan Griffith by Ann Marsden, Credit: Ann Marsden
Noted Twin Cities Guitarist Joan Griffith has Issued a new CD, called Sambanova 2. The project also features pianist Laura Caviani and cellist Greg...

  • Added: Feb 06, 2023
  • Length: 08:00
Caption: Ginger Commodore, Credit: Tom Wallace
Ginger Commodore and Kendra Glenn are Twin Cities singers who hold Anita Baker as an important singing reference point. And Ginger and Kendra prese...

  • Added: Feb 03, 2023
  • Length: 08:00
Caption: BZ3 CD cover art, Credit: Galen Higgens
BZ3, the organ trio led by Brian Ziemniak plays a mix of jazz, soul, R n B and Funk. And BZ3 has a new CD!. Phil Nusbaum caught up with Brian to ta...

  • Added: Feb 02, 2023
  • Length: 08:00
Caption: BZ3 CD Cover A rt, Credit: Galen Higgens
BZ3, the organ trio led by Brian Ziemniak plays a mix of jazz, soul, R n B and Funk. And BZ3, new CD in hands, holds forth at Crooners Supper Club,...

  • Added: Feb 02, 2023
  • Length: 08:00
Caption: jazz88 logo 2022, Credit: Tim Nyberg (Octane Creative)
It’s the 40th year of the Minneapolis Battle of the Jug Bands. It’s held at the Cabooze this Sunday starting at 12:40 PM, with a 4PM Saturday pre-p...

  • Added: Feb 01, 2023
  • Length: 08:00
Caption: Red Hot Django Peppers, Credit: Ryan Picone
The Red Hot Django Peppers has a new CD and is featuring it at all shows. The group plays music called jazz manouche or Hot Club jazz, and pulls mu...

  • Added: Jan 27, 2023
  • Length: 08:00
Caption: Red Hot Django Peppers, Credit: Ryan Picone
The Red Hot Django Peppers has a new CD and is featuring it at all shows, including Monday night at 7 at the Dakota in Minneapolis. The group plays...

  • Added: Jan 27, 2023
  • Length: 08:00
Caption: jazz88 logo 2022, Credit: Tim Nyberg (Octane Creative)
Four Minnesota award-winning Composers present their compositions this Friday at the Icehouse in Minneapolis. The awards are from the McKnight Foun...

  • Added: Jan 26, 2023
  • Length: 08:00
Caption: Charmin Michelle and Joel Shapira, Credit: Andrea Canter
When Charmin Michelle and Joel Shapira perform, it’s more than a singer with a guitarist. It’s an interweaving of musical ideas. Though both Charmi...

  • Added: Jan 25, 2023
  • Length: 08:00
Caption: Charmin Michelle and Joel Shapira, Credit: Andrea Canter
When Charmin Michelle and Joel Shapira perform, it’s more than a singer with a guitarist. It’s an interweaving of musical ideas. Their next show is...

  • Added: Jan 25, 2023
  • Length: 08:00