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

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Jazz musician, vocalist and actor, Dennis Spears is well know for his work as an actor at Penumbra Theater and also for his work in the late 80's a...

  • Added: Dec 16, 2022
  • Length: 05:56
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Chris Bates has been very active in the Twin Cities since the 1990's. He is a founding member of many local jazz groups including The Motion Poets...

  • Added: Dec 16, 2022
  • Length: 07:31
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Born in Birmingham, Alabama, vocalist Charmin Michelle moved to Minnesota while still a child. Based in Minneapolis, Charmin is no stranger to lif...

  • Added: Dec 16, 2022
  • Length: 05:21
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Vocalist Bruce Henry is a storyteller, historian, composer and performer extraordinaire. Mr. Henry has an impressive 3 and a half octave range wh...

  • Added: Dec 15, 2022
  • Length: 08:46
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Pianist Bobby Peterson grew up in a music family first starting clarinet and eventually switching to piano, which became his primary instrument. B...

  • Added: Dec 15, 2022
  • Length: 07:16
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While visiting Minnesota in 1993, pianist Bill Carrothers spoke with broadcaster Leigh Kamman.

  • Added: Dec 14, 2022
  • Length: 05:28
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The show by the Minnesota Jazz Chamber Orchestra at the Chart House in Lakeville has been rescheduled for Tuesday December 27 at 7pm. The performan...

  • Added: Dec 14, 2022
  • Length: 08:00
Caption: Daniel Volovets, Credit: Adrian Volovets
Daniel Volovets is a local guitarist who composes and also re-imagines the work of others. When Daniel talked to Phil Nusbaum, Daniel first address...

  • Added: Dec 11, 2022
  • Length: 08:00
Caption: Daniel Volovets, Credit: Adrian Volovets
Daniel Volovets is a local guitarist who composes and also re-imagines the work of others. You can catch him at the Metronome Brewery in Saint Paul...

  • Added: Dec 11, 2022
  • Length: 08:00
Caption: Tod Peterson, Credit: Dan Norman
A Christmas Carole Petersen portrays a Minnesota family’s Christmas celebration. It has light moments and dark ones, but in the end, family and tra...

  • Added: Dec 08, 2022
  • Length: 08:00