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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787 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: jazz88 logo 2022, Credit: Tim Nyberg (Octane Creative)
Daina de Prez calls herself a piano entertainer, and that’s what she does. Sure, she plays with groups, too, but her main focus is singing and play...

  • Added: Aug 31, 2022
  • Length: 08:00
Caption: Prudence Johnson, Credit: Ann Marsden
The death of Peter Ostroushko on February 24, 2021 left a void in Minnesota. This coming Monday, many of Peter’s friends and musical partners from ...

  • Added: Aug 30, 2022
  • Length: 08:00
Caption: Charlie Maguire, Credit: Cheryl Walsh Bellville
Charlie Maguire has been writing songs he sings in performances for a half century. He specializes in songs about working people and their work. Wh...

  • Added: Aug 30, 2022
  • Length: 08:00
Caption: Charlie Maguire, Credit: Cheryl Walsh Bellville
Charlie Maguire has been writing songs he sings in performances for a half century. He specializes in songs about working people and their work. Th...

  • Added: Aug 30, 2022
  • Length: 08:00
Caption: Jonatha Brooke and Lin Arons, Credit: Lin Knott
The Cello Songs Project presents a unique musical synthesis involving composition, arranging and seeking new musical directions. Rebecca Arons, the...

  • Added: Aug 28, 2022
  • Length: 08:00
Caption: Jonatha Brooke and Lin Arons, Credit: Lin Knott
It began when Singer-songwriter Jonatha Brooke started working with cellist Rebecca Arons. Then came an arranger and a host of others, and then a w...

  • Added: Aug 28, 2022
  • Length: 08:00
Caption: Maryann Sullivan, Credit: Emily Jane Davis
Maryanne Sullivan has teamed up with the Twin Cities Seven to perform some of the highlights of the swing era. But the show will present more than ...

  • Added: Aug 24, 2022
  • Length: 08:00
Caption: Maryann Sullivan, Credit: Emily Jane Davis
Maryanne Sullivan has teamed up with the Twin Cities Seven to perform some of the highlights of the swing era. Catch the Group at Crooner’s Supper ...

  • Added: Aug 24, 2022
  • Length: 08:00
Caption: Lady J Griot and the Root Doctors, Credit: Dennis Maddix
Lady J Griot and her Root Doctors not only play the blues, but tell of the connections with African religion, philosophy and folklore. When Lady J ...

  • Added: Aug 22, 2022
  • Length: 08:00
Caption: Lady J Griot and the Root Doctors, Credit: Dennis Maddix
Lady J Griot and her Root Doctors not only play the blues, but tell of the connections with African religion, philosophy and folklore. The group pe...

  • Added: Aug 22, 2022
  • Length: 08:00