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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776 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: Ancia Saxophone Quartet, Credit: Leslie Shank
The Ancia Saxophone Quartet showcases its new CD in upcoming performances. This Thursday, February 22, the show is at 12 noon, at Landmark Center i...

  • Added: Feb 16, 2024
  • Length: 08:00
Caption: Kathleen Johnson, Credit: John Botkin
Kathleen Johnson and members of the Historical Soul Tight Committee have long-term affection for Stevie Wonder. That feeling is the basis of the gr...

  • Added: Feb 13, 2024
  • Length: 07:57
Caption: Kathleen Johnson, Credit: John Botkin
Kathleen Johnson and members of the Historical Soul Tight Committee have long-term affection for Stevie Wonder. They are finally presenting an even...

  • Added: Feb 13, 2024
  • Length: 07:57
Caption: jazz88 logo 2022, Credit: Tim Nyberg (Octane Creative)
The Group is Traiveon and Candi, featuring Jackson Hurst and Mayyadda. The group’s music has a pop sound, but the songs deal with some serious pers...

  • Added: Feb 11, 2024
  • Length: 08:00
Caption: jazz88 logo 2022, Credit: Tim Nyberg (Octane Creative)
The Group is Traiveon and Candi, featuring Jackson Hurst and Mayyadda. The group’s music has a pop sound, but the songs deal with some serious pers...

  • Added: Feb 11, 2024
  • Length: 08:00
Caption: jazz88 logo 2022, Credit: Tim Nyberg (Octane Creative)
The February 17th – 18th weekend brings the annual battle of Jug Bands to 2 Minneapolis venues. Saturday February 17 from 3 till 7 at Palmer’s Bar ...

  • Added: Feb 08, 2024
  • Length: 08:00
Caption: Corky Siegel and Randy Sabien, Credit: Holly Siegel
Corky Siegel has been entertaining audiences with the blues for over half a century. For many of those years, Corky has performed with violinist an...

  • Added: Feb 01, 2024
  • Length: 08:00
Caption: Corky Siegel and Randy Sabien, Credit: Holly Siegel
Corky Siegel has been entertaining audiences with the blues for over half a century. For many of those years, Corky has performed with Saint Paul v...

  • Added: Feb 01, 2024
  • Length: 08:00
Caption: Robert Lehmann, Credit: Robert Lehmann
The annual Cedar Commissions show, funded by the Jerome Foundation, and staged next Friday and Saturday at the Cedar Cultural Center, presents bold...

  • Added: Jan 30, 2024
  • Length: 08:00
Caption: Billy McLaughlin, Michael Monroe and John McAndrew assemblage , Credit: Deb Monroe
Singer – songwriter Michael Monroe has sought a simple life, and that’s why he lived a long time in the area of Grand Marais, MN. His songs relate ...

  • Added: Jan 25, 2024
  • Length: 08:00