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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792 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: Red Eye Ruby, Credit: Chloe Krenz
The Roots Rock band Red Eye Ruby has a new CD, the Ruby CD. Red Eye Ruby is led by Ruby Blue, who writes the songs. Ruby explained to Phil Nusbaum ...

  • Added: Jul 13, 2022
  • Length: 08:00
Caption: Red Eye Ruby, Credit: Chloe Krenz
The Roots Rock band Red Eye Ruby celebrates its new CD, the Ruby EP, at the Hook and ladder in Minneapolis, Friday night July 29. Red Eye Ruby is l...

  • Added: Jul 13, 2022
  • Length: 08:00
Caption: No Room For Squares, Credit: Ann Cirelli
No Room For Squares is a be-bop era tune originally released by iconic tenor saxophone Hank Mobley. And No Room For Squares is also the name of the...

  • Added: Jul 12, 2022
  • Length: 08:00
Caption: No Room For Squares, Credit: Ann Cirelli
No Room For Squares is a be-bop era tune originally released by iconic tenor saxophone Hank Mobley. And No Room For Squares is also the name of the...

  • Added: Jul 12, 2022
  • Length: 08:00
Caption: Minnesota Jazz Legends at Crooners Supper Club
Join Patty Peterson with this one hour radio documentary in honoring some of Minnesota's jazz pioneers: big band leader and educator, Dr. Steve Wr...

  • Added: Jun 29, 2022
  • Length: 57:30
Caption: Twelve Angry Women logo, Credit: Ian Walesch
Theater Latté Da and Crooner’s Supper Club in Fridley stage Twelve Angry Women, Thursday through Saturday July 7 through 9 at 8PM. 12 Angry Women ...

  • Added: Jun 29, 2022
  • Length: 07:59
Caption: Bad Posture Club, Credit: Nic Lafrance
Three String Bands that play with originality come to the Cedar Cultural Center in Minneapolis this Thursday at 7:30. The three are The Bad Posture...

  • Added: Jun 28, 2022
  • Length: 08:00
Caption: Courtney, Credit: Tera Girardin
Courtney Burton and Court’s In Session performs this and every Monday July 11 at the Chart house in Lakeville at 6:30. When Courtney and Phil Nusba...

  • Added: Jun 25, 2022
  • Length: 08:00
Caption: 2022 Crooner's Poster, Credit: Linda Koutsky
Pop Wagner and Charlie Maguire are folk singers inspired by Woody Guthrie, the prolific songwriter who chronicled the Great Depression and the Dust...

  • Added: Jun 24, 2022
  • Length: 08:00
Caption: Leslie Vincent, Credit: Jessica Holleque
When Leslie Vincent sings, it’s not only the song, but the audience. Leslie’s show centered on Amy Winehouse and Carole King is set for 7PM, Thursd...

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