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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62 Pieces

Minneapolis High School Students, with the help of a team of educators and poets, were encouraged to write poetry. The poems created by the students are in some cases hard-hitting, and in others, cute.

  • From: KBEM
  • Updated: Jan 13, 2014
Caption: Susan Spongberg, Credit: Frank T. Heffelfinger III
9 Pieces

Minnesota Creates is curious about how creativity occurs, so Susan Spongberg asked an assortment of Minnesota artists how do you choreography a dance? Where do your novel’s characters come from? How do you decide what to paint?

  • From: KBEM
  • Updated: Jan 14, 2014
Caption: Minnesota Jazz Legends: The Elders, Credit: Jim Davis
7 Pieces

Minnesota has many wonderful jazz musicians, still playing well into their 80's. Minnesota Jazz Legends: The Elders, features live and in studio performances and interviews, talking about their careers in the Twin Cities from early on to present.

  • From: KBEM
  • Updated: Nov 11, 2021
Caption: Jazz 88 FM, Credit: http://www.jazz88fm.com
15 Pieces

Minnesota Music Moment is a weekly feature of KBEM FM 88.5, each week highlighting a different Minnesota musician.

  • From: KBEM
  • Updated: Feb 25, 2011
Caption: KBEM logo, Credit: Tim Nyberg (Octane Creative)
428 Pieces

Each item in the series tells how a musicians is inspired, how s/he works, their goals and intents for their work; in general, how each gets motivation and follows through with a creative project.

  • From: KBEM
  • Updated: Oct 09, 2015
Caption: Arne Fogel, Credit: John Whiting
65 Pieces

Minnesota Voices-Certain Standards Minnesota Vocalists perform new renditions of the Great American Songbook. Arne Fogel-Host

  • From: KBEM
  • Updated: Oct 31, 2012
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2 Pieces

In a world and time of differences, music has the power to bring us together, to unite us through a shared experience. Music knows no boundaries. It transcends that which keeps us apart. Join Jazz88 for an evening of discovery with Music Without Borders.

  • From: KBEM
  • Updated: Sep 04, 2019
Caption: Bobb Fantauzzo performing with Lyz Jaakola, Credit: Andrea Canter
18 Pieces

Native flute player Bobb Fantauzzo illuminates the contributions made by jazz musicians with Native American heritage.

  • From: KBEM
  • Updated: Apr 19, 2016
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4 Pieces

Butch Thompson's Piano Bench Show looks at the piano stylings of the early performers of jazz.

  • From: KBEM
  • Updated: Jul 14, 2011
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0 Pieces

Perspectives relating to Minnesota culture, history and the arts contributed by Minneapolis high school students.

  • From: KBEM
  • Updated: Apr 04, 2010

Latest Pieces

Caption: Larry McDonough and Joel Shapira, Credit: Andrea Canter and Emily Jane Davis
Pianist Larry McDonough and guitarist Joel Shapira are specialize in interpreting the piano and guitar duet from decades back, Bill Evans and Jim H...

  • Added: Nov 08, 2018
  • Length: 08:00
Caption: American Roots Review poster, Credit: Raquel Mendez
Larry Long has an extensive career using songs to promote his vision of a better world. On Nov 10, Larry and a group of other musical luminaries fr...

  • Added: Oct 30, 2018
  • Length: 08:00
Caption: David Harland, Credit: Joanna Gail
David Harland performs and composes finger-style guitar music. David’s style today is the result of a gradual evolution. He talked about it with Ph...

  • Added: Oct 29, 2018
  • Length: 08:00
Caption: David Harland, Credit: Joanna Gail
David Harland performs and composes finger-style guitar music. His next show is at the Aster Café in Minneapolis, Thursday November 8 from 8 till 1...

  • Added: Oct 29, 2018
  • Length: 08:00
Caption: Nathan Hanson, Credit: Benny Moreno
Nathan Hanson is a saxophonist with international credits who is based in Saint Paul, MN. , in 2006, not long after returning to Minnesota after 8 ...

  • Added: Oct 25, 2018
  • Length: 12:40
Caption: Siama holding mbira, Credit: Dallas Johnson
Siama is a Congolese singer and player guy who has been living in the United States for decades. He’s played many styles but in recent years, he ha...

Bought by KFAI Minneapolis


  • Added: Oct 25, 2018
  • Length: 08:00
  • Purchases: 1
Caption: Jazz 88 logo, Credit: Tim Nyberg (Octane Creative)
The Selby Avenue Big Band. The group is out of St Paul, MN. Members of the band support each other’s musical expertise and preferences, and as a re...

  • Added: Oct 18, 2018
  • Length: 08:00
Caption: Kat Perkins, Credit: Vaney Poyey
Kat Perkins. She’s a small-town kid from a musical family who started writes and sings rock music. The trail led through the television show The Vo...

  • Added: Oct 18, 2018
  • Length: 08:00
Caption: Kat Perkins, Credit: Vaney Poyey
Kat Perkins. She’s a small-town kid from a musical family who writes and sings rock music. Kat’s musical trail led her through the television show ...

  • Added: Oct 18, 2018
  • Length: 08:00
Caption: Zeitgeist, Credit: Andrea Canter
Zeitgeist new Music Theater presents a Festival of scary music and narration Composed in Honor of Halloween. “Things That Go Bump in the Night” is ...

  • Added: Oct 17, 2018
  • Length: 08:00