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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786 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: Westwind Swing Band, Credit: Amy LeBeau
The West Wind Swing Band performs at the Centennial Lakes Pavilion Monday night Aug 27 from 7 till 8 PM. The group specializes in Artie Shaw arrang...

  • Added: Aug 22, 2018
  • Length: 08:00
Caption: Detroit Don King, Credit: Ron Householder
A few decades ago in his Detroit home, Don combined playing the blues with an auto parts business, but the business had trouble with crime. So Don ...

Bought by WOUB


  • Added: Aug 12, 2018
  • Length: 08:00
  • Purchases: 1
Caption: Detroit Don King, Credit: Ron Householder
He goes by Detroit Don King because that’s where he comes from. You can catch Don’s blues band at the Black Dog in St Paul, Friday Aug 24 at 7pm. A...

  • Added: Aug 12, 2018
  • Length: 08:00
Caption: Debbie Duncan, Credit: Nathan Yungerberg
Friday night, Debbie Duncan sings at Vieux Carre from 9 till midnight. Then on Sunday Aug 19, she does a completely different show at Crooners with...

  • Added: Aug 10, 2018
  • Length: 08:00
Caption: Jazz 88 logo, Credit: Tim Nyberg (Octane Creative)
Cory Healy is a local composer and drummer with a Great Melodic Sense whose jazz Mission is to Integrate Wide Influences into the style of his band...

  • Added: Aug 09, 2018
  • Length: 08:00
Caption: Jazz 88 logo, Credit: Tim Nyberg (Octane Creative)
Cory Healy is a local composer and drummer with a great melodic sense whose jazz Mission is to Integrate Wide Influences into Jazz. Catch Cory’s Be...

  • Added: Aug 09, 2018
  • Length: 08:00
Caption: Cassandra Cole, Credit: Drew Jonell
The Raw showcase takes place in 60 cities across the globe, each showcasing local artists including visual art, performance art and music. The down...

  • Added: Aug 08, 2018
  • Length: 08:00
Caption: Greg Herriges, Credit: Rebecca Goodwyn
Stella Roma was formed to create new music based on what are considered to be traditional sources. The group performs at Café 318 in Excelsior on S...

  • Added: Aug 03, 2018
  • Length: 08:00
Caption: Minnesota Mandolin Orchestra, Credit: Steve Rouch
The Minnesota Mandolin Orchestra builds on the legacy of the early mandolin orchestras from 100 years ago. The group plays some of that old music, ...

  • Added: Jul 31, 2018
  • Length: 08:00
Caption: Minnesota Mandolin Orchestra, Credit: Steve Rouch
The Minnesota Mandolin Orchestra builds on the legacy of the mandolin orchestras of 100 years ago. Listen to the group at at Como Lakeside Pavilion...

  • Added: Jul 31, 2018
  • Length: 08:00