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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785 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: Mila, Credit: Larry Morisette
Members of the Mila Vocal Ensemble have been singing together for over 40 Years. Today, Mila is a group of nine women who travel to eastern Europe ...

  • Added: Jul 24, 2023
  • Length: 08:00
Caption: Ticket to Brasil, Credit: Andrea Canter
Like all Bossa Nova groups, Ticket to Brasil builds on the musical legacy of Antonio Carlos Jobim. But until now, the group has never devoted an en...

  • Added: Jul 14, 2023
  • Length: 08:00
Caption: Ticket to Brasil, Credit: Andrea Canter
Ticket to Brasil Honors Bossa Nova Great Antonio Carlos Jobin in Big Show at Crooners on Sunday July 23 Like all Bossa Nova groups, Ticket to Bras...

  • Added: Jul 14, 2023
  • Length: 08:00
Caption: Leslie Vincent, Credit: Michelle Bennett
Leslie Vincent’s New CD is filled with unexpected new songs and reimagined old songs. The project is called About Last Night and Leslie will be sin...

  • Added: Jul 05, 2023
  • Length: 08:00
Caption: Leslie Vincent, Credit: Michelle Bennett
Leslie Vincent’s New CD is filled with unexpected new songs and reimagined old songs. The project is called About Last Night and Leslie will be sin...

  • Added: Jul 05, 2023
  • Length: 08:00
Caption: Phantom Cries album cover, Credit: Kashimana Ahua
As a grant-supported Cedar Commissions artist, Kashimana created a set of songs about becoming a mother. The songs are now on CD, called Phantom Cr...

  • Added: Jul 05, 2023
  • Length: 08:00
Caption: Phantom Cries album cover, Credit: Kashimana Ahua
As a grant-supported Cedar Commissions artist, Kashimana created a set of songs about becoming a mother. The songs are now on CD, called Phantom Cr...

  • Added: Jul 05, 2023
  • Length: 08:00
Caption: jazz88 logo 2022, Credit: Tim Nyberg (Octane Creative)
Eli Hoehn is the force driving the Minnesota Original Music Festival, which takes place in Saint Peter Wednesday July 19 through Sunday July 23. Th...

  • Added: Jul 04, 2023
  • Length: 08:00
Caption: Minn Jazz Legends 2023, Credit: Andrea Canter
Join Patty Peterson as she honors some of our most notable jazz musicians. This broadcast of Minnesota Jazz Legends was recorded live at The Minnes...

  • Added: Jun 30, 2023
  • Length: 58:29
Caption: Maud Hixson, Credit: Olivia Wilcox
Maud Hixson is known for her shows which highlight some of our greatest music icons. Coming up this Saturday, July 1, Maud is singing songs of Henr...

  • Added: Jun 19, 2023
  • Length: 08:00