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)
424 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: Mother Banjo, Credit: Anna Kostochko
Mother Banjo’s new lp is actually a reissue of gospel lp, called The Devil Hasn’t Won. In a conversation with Phil Nusbaum, Mother Banjo, a.k.a. El...

  • Added: Dec 24, 2023
  • Length: 08:00
Caption: Mother Banjo, Credit: Anna Kostochko
Mother Banjo’s new lp is actually a reissue of gospel lp, called The Devil Hasn’t Won. Mother Banjo, a.k.a. Ellen Stanley performs at Icehouse in M...

  • Added: Dec 24, 2023
  • Length: 08:00
Caption: Tim Sparks CD Cover, Credit: by Manfred Pollert
The stylistic range of guitarist Tim Sparks is as broad as any, and he does it again on his new CD. The project is called Lost and Found, whose tit...

  • Added: Dec 23, 2023
  • Length: 08:00
Caption: Tim Sparks Cd Cover by Manfred Pollert, Credit: Manfred Pollert
The stylistic range of guitarist Tim Sparks is as broad as any, and he does it again on his new CD. The project is called Lost and Found, whose tit...

  • Added: Dec 23, 2023
  • Length: 08:00
Caption: Rat Pack New Year's Eve Art, Credit: Brian Pierce
The Rat Pack was what everybody called a bunch of show biz buddies who like to combine getting together for fun, with putting on a show. The core o...

  • Added: Dec 19, 2023
  • Length: 08:00
Caption: Kavey Kaviraj by Evin Rodriguez-Sosa, Credit: Evin Rodriguez-Sosa
Pianist Kavey Kaviraj composes music that combines the East Indian forms of his childhood with Jazz. When Kavey spoke with Phil Nusbaum about his m...

  • Added: Dec 19, 2023
  • Length: 08:00
Caption: Kavey Kaviraj by Erin Rodriguez-Sosa, Credit: Erin Rodriguez-Sosa
Pianist Kavey Kaviraj composes music that combines the East Indian forms of his childhood with Jazz. Kavy’s quintet presents some of Kavey’s catalo...

  • Added: Dec 19, 2023
  • Length: 08:00
Caption: Peter K Grivna Quartet, Credit: assemblage by David Graf
Peter Kogan plays with his own group, but also enjoys sitting in with other groups that share musical directions. One such group is the Brian Grivn...

  • Added: Dec 15, 2023
  • Length: 08:00
Caption: Peter K Grivna Quartet, Credit: assemblage by David Graf
Drummer Peter Kogan features a different group every third Thursday of the month at the Metronome Brewery in Saint Paul. This Thursday at 7, it’s t...

  • Added: Dec 15, 2023
  • Length: 08:00
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In 1968 trumpeter/composer Steve Wright graduated from the University of Iowa. He then began his professional career with the US Air Force Jazz Ass...

  • Added: Dec 14, 2023
  • Length: 06:42