Here are the top ten new releases from Jazz88! Vote for your five favorites below!   Society of Chemists – By Candlelight LA Buckner and BiG HOMiE – NORFSIDE Zaccai Curtis – Cuban Fantasy Okonski – Dusk Scott Agster – Minneapolis Horn Power Caili O’Doherty – Clip Joint Nnena Freelon – Dark and Lovely Nick...Read More

The budding local group Room3 finally has an album out and it’s been a joy to see how warmly Bill’s Garden been received in the Twin Cities scene! Today we are focusing on the third single from the album, “Don’t Forget to Breathe.” The tune features a vocal performance from the soul vocalist, Jada Lynn....Read More

Here are the top ten new releases from Jazz88! Vote for your five favorites below! LA Buckner and BiG HOMiE – NORFSIDE Ray Barnard – Pistol Pete Concurrence – Night Cap at Brown’s Dinner Club Artemis – The Smile of the Snake Mike Munson – Night Flying Birds James Brandon Lewis – Exactly, Our Music...Read More

In the throes of winter, I received a couple new tracks from the budding new Twin Cities group, Society of Chemists. One of the standout tracks was “By Candlelight,” a three-minute tune that captures a great spectrum of emotions. The not-so-secret weapon of Society of Chemists is the writing of their saxophonist Stephanie Wieseler. My...Read More

April 22nd marks the birthday of legendary bassist and composer Charles Mingus. Mingus had a larger-than-life personality. He was volatile and, as Nat Hentoff described him, protean. His music combined strains of blues and gospel, Ellington-inspired harmonies, and distinctive, tricky melodies, underpinned by Mingus’ aggressive virtuosic bass playing. Often, his music was imbued with an exciting...Read More

Michael Bland is a musical powerhouse who calls the Twin Cities home. He is best known for his tenure as the drummer for Prince, but he has been a part of so many great moments in Twin Cities music. This Saturday, Bland will be diving back into the music of Prince for a show titled...Read More

Here are the top ten new releases from Jazz88! Vote for your five favorites below!                   David Murray – Birdly Serenade feat. Ekep Nkwelle Scott Agster – Minneapolis Horn Power WDR Big Band – Slip and Slide Nnena Freelon – Dark and Lovely Abebi Stafford – Kinderglow...Read More

  Good Acoustics–the radio show for musical omnivores on KBEM Jazz88—has decided to start a regular showcase for the local artists we feature on our program. Come gather at MetroNOME Brewing in Lowertown St. Paul on Saturday, May 10th from 730-9pm, to hear some of the artists whose music we love. This month we’ll be...Read More

Keep it simple stupid! It is one of those pieces of advice that is so easy to say and so hard to follow but I feel that Ray Barnard really channels that ethos across his output. The man prioritizes a good groove and when he has something nice to sing into the microphone he does...Read More

Friends of the station Thomas and Alex Streitz are celebrating the launch of their new non-profit, The Minnesota Poets Collective. The group celebrates the art of poetry in all its forms and seeks to bring together diverse voices from all around the state of Minnesota. The father/son duo were nice enough to stop by the...Read More