May 16, 1978 - MPR's arts reporter Nancy Fushan and Jazz Image host Leigh Kamman prepared this sound portrait of the Twin Cities jazz scene as it existed from the late 1920s to the 1950s, collecting stories on the musicians who played it and the people who listened to it.
May 17, 1978 - MPR's arts reporter Nancy Fushan and Jazz Image host Leigh Kamman prepared this sound portrait of the the post-1950s and contemporary jazz scene in the Twin Cities, collecting stories from musicians, educators, and club owners on an era of both creativity and strife.
May 27, 1992 - All Things Considered’s Gary Eichten chats with Frank Bencriscutto (aka Dr. Ben), University of Minnesota band leader, who is stepping down from his position after 30+ years. Bencriscutto describes the uniqueness and importance of concert bands.
November 27, 1993 - Midday presents a broadcast of Billy Taylor, jazz composer and educator, speaking to the Guy Stanton Ford Lecture at the University of Minnesota. Taylor talks of his roots in jazz and plays some examples of his influences. Speech is part of a celebration of Leigh Kamman’s 50 years in jazz radio, including 20 on MPR as host of The Jazz Image.
June 6, 2003 - In episode 10 of American Mavericks series, the evolution of the orchestra is explored. Program includes music segments of highlighted composers and interviews with various people in the classical music world, including Vivian Perlis, John Adams, Tan Dun, Michael Torke, Lou Harrison, Steve Reich, Steven Mackey, and David Del Tredici.
September 16, 2011 - The Twin Cities hip hop duo Villa Rosa stands out, as It features two emcees, Maria Isa and Muja Messiah, who both have established identities as solo artists. The male and female tandem share equally in songwriting duties, and that's something rare in rap. The pair talk with MPR’s Chris Roberts about their album "Blue Diamond Island."
May 23, 2012 - As part of Minnesota Mix series, MPR’s David Cazares reports on Malamanya, a Twin Cities band that plays traditional Cuban songs. Cazares interviews lead singer Adriana Rimpel and band leader Tony Schreiner.
December 27, 2017 - MPR News with Tom Weber presents a full program dedicated to James "Cornbread" Harris, Sr. Earlier in 2017, the 90-year-old rock 'n' roll pioneer (also known as Jimmy "Jam" Harris, Jr.'s dad) visited The Current's studios to record an in-studio session with Local Show host Andrea Swensson and MPR News host Tom Weber to kick off their Summer Music Series. Program includes song performances and sharing stories of his life and career.