Leigh Kamman
Encyclopedia
Leigh Kamman is an American
radio host who has focused bringing jazz
music to the airwaves for his career, which spans more than six decades. Kamman began his career in the Twin Cities area of Minnesota
, but spent time in other places such as at WOV
radio in New York City
. On September 29, 2007, he hosted his last edition of The Jazz Image on Minnesota Public Radio
, which he has run since 1973. Upon his retirement, he told listeners, "I really want to take time now for some projects that have been waiting, including a book I've long wished to write." Kamman has been honored numerous times for his contributions to the region and the promotion of "the only original American
art form."
He became intrigued with jazz in the early 1930s when he was just 12 years old, doing odd jobs at resorts in central Minnesota
. His parents and their friends would get together to listen to 78 rpm discs, and Leigh began to appreciate the music. By the end of his teenage years, Kamman was fully in love with the art form. He worked for his school newspaper and found a way to meet Duke Ellington
at a train station
in Saint Paul
when he was just 17 years old.
Kamman's first jazz broadcast occurred in 1940 from WMIN
radio where he had been working as a custodian. He moved to WEBC
in Duluth, Minnesota
in 1942, but didn't really become comfortable with the medium of radio until he found work with the U.S. Army during World War II
, broadcasting from KOA
in Denver, Colorado
with shows that were carried on Armed Forces Radio. Pleased with the impact his broadcasts had on the morale of soldiers, he committed himself to continuing in the field of radio.
He returned to the Twin Cities following the war, coming to work at WLOL. However, he went on to New York in 1950, where he interviewed some of the biggest names in jazz from the Apollo Theater
. Kamman returned to WLOL in 1956 and went on to work at KSTP 1500 AM for many years until moving on to MPR. On Sundays, the KSTP shows would link up with other NBC
stations around the country, to share the music that was being played in different communities.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
radio host who has focused bringing jazz
Jazz
Jazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...
music to the airwaves for his career, which spans more than six decades. Kamman began his career in the Twin Cities area of Minnesota
Minnesota
Minnesota is a U.S. state located in the Midwestern United States. The twelfth largest state of the U.S., it is the twenty-first most populous, with 5.3 million residents. Minnesota was carved out of the eastern half of the Minnesota Territory and admitted to the Union as the thirty-second state...
, but spent time in other places such as at WOV
WOR (AM)
WOR is a class A , AM radio station located in New York, New York, U.S., operating on 710 kHz. The station has a talk format and has been owned by Buckley Broadcasting since 1987, after the station was sold by RKO. The station has conservative, or right-of-center hosts.Its call letters have no...
radio in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
. On September 29, 2007, he hosted his last edition of The Jazz Image on Minnesota Public Radio
Minnesota Public Radio
Minnesota Public Radio , is the flagship National Public Radio member network for the state of Minnesota. With its three services, News & Information, Classical Music and The Current, MPR operates a 42-station regional radio network in the upper Midwest serving over 8 million people...
, which he has run since 1973. Upon his retirement, he told listeners, "I really want to take time now for some projects that have been waiting, including a book I've long wished to write." Kamman has been honored numerous times for his contributions to the region and the promotion of "the only original American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
art form."
He became intrigued with jazz in the early 1930s when he was just 12 years old, doing odd jobs at resorts in central Minnesota
Minnesota
Minnesota is a U.S. state located in the Midwestern United States. The twelfth largest state of the U.S., it is the twenty-first most populous, with 5.3 million residents. Minnesota was carved out of the eastern half of the Minnesota Territory and admitted to the Union as the thirty-second state...
. His parents and their friends would get together to listen to 78 rpm discs, and Leigh began to appreciate the music. By the end of his teenage years, Kamman was fully in love with the art form. He worked for his school newspaper and found a way to meet Duke Ellington
Duke Ellington
Edward Kennedy "Duke" Ellington was an American composer, pianist, and big band leader. Ellington wrote over 1,000 compositions...
at a train station
Train station
A train station, also called a railroad station or railway station and often shortened to just station,"Station" is commonly understood to mean "train station" unless otherwise qualified. This is evident from dictionary entries e.g...
in Saint Paul
Saint Paul, Minnesota
Saint Paul is the capital and second-most populous city of the U.S. state of Minnesota. The city lies mostly on the east bank of the Mississippi River in the area surrounding its point of confluence with the Minnesota River, and adjoins Minneapolis, the state's largest city...
when he was just 17 years old.
Kamman's first jazz broadcast occurred in 1940 from WMIN
KMNV
KMNV is a radio station in the Twin Cities area of Minnesota that airs a Spanish-language music and entertainment format.-History:The station began as WMIN in the summer of 1936, when Saint Paul furniture retailer Edward Hoffman began broadcasting at 1370 kHz...
radio where he had been working as a custodian. He moved to WEBC
WEBC
WEBC is a radio station located in Duluth, Minnesota, airing programming from ESPN Radio is owned by Townsquare Media.The studios and offices are with its three other sister stations at 14 E. Central Entrance, on the west side of Duluth....
in Duluth, Minnesota
Duluth, Minnesota
Duluth is a port city in the U.S. state of Minnesota and is the county seat of Saint Louis County. The fourth largest city in Minnesota, Duluth had a total population of 86,265 in the 2010 census. Duluth is also the second largest city that is located on Lake Superior after Thunder Bay, Ontario,...
in 1942, but didn't really become comfortable with the medium of radio until he found work with the U.S. Army during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, broadcasting from KOA
KOA (AM)
KOA is a clear channel, news/talk radio station serving the Denver-Boulder and Colorado Springs, Colorado markets. It is owned by Clear Channel Communications and is nicknamed "the Blowtorch of the West" for its 50,000 watt signal.KOA was originally owned by General Electric and began...
in Denver, Colorado
Denver, Colorado
The City and County of Denver is the capital and the most populous city of the U.S. state of Colorado. Denver is a consolidated city-county, located in the South Platte River Valley on the western edge of the High Plains just east of the Front Range of the Rocky Mountains...
with shows that were carried on Armed Forces Radio. Pleased with the impact his broadcasts had on the morale of soldiers, he committed himself to continuing in the field of radio.
He returned to the Twin Cities following the war, coming to work at WLOL. However, he went on to New York in 1950, where he interviewed some of the biggest names in jazz from the Apollo Theater
Apollo Theater
The Apollo Theater in New York City is one of the most famous, and older, music halls in the United States, and the most famous club associated almost exclusively with Black performers...
. Kamman returned to WLOL in 1956 and went on to work at KSTP 1500 AM for many years until moving on to MPR. On Sundays, the KSTP shows would link up with other NBC
NBC
The National Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices near Los Angeles and in Chicago...
stations around the country, to share the music that was being played in different communities.