Cultural Manifesto

Uncle Funkenstein, Zerfas, and Hamilton Movement may be unfamiliar names to most Hoosier music fans, but record collectors around the world pay thousands of dollars for these rare Indiana discs.  Listen to the top 10 most valuable Indiana LPs and 45 RPM singles of all time. Also, hear interviews with the musicians and record labels behind the music.

Listen to an interview with the experimental Indiana hip-hop group 81355. Also hear music from their new album Bad Dogs. 81355 was formed in 2021 as a trio, featuring Oreo Jones, Sirius Black and David Moose Adamson. Each member brought a rich and varied history to the project, leading some to label the band an Indianapolis super-group. Their debut album This Time I’ll Be of Use was issued that same year on 37d03d, a label founded by Justin Vernon of Bon Iver, and Aaron and Bryce Dessner of The National. The album received national attention, earning praise from Pitchfork, Consequence and Flood. Bad Dogs is the group’s second album and it finds the trio expanding into a full band, with Sharlene Birdsong on bass, Dimitri Morris on guitar, and Pat Okerson on drums.

Listen to an interview with the vocalist and lute player Joel Frederiksen. He’ll be performing in Indiana with the Ensemble Phoenix Munich on July 11th and 13th as part of the Indianapolis Early Music Festival. Joel Frederiksen is internationally recognized for his interpretations of early music. For over 30 years, Frederiksen has dedicated his career to reviving and reimagining this repertoire. He has collaborated with many of the world’s great early music artists, including Dame Emma Kirkby and Jordi Savall. Frederiksen has toured extensively throughout Europe, and North America. He’s also the founder and artistic director of Ensemble Phoenix Munich, a group acclaimed for its historically informed interpretations of early music But Frederiksen isn’t a strict traditionalist. In 2012, he gained notoriety for his album “Requiem for a Pink Moon: An Elizabethan Tribute to Nick Drake,” a project that blended the music of the British singer-songwriter Nick Drake, with the music from the English Renaissance. Du

Listen to new summer releases from essential Indiana musicians, along with interviews with them. Enjoy new tracks from Durand Jones & The Indications, Jlin, Wishy, Hanna Benn and Deantoni Parks, Los Aptos, Oltanie, Kristin Newborn, Dwani Phiri, Wife Patrol, and more.

includes animation, painting, sound design, and interactive installations. In her hometown Indianapolis, Jessica is perhaps best known for her work with Brain Twins, a creative studio she co-leads with Justin Shimp, specializing in animation and design. Jessica also teaches at the Herron School of Art + Design, where she’s an Associate Faculty member in Drawing and Illustration.  In recent years, Jessica has gained notoriety for her work in music, creating experimental electronic soundscapes under the name Eeeka. Along with Michael Moskaliuk, she’s also part of the minimal synth-pop duo Gümmi.

The Indiana Brothers are a Carnatic music duo from Central Indiana, featuring twin brothers Sarvagh Shrianandh and Suragh Shrianandh. Though they’re just 20 years old, the Indiana Brothers have been studying and performing Carnatic music for several years. The Indiana Brothers have performed frequently across the Midwest United States. The duo has also played dates on the West Coast and India. Carnatic music is a traditional form, of South Indian classical music characterized by intricate melodies, complex rhythmic patterns and devotional lyrics. Both Sarvagh and Suragh attend Purdue University. WFYI’s Kyle Long recently caught up with the brothers during a break from their studies.

For over 50 years, the Indiana Fiddlers’ Gathering has attracted old-time music fans to Battle Ground, Indiana, for a weekend of concerts, workshops and jam sessions. This week on Cultural Manifesto, listen to interviews with musicians and organizers connected to the festival, including Dave Samuelson, Cliff Harrison, and fiddle player Stephanie Coleman.  Coleman began performing at the Indiana Fiddlers’ Gathering as a child. Along with her musical partner Nora Brown, she’s one of the headliners at this year’s festival. You might have seen their recent performance for NPR’s Tiny Desk.  The Indiana Fiddlers’ Gathering began in 1972. Back then, it wasn’t a festival, just a loose circle of musicians and friends gathering under the trees at the Tippecanoe Battlefield, to share their love of old-time fiddle music. What began as a casual gathering of local fiddlers has grown into a nationally respected festival featuring a wide range of American roots music and international fiddle styles, including bluegrass,

This June, the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra will premiere a new work from the Indianapolis composer, vocalist and musician Hanna Benn. Benn’s piece is a double concerto for oboe and bassoon titled "A Through Line." Listen to an interview with Hanna Benn, along with ISO’s principal oboe Jennifer Christen and principal bassoon Ivy Ringel. Benn’s solo work defies classification, featuring intricate vocal layering with refined electronic production. She’s contributed to high profile projects across the modern music landscape. As a vocalist, she can be heard on Meshell Ndegeocello’s Grammy winning album "The Omnichord Real Book" and the Academy Award nominated soundtrack for "Everything Everywhere All at Once." As a composer, her work has been performed at Carnegie Hall.

Listen to a 2017 interview WFYI’s Kyle Long recorded with Brian Wilson, the visionary composer and producer behind the Beach Boys. He died on June 11, 2025, at the age of 82. The Beach Boys are one of the most critically acclaimed and commercially successful bands of all time, selling over 100 million records and charting 37 songs in the U.S. Top 40. Much of that success was due to Wilson’s visionary production style. which included unorthodox instrumentation, innovative recording techniques, and most notably the band’s iconic vocal harmonies. Those trademark vocal harmonies were directly inspired by the Indianapolis group The Four Freshmen. The Four Freshmen were formed on the campus of Butler University in 1948. Wilson credited the Four Freshmen as his main influence in crafting the Beach Boys’ sound. Wilson was such a big fan, he even recruited Four Freshmen arranger Dick Reynolds to work on several Beach Boys projects. During his conversation with WFYI, Wilson discussed his deep appreciation for The Fou

Listen to an interview with Fort Wayne, Indiana-based musician, composer, arranger and producer Nitish Kulkarni. His latest album Indigo blends traditional Indian music with contemporary electronic sounds.  Kulkarni began his musical journey as a tabla player, later expanding to keyboards and production. He released his debut album Synesthetic in 2015, and since then he’s released a steady stream of recordings. In addition to his solo work, Kulkarni has performed alongside legendary artists like Ustad Amjad Ali Khan and Shridhar Phadke.

Listen to an interview with the acclaimed Gary, Indiana composer and electronic music producer Jlin. Her music has been praised by Pitchfork, NPR, Vogue, Rolling Stone and The New York Times, and she’s collaborated with artists including Björk and Philip Glass.  Born Jerrilynn Patton in 1987, Jlin’s bold, genre-defying work has reshaped the landscape of experimental electronic music. Her rhythmically dense and emotionally intense style emerged from footwork, a high-speed dance music rooted in the underground music culture of Chicago. But Jlin’s sound evolved over time, becoming an unmistakably original voice that transcends categorization.  Jlin rose to prominence with her 2015 debut Dark Energy. The album was immediately hailed as a landmark in contemporary electronic music. Both The Quietus and The Wire named it Album of the Year, and Pitchfork included Dark Energy in its Top 20 Albums of 2015. Her follow-up album, Black Origami further solidified her status as a leading avant-garde composer. The album

Listen to an interview with the musician and activist Taylor Hall. May is Mental Health Awareness Month, so Hall chose the month of May to release her latest collection of songs, Cheaper Than Therapy. During her recent conversation with WFYI’s Kyle Long, Hall said she hopes the project will help to destigmatize mental health and provide her fans with a message of hope. Also hear a conversation with Jenny Boyts, CEO of Forty5, a locally owned Indianapolis production company specializing in live music events. Forty5 owns and operates local venues including The Vogue and Turntable, and produces live concert series like Rock the Ruins at Holiday Park. Boyts rose to prominence in Indianapolis through her work with Indy Pride, serving as Indy Pride’s board president for 4 years. Boyts says the relationships she created while building community with Indy Pride have informed her work with Forty5.

Celebrate Asian American and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander Heritage Month with music from musicians and composers connected to Indiana. Listen to pop, folk, electronic, classical, hip-hop, and psychedelic rock music featuring Indiana musicians representing Afghanistan, Vietnam, China, India, Myanmar and more.

Listen to an interview with historian Nicole Martinez-LeGrand, director of a new documentary titled Beyond el Barrio. The film focuses on the history of El Barrio, a small community of Mexican immigrants living on the Near Eastside of Indianapolis during the mid-20th Century. Also, hear an interview with musician Rick Espinoza. He grew up in El Barrio during the 1960s and performed Mexican music with the Indianapolis band Los Latinos.

Listen to an interview with the percussionist, composer and technologist Deantoni Parks, known for his genre-blending approach and boundary-pushing performances. Parks has collaborated with an extraordinary group of musicians, including Flying Lotus, Thundercat, Andre 3000, Mars Volta, Meshell Ndegeocello, John Cale, Sade and more. He’s also an accomplished composer, releasing critically acclaimed albums, under the name Technoself, and scoring films for directors including Paul Schrader and Mark Ruffalo. Parks was born and raised in Newnan, Georgia, but he’s spent the last few years living in Indianapolis.

Listen to an interview with legendary jazz saxophonist and composer Gary Bartz. Bartz has performed with Charles Mingus, Max Roach, Art Blakey, and McCoy Tyner. In 1970, Bartz joined Miles Davis' band, contributing to the seminal Live-Evil sessions. But its Bartz work as a bandleader during the 1970s that cemented his reputation as a jazz icon, from his recordings with the Mizell Brothers, to performances with his group Ntu Troop. A two-time Grammy Award winner, Bartz was recently named an NEA Jazz Master by the National Endowment for the Arts.

Listen to an interview with Kate Lamont and Devon Ashley. Kate Lamont is a versatile musician, singer, and songwriter known for her soulful voice and genre-blending approach to music. She rose to prominence in the early 2000s with MAB LAB—an experimental, Indianapolis-based band that explored jazz, rock, soul, and hip-hop. She was also a member of the folk ensemble Blueprintmusic. Kate launched her solo career in 2010 with the release of her album After the Rain. Her latest project is a remastered reissue of her self-titled 2013 album. That record was produced by prolific Indianapolis drummer Devon Ashley, best known for his work with The Last IV, The Lemonheads, The Pieces, and Simirit. Kate Lamont currently lives in Oakland, California—but she’ll be returning to Indianapolis on April 27 for a performance at the White Rabbit Cabaret. Also, listen to a new episode of Finding Etheridge with Mat Davis, an ongoing segment exploring the people and places connected to the Indianapolis poet Etheridge Knight. This

Listen to an interview with Todd Rundgren, a pioneering musician, songwriter, and producer known for his eclectic style and innovative approach to technology in music. Rising to fame in the late 1960s with the band Nazz, Rundgren gained widespread acclaim with his 1972 solo album Something/Anything? which included the hit singles “Hello It’s Me” and “I Saw the Light.” Rundgren is also a sought-after producer, working on landmark albums by the New York Dolls, Hall & Oates, XTC, Meatloaf, The Psychedelic Furs, and Patti Smith.  Rundgren has charted multiple Billboard hits and earned widespread critical acclaim. In 2021, he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Rundgren’s genre-defying work spans rock, pop, soul, and experimental electronic music. He’s been recognized as a visionary for his early adoption of music videos and interactive media. But his latest project looks into the past. Todd Rundgren will be performing music from the late songwriter Burt Bacharach in Indianapolis on April 18, a

Listen to an interview with Indianapolis-based saxophonist, bandleader, composer and educator Sean Imboden. He’s the director of the Sean Imboden Large Ensemble, a 17-piece modern jazz big band. The Sean Imboden Large Ensemble will be issuing their debut recording Communal Heart later this month, and the band will be hosting an album release party at The Jazz Kitchen, on April 26th.  Sean Imboden was born and raised in Central Indiana. Local music fans may know Imboden for his work with The Tucker Brothers band, but he’s performed with a wide variety of musicians, including Slide Hampton, Aretha Franklin, and the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra.

Listen to a conversation with the vocalist and actor Micky Dolenz, best known for his work with The Monkees. Dolenz will be performing in Central Indiana on April 25 at the Allied Solutions Center for the Performing Arts.   In 1966, during the height of Beatle-mania, The Monkees premiered on NBC. The show focused on the lives of a fictional California rock band, featuring Davy Jones, Peter Tork, Michael Nesmith and Micky Dolenz. The Monkees would quickly grow beyond their television roots, recording four chart-topping albums and three chart-toppings singles. Dolenz provided lead vocals for many of the group’s best-known songs, including "Pleasant Valley Sunday", "I'm a Believer”, and "Last Train to Clarksville”. Also hear an interview with jazz guitarist Charlie Ballantine, he’ll be performing at The Jazz Kitchen on April 9. Ballantine has built an impressive discography of releases, featuring a unique mix of indie music, Americana and straight jazz. His albums, including the 2021 release Reflections/Intr