Cultural Manifesto

Many years ago, Kyle Long purchased a mysterious hand-labeled reel-to-reel tape at an Indianapolis garage sale. This tape contained the only known recordings of the 1961 Indiana Jazz Festival, in Evansville, Indiana. The event featured performances from Duke Ellington, Dave Brubeck, The Staple Singers, and many others. This week, the music will be heard publicly for the first time in 60 years.

Kyle Long talks with activist Mary Byrne. You may have heard of her work advocating for the LGBTQ+ community in Indiana, but Byrne also had a significant role in Hoosier music history. From 1978 to 1984, Byrne was the owner of Labyris, a feminist nightclub and music venue that hosted some of the biggest names in women’s music. She also served as the director of the National Women’s Music Festival.

Explore the music of the Hoosier songwriter J. Russel Robinson, an important figure in early jazz and blues music. Robinson was born in Indianapolis, and began composing hit songs while he was still a student at Shortridge High School. Some of the biggest stars in American music recorded Robinson’s songs, including Louis Armstrong, Duke Ellington, Bessie Smith, Judy Garland, Ray Charles, and more.

Pavel Polanco-Safadit and Leah Crane of the Indianapolis-based Latin jazz band Pavel and Direct Contact discuss their new album “Dia Bonito." Then, Brooklyn-based activist and musician Sonny Singh shares the latest single from his solo project, as well as some tracks that have influenced his work in music.

Meet Idris Busari, a Nigerian-born musician living in Goshen, Indiana who creates music under the name Omogo Reloaded. Kyle Long samples some of his music and talks with Idris about his work with Radio Horizonte, a bilingual radio station based in northern Indiana. Plus, Wendy Catalán Ruano shares her work as an immigrant rights activist with the Indiana Undocumented Youth Alliance and Cosecha.

Part two of our series exploring the history of Software, an all-female Indianapolis synth-rock band Software, featuring the band's co-founder Lē Weaver. Software was active in Central Indiana from 1983 to 1986, and recorded two full length cassettes. The music of Software incorporated influences from electronic music, folk, progressive rock, and punk.

Kyle Long presents part one of a two-part series with Lē Weaver, a founding member of the all-female Indianapolis synth-rock band Software. Software was active in Central Indiana from 1983 to 1986, and recorded two full length cassettes. The music of Software incorporated influences from electronic music, folk, progressive rock, and punk.

This week, Indianapolis-based visual artist Samuel E Vázquez discusses his electronic music project Errors and Lovers, and Congressman André Carson shares how his early years as an activist and rapper in Indianapolis shaped the work he does now in Washington D.C.

Explore the debut album from 81355, an Indianapolis hip-hop supergroup featuring Oreo Jones, Sirius Black, and David “Moose” Adamson. The album is titled “This Time I'll Be of Use” and it features eight extraordinary tracks that combine surrealistic lyrical imagery, with adventurous electronic soundscapes. Plus, Karla Lopez talks with poet and LGBTQ+ activist Sylvia Thomas.

Marcus Jade is not your typical blues artist. Though his music draws from the classic delta blues of the 1930s, Jade’s songs speak about important present-day issues like gentrification, police brutality, and the economic crisis brought on by the Coronavirus. Jade is currently based in Brooklyn, New York - but his music is deeply rooted in the Westside Indianapolis neighborhoods where he grew up.

Indiana has an extraordinary legacy of soul music. This week we'll hear from two Indianapolis-based R&B artists that have new projects out: Keiana Whatley, and Taylor Hall.  We'll also have another edition of Rebel Music with Karla Lopez featuring Katherin Chi, an organizer with the National Asian Pacific American Women’s Forum.

Indianapolis is not known as a hotbed for techno music - but the city has produced several noteworthy techno producers and DJs. This week, Kyle listen back on interviews with three prominent figures in the Indy techno music scene: Drake Strange, Adam Jay, and Lisa Smith, who works under the name Noncompliant. Plus, the legendary Indy funk musician Reggie Griffin and artist  Angelica Frausto.

Kyle Long speaks with visual artist Lobyn Hamilton about his latest work titled "One Nation Under A Groove Box Set," a 46 x 8 foot installation  inspired by the classic 1978 Funkadelic song and album. Then, entrepreneur Tom Battista shares stories from his time touring with Parliament-Funkadelic as a stage technician, and working many of the group's iconic stage props.

Singer-songwriter Emily Rodgers' music has been compared to Cat Power, Mazzy Star, and Neil Young. This week, we'll listen to tracks off Emily’s new album “I Will Be Gone,” and discuss her time growing up in Elkhart, Indiana. Plus, Karla Lopez will return with another edition of Rebel Music, featuring Claudia Montes Salinas, a co-founder of the Latino Youth Collective.

Kyle's guest is drummer Ian Chang of Son Lux. The two preview tracks off the new Son Lux album Tomorrows III, and discuss Chang’s work outside of Son Lux with artists including Moses Sumney. Plus, Karla Lopez will return with another edition of Rebel Music featuring Kyra Harvey, co-founder of Indy 10 Black Lives Matter.

Kyle Long explores extraordinary vocal music from Indianapolis’ past and present, including new music from the Indianapolis based composer Hanna Benn and a look back at the music of the Four Freshmen, an innovative vocal ensemble  formed on the campus of Butler University. Plus, Karla Lopez speaks with voting rights advocate Cynthia Morraz.

Kyle Long continues exploring the rich history of Asian, African and Latin music traditions in Indiana, with music from Salaam, Santos Candelaria, Prince Julius Adeniyi, and Pavel & Direct Contact. Plus, another edition of Rebel Music with Karla Lopez featuring Dana Black, a prominent voice in Indiana politics.

Kyle Long revisits his interviews with three Indiana artists who’ve brought the sounds of Africa, Latin America and Asia to Indiana audiences: electronic music producer Sutiweyu Sandoval, the African music DJ Stephan Vohito, and Teacher Ka, the founder of the Indianapolis Chinese Orchestra. Plus, Karla Lopez speaks with Lupe Pimentel of the Indiana Undocumented Youth Alliance.

Indianapolis based emcee Skypp has a new album out titled King of Indiana. He joins Kyle Long to discuss his time in the Indianapolis hip-hop scene, and how he’s using his music to address the legacy of systemic racism in Indiana.

Kyle Long celebrates Women’s History Month by paying tribute to the legendary country music women of Indiana. Explore music from some of the nationally known stars of Indiana country music, as well as lesser known local recordings from across the Hoosier state.