Cultural Manifesto

Jude Noel is a music journalist and critic whose work has appeared in Pitchfork, The Fader, and Bandcamp Daily. In his recent Bandcamp feature, “Indy Is Next,” Jude shines a spotlight on Indianapolis’s growing independent music scene, tracing the city’s creative energy through its artists, venues, and DIY communities. He writes that Indianapolis’s “best artists braid genres and influences in bizarre yet satisfying ways, chasing creative whims rather than trends. Bands share members and ideas, generating sounds that feel out of time and tough to categorize.” WFYI’s Kyle Long recently spoke with Noel to learn more about his work as a music journalist.

Lee Fields is a legendary funk and soul singer whose powerful voice and remarkable career longevity have earned him comparisons to James Brown and Wilson Pickett. Born in North Carolina in 1951, Fields began recording in the late 1960s, cutting raw funk singles that later became prized by record collectors. After experimenting with electronic music and blues during the 1980s and early ’90s, Fields returned to deep funk and soul in the late ’90s—a sound he has remained faithful to ever since. Known for his electrifying live performances and deeply emotional delivery, Lee Fields stands as one of the last great soul artists still touring and recording at the height of his powers. Fields will be performing in Indianapolis on October 15.

Listen to an interview with Brazilian musicians Magary Lord, Juliana Ribeiro, Márcio Pereira, and Indianapolis’ Lasana Kazembe. They recently performed at Indy Jazz Fest as part of “Jazz Meets Samba : An Afro Brazilian Journey.” Magary Lord is a Brazilian singer-songwriter and percussionist from Salvador, Bahia, known for blending Afro-Brazilian rhythms with broader global influences.Magary Lord has performed internationally and won top honors in Salvador’s Carnaval and collaborated with artists including Seu Jorge.  Juliana Ribeiro is a Brazilian singer, composer and historian from Bahia whose work draws deeply from Afro-Brazilian musical traditions. Ribeiro has performed on major stages across Brazil, released critically-acclaimed albums like “Preta Brasileira.” Márcio Pereira is a guitarist, composer, arranger, and music professor from Salvador, Bahia. Trained both in his hometown and in New Orleans, Pereira developed a distinctive style that fuses Afro-Bahian rhythms with blues and jazz influences.

Listen to interviews with the cast, producers and musicians behind “Cabaret Latino - Songs of the Americas”, including Tom Alvarez, Eva Luna Espay, Eric Salazar, Pablo Gonzalez, Alexis Faviel and Dustin Klein. “Cabaret Latino” is a bilingual revue of songs celebrating the music of Latin America, from boleros to reggaeton. The show was created and directed by Tom Alvarez, a trailblazing figure in Indiana media and arts. His multifaceted career includes work in television, theatre, journalism, podcasting, and community arts advocacy. Born in Fort Wayne, Alvarez first made waves in the 1970s, when he became the first Latino broadcaster on Indianapolis television. In recent years, Alvarez has gained notoriety as a producer of musical theatre and cabaret.

Asher White is a multi-instrumentalist, producer, visual artist, and writer whose prolific creative practice began in her early teens. She started releasing music on Bandcamp at 14, and by her mid-20s, had self-released more than a dozen albums. Her pop vision marries disparate sounds—skittering noise with swooping strings, lively banjo with blasts of feedback—across genres including drone, folk, Tropicalia, noise rock, and chamber pop. Deeply informed by her trans identity, and Jewish spirituality, White’s work is both intimate and expansive. White’s 2024 album “Home Constellation Study” was praised by Pitchfork for its “imagination, complexity, and feeling.” Her sixteenth LP “8 Tips for Full Catastrophe Living“ was released in 2025 by the Indianapolis label Joyful Noise Recordings. White will perform at State Street Pub on October 1. 

Celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month by listening to Kyle Long’s 2024 interview with Omar Apollo. Born in Hobart, Indiana in 1997, Apollo is a Grammy-nominated Mexican-American singer-songwriter whose music blends R&B, pop, funk, and Latin influences. His 2022 debut album “Ivory” earned widespread critical praise, landing him on the Billboard 200, and securing a nomination for Best New Artist at the 65th Grammy Awards. In his wide-ranging interview for Cultural Manifesto, Apollo reflected on his roots in Indiana and the pressures he faced growing up gay and Latino in the Midwest.

Pahua is the musical project of Mexico City–based producer, singer, and DJ Paulina Sotomayor, known for weaving electronic beats with Latin American folk traditions. Pahua will be giving a free performance on September 20 for West Lafayette, Indiana’s Global Fest. Pahau rose to prominence in 2015 with Sotomayor, an electronic music duo featuring her brother Raul. She launched her solo career in 2020, quickly gaining attention for her ability to blend hip hop and house, with traditional sounds from Mexico, Bolivia, Argentina and Colombia. Pahua has carved out a unique space in the international electronic music scene, earning festival appearances and collaborations across Latin America and beyond.

Gonzalo Rubalcaba is a Grammy-winning Cuban pianist and composer celebrated as one of the most innovative voices in modern jazz. He’ll be performing at Indy Jazz Fest on September 19. Born in Havana in 1963 to a musical family, Rubalcaba was classically trained before emerging as a prodigy of the city’s vibrant jazz scene. His virtuosic technique quickly drew international attention, leading to collaborations with legends like Dizzy Gillespie, Charlie Haden, and Herbie Hancock. In his conversation with WFYI’s Kyle Long, Rubalcaba discusses his connection to Dizzy Gillespie and his latest album, “A Tribute to Benny Moré and Nat King Cole.”

The guitarist and vocalist Roger McGuinn is among the most critically acclaimed and influential American musicians. He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1991 and in 2023 he was named one of the “250 Greatest Guitarist” by Rolling Stone magazine.   McGuinn is a co-founder of The Byrds and he’s often associated with the West Coast rock scene of the 1960s. But McGuinn is a native of the Midwest and he grew up immersed in the vibrant folk music scene of Chicago during the 1950s. McGuinn began his career recording and performing with folk groups like The Limelighters and Chad Mitchell Trio.  McGuinn rose to national prominence in 1964 when he co-founded The Byrds with David Crosby and Gene Clark. McGuinn’s 12 string Rickenbacker guitar was a defining element of the group’s sound. The Byrds’ 1965 version of Bob Dylan’s “Mr. Tambourine Man” hit #1 on the American charts. That same year, their recording of Pete Seeger’s “Turn, Turn, Turn” also hit #1, ushering in the folk-rock movement of the mi

Brandee Younger is a groundbreaking harpist who has redefined the instrument’s place in contemporary music. Younger will perform at Indy Jazz Fest on September 17.  A classically trained musician, Younger has cultivated a unique sound that fuses her classical training with elements of jazz, R&B, and hip-hop. Younger has collaborated with a wide range of artists including Pharoah Sanders, Ravi Coltrane, Common, John Legend, Kanye West, Meshell Ndegeocello and many others. In 2021, Younger released “Somewhere Different” on the historic Impulse! label, earning a Grammy nomination for Best Instrumental Composition — the first Black woman ever recognized in that category. Her 2023 album “Brand New Life” celebrated the legacy of harp pioneer Dorothy Ashby and won the 2024 NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Jazz Album. Throughout her career, Younger has worked to promote and celebrate the work of jazz musician Alice Coltrane and on her new album “Gadabout Season” Younger is performing on Coltrane’s harp. Li

Listen to a conversation with Durand Jones, Aaron Frazer and Blake Rhein of the soul band Durand Jones and The Indications. They joined WFYI’s Kyle Long for an in-depth discussion of their roots in Bloomington, Indiana and how projects including the IU Soul Revue and Charlie Patton’s War brought the band together. The Indications’ latest album is titled “Flowers”, and they’ll be performing in Indianapolis on September 30 at the Hi-Fi Annex.  Durand Jones and the Indications formed in Bloomington in 2012, while its members were studying at Indiana University. The band’s sound was built around a mutual love for classic soul, funk and R&B. Their reputation spread beyond Bloomington in 2016, when Ohio’s Colemine Records issued their debut album. The Indication’s second album “American Love Call” was issued in 2019 and praised by critics for its lush arrangements and socially conscious lyrics, earning comparisons to The Impressions and The Delfonics. Two years later, their album “Private Space” debuted in th

Listen to an interview with Oltanie, a Haitian-American vocalist based in Indianapolis. Her music featured a dynamic fusion of Caribbean and Afro-pop sounds. Also hear a conversation with the Indianapolis keyboardist and bandleader Rodney Stepp, best known for his work with The Spinners. During the late 1970s, Stepp left The Spinners to form Rapture, a legendary Indianapolis funk band. A new compilation of Rapture’s music was released earlier this year by Now Again Records.

Over the last few years, rapper 4200Kory has emerged as one of the most compelling artistic voices in the Indianapolis hip-hop scene. His name, 4200Kory, is an homage to the Indianapolis neighborhood where he grew up, 42 and Post Road. The music of 4200Kory channels the spirit of golden age ‘90s hip-hop with poetic lyrics, chronicling his life and experiences in Naptown. His debut album “Cobra Son” is a mediation on his early family life. 4200 Kory is the oldest of seven children and he crafted the album as a tribute to his mother and late father.  Listen to an interview with 4200Kory, as he shares the inspiration behind “Cobra Son”. He will also discuss his upcoming performance at Chreece, an all-day hip-hop festival happening in the Fountain Square neighborhood.

Rapper Jessica Garrett is better known to Indianapolis music fans as Joosi Got Bars. She was born and raised on the west side of Indianapolis. Joosi has been recording and releasing music for over a decade. She’s performed at events like Indy Black Expo and venues including The Vogue and The HI-FI. Joosi recently launched a clothing brand called PLUSH (Pushing Limits Until Something Happens.) On August 23, Joosi will be performing at Chreece, an all-day hip-hop festival held in the Fountain Square neighborhood.

Comedian Lucas Waterfill is a rising star in the Indianapolis comedy scene. His work mixes autobiographical storytelling with sharp social commentary. Waterfill was born with cerebral palsy and he uses his experiences navigating the world with a disability as a springboard for his comedy.  Waterfill’s latest project “Up All the Nights” is a play, co-written with Blake Mellencamp. “Up All the Nights” will be premiering this month at Indy Fringe. The play is described as a “hilarious look at navigating life with a disability. ‘Up All the Nights’ translates Waterfill’s experiences to the stage, showing life in a world that’s not designed with you in mind and emphasizing the importance of building community within a harsh political climate.” “Up All the Nights” will be staged daily at Indy Fringe from August 16-24. Listen to an interview with Waterfill and Mellencamp as they discuss the inspiration behind “Up All the Nights.”

The Indianapolis band Wife Patrol has gained national attention for their punk, metal, and pop-influenced sound. Outlets including Vice, Bandcamp, and Afropunk have praised the group’s music. Wife Patrol’s latest album is titled NOPLACE. The music explores themes of decline and desolation in Indianapolis. WFYI’s Kyle Long recently spoke with Wife Patrol to learn more.

Everything, Now! emerged from Indiana’s underground rock music scene in the early 2000s. Formed in Muncie in 2003, they gained notoriety for their chaotic sound and unpredictable live shows. Fronted by the guitarist, vocalist and songwriter Jon Rogers, Everything, Now! has released 7 albums and attracted a loyal base of supporters. The band recently visited WFYI to record a live set for Small Studio Sessions, and they spoke with Kyle Long after their performance.

In the summer of 1928, the Vocalion Record Company visited Indianapolis in search of the city’s best musical talent. The label’s trip to Indianapolis was a success, Vocalion discovered and recorded several early stars of Indianapolis country, blues, jazz, and pop music — including blues legends Leroy Carr and Scrapper Blackwell, Black country music pioneers Lulu Jackson and James Cole, and more. This week on Cultural Manifesto we’ll listen to Vocalion’s historic Indianapolis recordings.

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.