Cultural Manifesto

Listen to an interview with Niladri Kumar, one of India’s most celebrated sitar players. Kyle Long talks with Kumar about his musical partnership with the late tabla virtuoso Zakir Hussain, his work in Bollywood film music, and the creation of the Zitar. Kumar will pay tribute to Zakir Hussain in concert on October 18 at the Allied Solutions Center for the Performing Arts in Central Indiana.

Host Kyle Long speaks with actor William Shatner about his connection to Indiana, his work in public radio, and the legacy of Star Trek, which celebrates its 60th anniversary this year. Plus Shatner’s new album with country star Brad Paisley and an upcoming heavy metal project featuring songs by Metallica and Ozzy Osbourne.

Celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month with words and music celebrating the Latin music pioneers of Northwest Indiana, including Juan Manuel Guerrero, Adela Dalto, Santos Candelaria, and Omar Apollo.

Listen to an interview with members of Clave Caribe, a Lafayette, Indiana band that has been performing Latin music for 20 years. Kyle Long talks with founder Tito Toro, vocalist Sandra Úsuga and percussionist Nolan Warden about the band’s history and its place in Lafayette’s music community.

Kyle Long previews Indy Jazz Fest with two dynamic drummers and percussionists. Sheila E. discusses her roots in jazz and Latin music, and the musical family that shaped her career. And Nikki Glaspie talks about the gospel, funk, punk and metal influences behind her drumming, her years touring with Beyoncé, and the lessons she’s learned from the legendary musicians like Maceo Parker, and Chaka Kha...

Indianapolis comedian, poet, author and victim advocate Claressa Patton, better known as Clara D, has made laughter an important part of her life and work. Patton talks with Kyle Long about her journey into comedy, her work as a victim advocate, and the role laughter has played in her own healing. She also discusses her book Healing in Pieces and her efforts to help others navigate grief and loss.

Kyle Long speaks with Colin Blunstone, vocalist for the legendary British rock band The Zombies. Blunstone discusses his acclaimed 1971 solo debut, One Year, and his new live recording, One Year and More (Live from Union Chapel). He also talks about the recently released Zombies documentary Hung Up on a Dream. [photo by Andrew Eccles]

This year marks the 30th anniversary of Secretly Canadian, the Bloomington, Indiana record label that grew from a small DIY operation into one of the largest and most respected independent music companies in the world. Secretly is celebrating with three nights of concerts in Bloomington featuring artists from across the label’s history and current roster. Kyle Long speaks with two of Secretly Cana...

On August 29, Chreece returns to Indianapolis, bringing more than 70 artists, DJs and producers to eight venues in the Fountain Square neighborhood. Founded in 2015 by Indianapolis rapper, producer and community organizer Oreo Jones, Chreece has become a major showcase for the city’s hip-hop culture. Listen to Kyle Long’s interview with Jones about this year’s event.

Listen to an interview with Indianapolis-based saxophonist, composer, bandleader, and educator Rob Dixon, one of the leading voices in the Midwest jazz scene. Dixon will discuss his new album “Naptown Soul” — a celebration of the city’s distinctive soul jazz tradition, featuring music by Wes Montgomery, alongside Dixon originals.

Winchester, Indiana’s Hawaiian Steel Guitar Festival brings together musicians from across generations and cultures, welcoming Native Hawaiian artists alongside performers from across the continental United States. Kyle Long visited the festival and spoke with some of this year’s performers including the Williams Twins, 96-year-old twin sisters who have been singing and playing guitar together at...

Cultural Manifesto can now be heard across Northwest Indiana. To celebrate the show’s arrival on 89.1, Kyle Long revisits his coverage of two of Northwest Indiana’s most critically acclaimed contemporary musicians, Omar Apollo from Hobart and Llin from Gary.

Kyle Long speaks with Herbie Hancock — one of the most celebrated artists in American music history. His groundbreaking career has earned him 14 Grammy Awards, an Academy Award, and recognition as an NEA Jazz Master. From his early work with Miles Davis to his genre-defying explorations of jazz, funk, and electronic music, Hancock has continually expanded the possibilities of musical expression. H...

Kyle Long speaks with Indianapolis pianist, composer and educator Becky Archibald. A native of Anderson, Indiana, Archibald has performed at Carnegie Hall, and her recordings have been featured on NPR's All Things Considered and All Songs Considered. NPR's Bob Boilen, creator of the Tiny Desk Concerts series, praised her work, saying, "Becky's music unfolds like I expect a good story to unfold." S...

For over 50 years, Winchester, Indiana, has been home to the Hawaiian Steel Guitar Festival, one of the world's longest-running celebrations of Hawaiian steel guitar music. Listen to Kyle Long's conversation with two of the organizers behind this year's festival, musicians Mark Prucha and Bill Wynne.

Kyle Long speaks with guitarist, singer, songwriter, and visual artist Steve Wariner, one of Indiana's most celebrated country music artists. Their wide-ranging conversation explores memories of Sammy Terry, Cowboy Bob, Arthur's Music in Fountain Square, the Beatles' appearance at the Indiana State Fair, seeing shows at Mockingbird Hill in Anderson, and more.

Kyle Long speaks with the internationally acclaimed pianist, composer, educator, and author Monika Herzig. Her latest album, Transparent, is one of the most personal projects of her career. Inspired by her journey supporting a transgender child, the album uses jazz as a vehicle for empathy, storytelling, and connection.

Indianapolis musicians Valerie Phelps and Kenny Phelps join host Kyle Long to discuss Valerie's debut album, Project 7. It features performances by Kenny Phelps and the couple's son, Dorian Phelps — two of the most respected drummers in the Indianapolis music scene. Their album release concert is July 10, 2026 at the Jazz Kitchen.

Look back on the life and music of Tom Hensley — an Indiana-born pianist whose remarkable career took him from Bloomington and Indianapolis to the biggest stages in music. As a session keyboardist, he played on Hall & Oates' hit "Rich Girl," along with recordings by John Lennon, Ringo Starr, Leonard Cohen, Cher, Lionel Richie, Diana Ross, and toured as pianist for Neil Diamond. Kyle Long spoke wit...

Hear an interview with the Indianapolis-based composer, performer, and multimedia artist Jordan Munson. His latest project, We Walk Beneath A Patient Sky, is a collaboration with Dance Kaleidoscope featuring choreography by Joshua Blake Carter. The work finds Munson expanding his sonic palette by incorporating elements of traditional Appalachian folk music.

Michael Cleveland is one of Indiana’s greatest living musicians and one of the most celebrated fiddlers in the history of bluegrass. Kyle Long speaks with Cleveland about his remarkable career and his lifelong connection to the Indiana Fiddlers’ Gathering.

Celebrate Pride by looking back at Kyle Long’s 2021 conversation with LGBTQ+ activist Mary Byrne. A key figure in Indiana’s gay rights movement, Byrne also played an important but lesser-known role in the state’s music history as a promoter and curator of women’s music. She owned and operated Labyris, a feminist and lesbian bar near downtown Indianapolis that became a vital gathering place for mus...

Before she found an audience as a musician, Lizz Vega built a following online live-streaming video games. Today, the self-taught musician and songwriter still streams live, but her broadcasts now feature performances on harp, guitar and vocals. Born and raised in Los Angeles, Vega currently lives in Marion, Indiana. Cultural Manifesto’s Kyle Long spoke with Vega to learn more about her work in mu...

Explore the remarkable life and music of Indiana songwriter Stoughton “Bruz” Fletcher, a groundbreaking artist whose work challenged conventions of gender and sexuality decades before the modern LGBTQ+ rights movement. Host Kyle Long will talk with author and researcher Tyler Alpern, whose book “Camped, Tramped and a Riotous Vamp” remains the definitive biography of Bruz Fletcher.

Hear words and music from Indianapolis-based singer, songwriter, and guitarist Naomi Pulver. She is building a growing audience for her finely crafted music, a sound that blends elements of pop, folk, and R&B with deeply personal songwriting. Raised in Colorado as the youngest of eight children in a multicultural household, Pulver began exploring questions of identity, family, and belonging at an...