Echoes of Indiana Avenue

It's Carnaval time in Brazil, and though there’s over five-thousand miles of land and ocean separating Indianapolis from Rio De Janeiro, the two cities have enjoyed a musical bond. Since the early days of recorded sound, musicians on Indiana Avenue have been engaged in a musical dialogue with musicians in Brazil, sharing in a mutual exchange of ideas and sound.

We continue our ongoing tribute to the rock & roll women of Indiana Avenue. Here in the Hoosier State, Indiana Avenue was ground zero for rock and roll music. Black women played an essential role in the development of rock and roll, but for many years their contributions were overlooked by music journalists and historians.

Celebrate the 25th anniversary Art & Soul, one of the longest running Black History Month events in Indianapolis, featuring performances by some of the greatest legends of the Indiana Avenue scene.

The final installment in a three part tribute to the Indianapolis trombone master J.J. Johnson. This edition explores Johnson's work in Hollywood during the 1970s.

Before Hoosier jazz great J.J. Johnson came onto the scene, the trombone was considered too slow-moving to keep up with bebop’s rapid-fire tempos. Johnson’s mastery of the instrument turned skeptics into believers. On part two of a three-part series, discover J.J.’s legendary contributions to bebop music.

Born in 1924, J.J. Johnson was one of the most important musicians to emerge from the Avenue scene. During his long career, Johnson collaborated with some of the top musicians in American music, including Miles Davis, Marvin Gaye, Billie Holliday, and many more. In part one of a three-part series, explore J.J. Johnson's early big band years.

Celebrate the birthday of the late great Indianapolis jazz guitarist Paul Weeden, who was born here in Naptown on January 7, 1923. Weeden recorded and performed with some of the greatest legends in jazz, including Coleman Hawkins, Nancy Wilson, Count Basie, and more.

Explore the work of Leroy Carr, one of the earliest stars of Indiana Avenue and a singer-songwriter and pianist whose songs became blues standards and have been performed by musical luminaries from Eartha Kitt to Eric Clapton.