Echoes of Indiana Avenue

The music of Indiana Avenue has been sampled dozens of times, by famous artists including Jay-Z, Kendrick Lamar, A Tribe Called Quest, and many more. Listen back to this archived episode to hear some of the most sampled artists from the Avenue.

Very few Hoosiers are aware of the Avenue’s important rock and roll history. This week on Echoes of Indiana Avenue, we’ll pay tribute to the early rock and roll heroes of Naptown, including music from Roosevelt Johnson, Toni Cavanaugh, Lois Blaine, Thurston Harris, Tiny Brown, Bobby Lewis and more.

Celebrate the Thanksgiving holiday by looking back at Thanksgiving night concerts and dances held on Indiana Avenue. For some Avenue residents, Thanksgiving didn’t end at the dinner table. Holiday gatherings often continued late into the night at neighborhood ballrooms and clubs, where music was as important as turkey and pumpkin pie.

Revisit Indiana Avenue's history as the birthplace of Hoosier rock and roll. Hear live performances and recordings of artists like Chuck Berry, the Ink Spots, and Champion Jack Dupree.

2025 marks the 100th anniversary of the birth of blues icon B.B. King. We'll celebrate his birthday by exploring his connections to Indiana Avenue and its musicians, including multiple dates at the Sunset Terrace and the Walker Theatre.

On October 26, 2025, the legendary jazz drummer Jack DeJohnette passed away at the age of 83. DeJohnette was one of the greatest drummers in modern jazz. During his six-decade career, DeJohnette led numerous ensembles and recorded prolifically, including six classic albums with Naptown jazz icon Freddie Hubbard.

Explore the music of Brooks Berry, an important Naptown blues vocalist and guitarist. Though she left behind just a handful of recordings, the artistry and emotional depth of her music have ensured that her legacy lives on. Brooks worked extensively with the Naptown guitar master Scrapper Blackwell and all of her recordings feature Blackwell on guitar or piano.

Celebrate the 100th anniversary of the birth of legendary jazz saxophonist and flutist James Moody. Listen to his work with the jazz masters of Indiana Avenue, including rare, unreleased live recordings of him performing with the legendary Naptown jazz drummer Larry Clark.

Ahead of the new PBS documentary, “King of Them All: The Story of King Records,” enjoy an hour of music from Avenue artists who recorded for King, including The Hampton Family, Flo Garvin, Sarah McLawler, Bill Jennings, Thurston Harris, and more.

Listen to an hour of music celebrating the legacy of The Bebop Society of Indianapolis. Hear rare recordings from Avenue musicians, including Wes Montgomery, Carl Perkins, David Baker, Pookie Johnson and more.

This is the final episode in our three-part series celebrating the work of the bass player Leonard Wilson Swain Jr., better known as “Heavy” Swain, an unsung hero of the Avenue music scene. On this edition, we’ll focus on Swain’s work with Tiny Bradshaw, Willis Jackson, T.N.T Tribble, and Frank Motley.

This is the second episode in our three-part series celebrating the work of the bass player Leonard Wilson Swain Jr., better known as “Heavy” Swain, an unsung hero of the Avenue music scene. We’ll focus on Swain’s work with the legendary jazz trumpeter and bandleader Cootie Williams. Swain was a member of Williams’ orchestra from 1947 to 1949.

Celebrate the work of the bass player Leonard Wilson Swain Jr., better known as “Heavy” Swain, an unsung hero of the Avenue music scene. This episode is Part 1 of 3, focusing on his recordings with “Champion” Jack Dupree and Eddie “Cleanhead” Vinson.

Listen to an interview with the legendary Indianapolis gospel keyboardist Ezra Bufford, known for his work with the Pentecostal Ambassadors. In 1988, Bufford was voted “Instrumentalist of the Year” by the Indianapolis Gospel Music Awards.

August of 2025 marks the 100th birthday of the late jazz pianist Oscar Peterson. Listen to music featuring Peterson’s work with the jazz masters of Indiana Avenue, including Slide Hampton, Freddie Hubbard, J.J. Johnson and more.

Listen to the final episode in our two-part series exploring the music of Rapture, a legendary Indianapolis funk band led by keyboardist Rodney Stepp in the late 1970s. Hear interviews with Rapture’s Rodney Stepp, Lonnie Williams and Greg Russell. Kenny “Babyface” Edmonds will also share his memories--his band Manchild was one of Rapture’s biggest rivals.

The keyboardist and bandleader Rodney Stepp is among the greatest living legends of the Avenue neighborhood. For the next two weeks, listen to an interview with Rodney as he shares the history of his band Rapture, which was a dominating force in the 1970s Indianapolis club scene.

Listen to the final episode in our three-part series exploring the music of Gilbert “Honey” Hill, an important Indianapolis blues pianist. This edition focuses on Hill’s final classic blues recordings with Little Bill Gaither.

The second episode in our three-part series exploring the music of Gilbert “Honey” Hill, an important Indianapolis blues pianist. We’ll focus on Hill’s work with the blues star Bumble Bee Slim. They cut over 25 songs together for Decca Records during the summer of 1936.

For the next three weeks on Echoes of Indiana Avenue, learn about the music of Gilbert “Honey” Hill, an Indianapolis blues pianist. On this week’s episode, listen to Hill’s early recordings with Little Bill Gaither.

Celebrate the life of the Indianapolis teacher and vocalist Lexie Webster, who passed away on June 24, 2025, at the age of 96. She was also the widow of the acclaimed Indianapolis jazz saxophonist Russell Webster. Hear excerpts from Kyle Long’s 2023 interview with Lexie and her daughter, Bonita Webster-Coleman, along with classic recordings from Russell Webster.

Listen to the final episode in our three-part series exploring the music of Reunald Jones, a legendary Indiana trumpet player with deep connections to the Avenue scene. Hear music featuring Jones’ work with Duke Ellington, Sonny Rollins, Dinah Washington, Quincy Jones, Nat King Cole and more.

Listen to the second episode in our three-part series exploring the music of Reunald Jones, a legendary Indiana trumpet player with deep connections to the Avenue scene. During his remarkable career, Jones was best known for his work with Count Basie from 1952 to 1957. During that time, he led the band’s trumpet section, and he became known for playing the trumpet with one hand.

Listen to the first episode in our three-part series exploring the music of Reunald Jones, an important jazz trumpet player with deep connections to the Avenue neighborhood. In this show, we’ll hear Jones’ early recordings with Mezz Mezzrow, Lil Hardin, Don Redman, Jimmie Lunceford and more.

In April of 2025, a new Indiana state historical marker was placed in the Indiana Avenue neighborhood honoring the history of the Phillis Wheatley YWCA. During the era of segregation, it was a crucial institution for Black women in Indianapolis, providing a safe space for community, education, and advocacy, and was one of the neighborhood’s premier classical music venues. Listen to rare recordings...