The Indianapolis Jazz Foundation (IJF) is mission-driven, dedicated to promoting, preserving, and propelling the past, present, and future of jazz in Indiana. IJF aligns its programming with the three pillars of the mission: education, performance, and legacy. Through these initiatives, IJF ensures that jazz remains a vital part of Indiana’s cultural fabric, inspiring new generations of musicians and audiences alike.

Women have been a vital and important part of the evolution of jazz music from the beginning. From Mary Lou Williams to Melba Liston to Billie Holiday, jazz as a genre would not be where it is today without the influence of women as instrumentalists, vocalists, and composers.

Growing up in the streets surrounding Indiana Avenue, Freddie Hubbard was immersed in the rich sounds of jazz from an early age. By high school, his musical talent had flourished, and he showcased his trumpet skills as a member of the Arsenal Technical High School band.

Indy Jazz Fest is finally here!

The gymnasium at Northwest Middle School (formerly a high school) was teaming with fourth graders from 15 IPS elementary schools on Tuesday, March 12 and Thursday, March 14, 2024. They came for a journey of “Jazz in the 21st Century,” a high-energy program about jazz and Indiana’s rich jazz history.

On Wednesday, March 6, 2024, a historical marker was dedicated to legendary, Indianapolis jazz guitarist Wes Montgomery on what would have been his 101st birthday. The ceremony featured speakers, a musical dedication performance, and the unveiling of the historical marker.

A quarter century on the music scene in Indianapolis, Indy Jazz Fest 2023 presented a lineup of concerts across two weeks in late September with a diversity of international, national, and regional performers, various venues across our city, and offering the many threads of jazz from BeBop to Latin jazz to touches of soul and even rock.

Pat Metheny’s solo concert last night will be one of those concerts talked about for years. Although almost impossible to truly describe in a word, it was spectacular. You could feel it from the crowd that lingered in the Clowes Hall lobby as their conversations attempted to share what they had just experienced. This audience was there for Metheny – the silence, the respect for no cell phone videos, and the deafening applause – this was an audience that knew who they had come to hear.

Two-time GRAMMY-winning jazz vocalist Kurt Elling and 7-string guitar phenom Charlie Hunter teamed up for the release of their album SuperBlue in late 2021 with grand success. Now on tour and making a welcome stop during Indy Jazz Fest, Elling and Hunter’s band hit the stage at The Cabaret on September 28, 2023.