Indianapolis Jazz Hall of Fame Featured on WQRT
As a go-to resource for Indianapolis jazz legacy information, the Indianapolis Jazz Foundation is proud that our Hall of Fame project was recently featured on the radio!
Local music non-profit, Musical Family Tree, works to nurture local artists, preserve our original music legacy, and build a shared community of music makers & music lovers. Their legacy mission ties right in with the Indianapolis Jazz Hall of Fame virtual museum which launched last month. The Indianapolis Jazz Foundation is pleased to offer this resource and is excited to see it grow and evolve. It is a celebration of those who shaped the history of jazz in Indianapolis!
Musical Family Tree featured the Indianapolis Jazz Hall of Fame website on their weekly Indiana music radio show on 99.1 FM WQRT earlier this month. The episode was also streamed online for listeners outside of the broadcast zone. The radio hour was put together and narrated by local music promotor, Kati Loreen Taylor, who does marketing and communications for the Indianapolis Jazz Foundation and Indy Jazz Fest. Kati researched, collected details, and built the Indianapolis Jazz Hall of Fame website. In this episode of MFT on WQRT, she shared some of her favorite artists and tunes by Indianapolis Jazz Hall of Fame artists.
The Indianapolis Jazz Hall of Fame website went live on January 22, 2023.
This date is significant because it is the birthdate of Indianapolis trombonist, composer, arranger, and bandleader J.J. Johnson. He is one of the most important musicians who emerged from the Indiana Avenue scene and his profile can be found on the website. J.J. Johnson is known for his full rich tone on the trombone. He played in several renowned big bands and he was a Bebop innovator. He was the first artist featured on the episode.
Here’s a list of songs played on the episode:
J.J. Johnson - Turnpike
Wes Montgomery - Four on Six
Wes Montgomery - Bumpin’ On Sunset
Rob Dixon & Steve Allee - Everything Upon Us
The Indianapolis Jazz Collective - Looking Inward (composed by Rob Dixon)
Lasana Kazembe & The Indianapolis Jazz Collective - Firedance
The Hampton Sisters - Hey Little Boy
Willie Baker - No No Blues
The episode originally aired on Thursday, February 9, 2023 at 7pm and it aired a second time on Saturday, February 11, 2023 at 11am. If you missed it, it has been documented on Mixcloud where you can listen to it at any time.
Wes Montgomery At 100
The WQRT radio show featured two tunes by the legendary Indiana guitarist, Wes Montgomery.
Did you know that legendary Indianapolis guitarist Wes Montgomery’s 100th birthday would have been this year?
He was born on March 6, 1923, and became one of the most influential guitarists of the twentieth century. Indianapolis is celebrating Wes Montgomery all year long. It’s Wes at 100!
You will notice that on the Indianapolis Jazz Hall of Fame website, Wes Montgomery’s profile is highlighted and there’s a playlist full of his music featured on the homepage. It’s noteworthy that Wes played in a trio with his brothers who are both also in the Indianapolis Jazz Hall of Fame. Buddy Montgomery played vibraphone and piano and Monk Montgomery played bass, so be sure to check out their profiles too.
Take note that there are several upcoming Wes at 100 events to check out. Get your tickets for scheduled Wes at 100 performances at The Cabaret, The Jazz Kitchen, and the Indianapolis Art Center. These events are an excellent opportunity to catch a live performance by some of the living musicians who have been inducted into the Indianapolis Jazz Hall of Fame. Two of those musicians include Rob Dixon on saxophone and Steve Allee on piano. You can listen to their tune “Everything Upon Us” on the radio show.
The Indianapolis Jazz Collective
The Indianapolis Jazz Collective is a local supergroup that includes Rob Dixon, Steve Allee, and another Indianapolis Jazz Hall of Fame inductee, drummer Kenny Phelps. Together with Nick Tucker added on bass, this very talented group is always working on new music and new collaborations. These are some of the best jazz musicians and composers in Indianapolis and beyond. It’s so fantastic that they have chosen to collaborate with many other musicians including Marlin McKay on flugelhorn. You can hear the song that Rob Dixon composed called “Looking Inward” in this episode.
Another local artist they collaborate with is Lasana Kazembe. He is an educator and a talented spoken word artist. You won’t want to miss the Wes at 100 program that he curated. It’s coming up on May 13th. It’s called In Our Own Sweet Way: honoring the Artistic Legacy of Wes Montgomery. It’s at The Cabaret with the Indianapolis Jazz Collective featuring other local and regional artists. If you listen to the radio show, you will hear Lasana Kazembe’s spoken word performance of “Firedance – Breathe.”
The Hampton Sisters
Female artists featured on the radio hour included The Hampton Sisters. Both pianist Aletra Hampton and bassist Virtue Hampton are in the Indianapolis Jazz Hall of Fame. Along with their two other sisters, in the 40s and 50s they played, sang, and danced together. The Hamptonians, as they were called then, were well-known nightclub performers on Indiana Avenue. Aletra and Virtue continued playing all over Indianapolis together into their 80s. You can learn more about them on their Hall of Fame biography pages. Listen in to the archived radio show and you’ll hear one of their tunes that was recorded in 1954 called “Hey Little Boy”.
Willie Baker
The last tune featured on the MFT on WQRT radio hour was by Willie Baker. While there is not a lot known about him, Willie Baker is an inductee into the Indianapolis Jazz Hall of Fame. He was an American Piedmont blues guitarist which has a picking style and country ragtime sound to it. Willie Baker was a singer and songwriter who played a twelve-string guitar to back his own vocals. His recordings took place in 1929 in Richmond, Indiana, for Gennett Records. Details of his life outside of these recordings are sketchy. It’s possible that he is the oldest Indianapolis Jazz Hall of Fame artist but it’s hard to know for sure since his date of birth and death are not listed. If you listen till the end, you will hear the tune “No No Blues” by Willie Baker.
There are many more musicians in the Indianapolis Jazz Hall of Fame you will want to check out. Some of those that weren’t included on this radio show include Freddie Hubbard, David Baker, Pookie Johnson, Steve Weakly, and not to forget Slide Hampton. Check out their profiles and listen to their music on the website. We hope you enjoy this free Indianapolis jazz legacy resource that’s now available!
