Podcast
Cultural Manifesto
Hosted by WFYI Public Media · EN
Each week on Cultural Manifesto, Kyle Long reveals stories and sounds from the creative frontlines of the past and present. Through music, archives and artist interviews, discover how creators shape meaning with sound, in Indianapolis and well beyond. Tune in each week to this WFYI Public Media show for discoveries that will delight your ears and expand your understanding of our shared world.
28episodes
Episodes
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Jermaine from the South on rapping in Creole, playing oud, and making psychedelic hip-hop beats
2w ago00:44:30Tap to summarizeHear Kyle Long’s conversation with Bloomington-based musician Jermaine Butler— also known as Jermaine from the South — an artist who defies easy categorization. Butler's submission to NPR's Tiny Desk Contest, titled "Dan Vi-Çila”, earned a coveted Top Shelf selection, drawing praise from Tiny Desk producer Bobby Carter and guest judge Tierra Whack. He is set to unveil a new project rooted in the culture of his home state — rapping in Louisiana Creole.
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Indianapolis musician, writer and rapper Foosie on his debut album, All-American Ghetto
3w ago00:41:40Tap to summarizeIndianapolis-based rapper, musician, and writer Foosie discusses his debut album, “All-American Ghetto.” The album draws on his life — from growing up in Indianapolis’ Mapleton-Fall Creek neighborhood to serving a 20-year prison sentence. During his incarceration, he learned to play acoustic guitar and developed his voice as a writer through the Indiana Prison Writers Workshop. In this conversation, Foosie reflects on that journey — and on the music and family that shaped him, including his uncle, Vonzell Wheeler of the legendary Naptown soul group The Vanguards.
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The secret history of Radio Free Naptown
4w ago00:54:51Tap to summarizeIn 1968, a group of young Indianapolis broadcasters made history — they built their own radio station from scratch, without a license, and dared the FCC to stop them. For four years, Radio Free Naptown brought underground music to the city, from Captain Beefheart to Gil Scott-Heron, broadcasting from makeshift locations that at one point even included a horse pasture. They didn’t call it pirate radio; they called it bootleg. Co-founders Steve Everitt and Don Worsham tell the inside story of Radio Free Naptown.
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Software, the feminist synth-rock band that broke barriers for women and LGBTQ+ musicians in Indianapolis
Apr 1500:44:09Tap to summarizeHear a conversation with members of Software, a feminist synth-rock band that broke barriers for women and LGBTQ+ musicians in 1980s Indianapolis. Software performed at iconic venues including The Vogue and The Hummingbird. The band also played at Labyris, a feminist bar in downtown Indianapolis that served as a safe space for the city’s lesbian community. A new anthology of Software’s music, Haven’t You Had Enough, will be released on Record Store Day
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Born in Indianapolis to immigrant parents, Trigger Alpert recorded with America’s top musicians
Apr 800:19:59Tap to summarizeCelebrate Jazz Appreciation Month with music from the Indianapolis bassist Herman “Trigger” Alpert. Born in Indianapolis in 1916 to Russian Jewish immigrants, Alpert rose to national prominence in the golden age of big band jazz. Despite his remarkable contributions to American music, Alpert remains largely overlooked in his hometown — an unsung figure whose legacy deserves greater recognition in Indianapolis jazz history.
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Jazz legend Steve Allee reacts to hearing lost tapes
Apr 100:24:31Tap to summarizeCultural Manifesto producer Kyle Long recently uncovered a collection of lost tapes featuring Indianapolis jazz legend Steve Allee performing live in local clubs in the 1970s — recordings Allee didn’t even know existed. Many of the tapes document his work with the Von Ohlen/Carter Big Band, a long-running Indianapolis ensemble co-led by drummer John Von Ohlen and saxophonist Chuck Carter. Hear excerpts from these rare recordings, along with Allee’s reaction.
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Western wear designer Jerry Lee Atwood discusses his solo exhibition, Cowboy Couture
Mar 2500:25:30Tap to summarizeIndianapolis designer Jerry Lee Atwood carries the tradition and spirit of classic Western wear forward with custom pieces that have appeared in Vogue magazine and in the wardrobes of Post Malone, Lil Nas X, Diplo, and Charley Crockett. WFYI’s Kyle Long spoke with him about a new exhibition of his work at the Eiteljorg Museum.
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How Indianapolis’ Leroy Carr and Scrapper Blackwell influenced Bob Dylan’s music
Mar 2500:13:58Tap to summarizeBob Dylan turns 85 this May — and he’s still on the road. Hear how Dylan’s musical career has been influenced by the legendary blues duo, Leroy Carr and Scrapper Blackwell.
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DJ Metrognome and J. Moore celebrate 20 years of Take That Tuesday
Mar 1800:30:59Tap to summarizeFor two decades, Take That Tuesday has been a cornerstone of Indianapolis hip-hop DJ culture—providing a space for both emerging and veteran turntablists to share music outside the constraints of commercial club environments. WFYI’s Kyle Long recently spoke with the event’s hosts, DJ MetroGnome and J. Moore.
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Celebrating the women pioneers of Indiana punk, noise, new wave and alternative music
Mar 1100:45:52Tap to summarizeCelebrate Women’s History Month by honoring the women who helped build Indiana’s punk, new wave, alternative, and noise scenes. Join us for words and music featuring Sally’s Dream, Software, Debbie Jaffe, Joyce Fidler, and Lynn Shipley,
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