Cultural Manifesto - podcast cover

Cultural Manifesto

WFYI Public Mediawww.wfyi.org
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.
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Episodes

Clint Breeze and The Groove

Joining host Kyle Long on this eiditon of Cultural Manifesto are Carrington Clinton, Pernell From Pike, Chris Pitts, and Jared Thompson of Clint Breeze and The Groove. The group previews tracks off their upcoming album Endtime Overture.

Oct 21, 2020

Hoosier Electronic Music Pioneers

On this edition of Cultural Manifesto host DJ Kyle Long shares recordings from Hoosier electronic music pioneers, including some rare unreleased music from composer Tom Jordan's 1978 multimedia performance Space Scape, which attracted over 4,000 attendees to the Indianapolis Museum of Art.

Oct 14, 2020

Charlie Ballantine

This week on Cultural Manifesto Kyle is joined by Indianapolis jazz guitarist Charlie Ballantine. In this episode there is discussion of Charlie's new album Vonnegut, which features nine original compositions inspired by the work of Kurt Vonnegut. Track list: Words of Wisdom - You Made Me Everything Flo Garvin - I’m On the Outside Looking In Curtis Mayfield - Pusherman Montiques - Take Another Look Kurt Vonnegut and Dave Soldier - Annihilation Life Kurt Vonnegut and Dave Soldier - Duo For Clarin...

Oct 07, 2020

Skafish (Part 2)

In this episdoe of Cultural Manifesto Kyle Long features the second half of his conversation with the Indiana punk rock and new wave music pioneer Jim Skafish. The two discuss the 40th anniversary reissue of his self-titled debut album Skafish.

Oct 02, 2020

Skafish (Part 1)

Kyle Long interviews Northwest Indiana punk rock and new wave music pioneer Skafish. We discuss the 40th anniversary reissue of Skafish's self-titled debut album, which addressed issues like homophobia and body shaming years before these topics entered the national dialogue.

Sep 24, 2020

Lotus World Music and Arts Festival

Kyle spins music from Lotus performers, and talks with Lotus Fest's executive director Tamara Lowenthal. he is also joined by vocalist Nohelia Sosa of Nohe Y Sus Santos, one of the featured acts at this year's Lotus Fest.

Sep 17, 2020

Clint Breeze

In this episode Kyle speaks with Indianapolis drummer, bandleader, and beat maker Carrington Clinton - better known as Clint Breeze. His new album We Good builds on his past work mixing jazz and hip-hop with themes of social justice.

Sep 10, 2020

Wife Patrol

Joining host Kyle Long are Nicole O'Neal, Greg O'Neill, and Natasha O'Neill of the Indianapolis band Wife Patrol. We'll be listening to tracks off their new record Too Prickly for This World.

Sep 02, 2020

Country Music Pioneers of Indianapolis

This week, Kyle Long continues his ongoing tribute to the country music pioneers of Indianapolis, featuring music by early Indianapolis country music radio stars like T. Texas Tyler, Bill Haley, and Wilma Lee Cooper; along with music from homegrown Indianapolis favorites like the Hoosier Hot Shots, Charlie Stewart, and Sonny Grubbs.

Aug 26, 2020

Ryan Lott of Son Lux

This week Kyle's guest is composer and vocalist Ryan Lott of Son Lux. The group's new album "Tomorrows I" is discussed.

Aug 19, 2020

Indianapolis Doo-Wop History

During the 1950s Indianapolis was home to a thriving doo-wop music scene, particularly on Indiana Avenue where artists including The Four Sounds, The Counts, and The Monograms flourished. On this week's edition of Cultural Manifesto host Kyle Long shares a selection of Indianapolis doo-wop classics. He also speaks with several notable Indianapolis musicians who got their start singing doo-wop. Tracklist: Ink Spots - If I Didn’t Care The Lamplighters - Believe in Me The Lamplighters - Bo Peep Sar...

Aug 12, 2020

Steel Guitar in Indianapolis

On this week's show host Kyle Long pays tribute to steel guitar masters of Indiana. During the mid-20th Century Indiana produced several important steel guitarists who made significant contributions to the instrument's development. Kyle plays music from Herb Remington, Bud Isaacs, Johnny Sibert, "Sneaky" Pete Kleinow, Buddy Emmons, and The Harlin Brothers, who are credited with inventing the pedal steel guitar in Indianapolis during the 1930s.

Aug 05, 2020

Hip-Hop Artist Retro

Joining Kyle this week is the Indianapolis-based hip-hop artist Retro. We hear his new single "Cripple Cool," an autobiographical track featuring rhymes laced with wit and humor, as Retro raps about living with cerebral palsy. Tracklist for this week's show: Grandmaster Flash and The Furious Five - The Message Kool Moe Dee - I Go To Work Retro - Cripple Cool Midsouth - Why? Anderson .Paak - Lockdown Lil Baby - The Bigger Picture Taylor Hall - I Can’t Breathe

Jul 29, 2020

Country music pioneers of Indianapolis

This week on Cultural Manifesto host Kyle Long pays tribute to some of the pioneers of Indianapolis country music. During the mid-20th Century there were dozens of Indianapolis nightclubs, and record labels catering to the growing popularity of country music. While radio and television programs like the Indiana Hoedown, WIBC Jamboree, and Hoosier Barn Dance broadcast local and national country music stars into central Indiana homes.

Jul 23, 2020

Indianapolis Guitar Greats

Indianapolis has been home to many extraordinary guitar players beyond Wes Montgomery. This week Kyle long features music from a few of those artists this week, including: Bill Jennings, Floyd Smith, Steven Weakley, Paul Weeden, Scrapper Blackwell, and others. Plus, author and historian David Williams discusses a 1962 appearance from Jimi Hendrix on Indiana Avenue. According to legend, Hendrix lost a guitar battle to the Indianapolis guitarist Alphonso Young of The Presidents. Tracklist: Funk In...

Jul 15, 2020

Radio Free Naptown

This week, Kyle Long explores the history of Radio Free Naptown, an illegal pirate radio station that operated in Indianapolis from 1968 to 1972. He's joined by two of the station's founders, Don Worsham and Steve Everitt.

Jul 08, 2020

Rondey Stepp

Kyle is joined this week this week by Indianapolis music legend Rondey Stepp. The two discuss Rodney's recent battle with COVID-19. Doctors at IU Health North referred to Stepp as the "miracle patient" after his dramatic recovery from the disease.

Jul 01, 2020

Grover Wilcher

Kyle Long speaks with the Indianapolis musician and producer Grover Wilcher about his years performing with the R&B group World Entity, and his work recording and releasing early Indianapolis rap music from groups including Tibbs Street Posse and B.M.W.

Jun 25, 2020

Juan Antonio Cuellar

On this episode of Cultural Manifesto week Kyle's guest is Juan Antonio Cuellar, the head digitizing engineer of the Strachwitz Frontera Collection, the largest archive of Mexican and Mexican-American music in existence. Juan has spent the last 18 years personally digitizing and archiving over 120,000 recordings in this collection, and he selected a few favorites to share on Cultural Manifesto.

Jun 18, 2020

Taylor Hall

This week's show features an interview with Taylor Hall, a nineteen-year-old musician/activist. Hall is a member of Black Women in Charge, the organization behind the Saturday, June 6, 2020 historic protest at the Indiana Statehouse. Hall performs a song written in tribute to George Floyd titled "I Can't Breathe."

Jun 11, 2020

Tyron Cooper

This week, Kyle Long features Indiana music of peaceful protest, including an interview with Tyron Cooper, a professor with Indiana University's African American and African Diaspora Studies department.

Jun 04, 2020

Rock & Roll Pioneers of Indiana Avenue

The Indiana Avenue neighborhood is known for it's celebrated jazz history, but the Avenue was also a hotbed for early rock & roll and rhythm & blues music. On this week's show Kyle Long pays tribute to the rock & roll pioneers of Indiana Avenue.

May 29, 2020

John Loflin

Joining Kyle Long on the show this week is John Loflin. The two discuss John's journey in music, from growing up playing country music in Fountain Square in the 1950s, to joining the first reggae band in Indianapolis during the 1980s.

May 21, 2020

Elayne Jones

On this week's show Kyle's guest is Elayne Jones, a world renown percussionist and the first Black woman in the New York Philharmonic Orchestra. Jones worked with some of the greatest orchestras and conductors of the 20th Century, including Leopold Stokowski and Duke Ellington.

May 14, 2020

The Watts Prophets

Host Kyle Long talks with Father Amde of the Watts Prophets, their 1971 debut release is widely regarded as the first rap album.

May 07, 2020

The Fatelics

20 years ago host Kyle Long bought a box of vintage reel-to-reel tapes at a garage sale. Among the recordings was a fantastic demo containing an unreleased album by an obscure Indiana funk band called The Fatelics. After years of searching for the band, on this week's show Kyle meets The Fatelics' guitarist Rodney Wood, and listens to the group's long lost demo recordings.

May 01, 2020

Legendary Women of Indianapolis Soul Music

Host Kyle Long pays tribute to some of the legendary women of Indianapolis soul music, with interviews and music from: Lois Blaine, Aretta La Marre, The Pearls, The Indy's, The Sentimentals, Debbie Nelson, Mary Brown, and Niambi Steele of 24 Carat Black.

Apr 23, 2020

NPR's Tiny Desk Contest

This week, Kyle takes a look at the NPR's Tiny Desk Contest. Small Studio Sessions producer Melissa Davis joins the show to discuss the evolution of the WFYI's music series and its connection to the Tiny Desk contest. Kyle also airs his chat 2017 Tiny Desk winners Tank and The Bangas, and shares his interview with this month's Small Studio artist Okara Imani.

Apr 16, 2020

Dena El Saffar and Tim Moore of Salaam

This week Kyle's guests are Dena El Saffar and Tim Moore of Salaam, a Middle Eastern music ensemble based in Bloomington. Kyle shares tracks from their new album Mediterranean Nights.

Apr 09, 2020

Indy Music in the 1920's, '30s and '40s

On this week's show host Kyle Long looks back to the 1920s, '30s and '40s to examine how Indianapolis musicians dealt with the severe economic and social problems brought on by catastrophic events like the Great depression and World War II. Kyle focuses on the music of Leroy Carr, Scrapper Blackwell, Little Bill Gaither, and Emry Arthur.

Apr 02, 2020
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