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The sorrowful blues of Naptown's Brooks Berry
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The sorrowful blues of Naptown's Brooks Berry
October 19, 2025

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.

James Moody and the jazz masters of Indiana Avenue
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James Moody and the jazz masters of Indiana Avenue
October 16, 2025

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.

Naptown musicians on King Records
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Naptown musicians on King Records
October 8, 2025

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.

The Bebop Society of Indianapolis
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The Bebop Society of Indianapolis
September 28, 2025

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.

Celebrating the music of Naptown bassist Heavy Swain – Part 3
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Celebrating the music of Naptown bassist Heavy Swain – Part 3
September 21, 2025

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.

Celebrating the music of Naptown bassist Heavy Swain – Part 2
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Celebrating the music of Naptown bassist Heavy Swain – Part 2
September 14, 2025

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.

Celebrating the music of Naptown bassist Heavy Swain – Part 1
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Celebrating the music of Naptown bassist Heavy Swain – Part 1
September 7, 2025

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.

The legendary Naptown gospel keyboardist Ezra Bufford
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The legendary Naptown gospel keyboardist Ezra Bufford
August 31, 2025

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.

Oscar Peterson and the masters of Indiana Avenue jazz
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Oscar Peterson and the masters of Indiana Avenue jazz
August 24, 2025

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.

The history of Rodney Stepp’s legendary Naptown funk band Rapture – Part 2 
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The history of Rodney Stepp’s legendary Naptown funk band Rapture – Part 2 
August 17, 2025

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 history of Rodney Stepp’s legendary Naptown funk band Rapture – Part 1
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The history of Rodney Stepp’s legendary Naptown funk band Rapture – Part 1
August 10, 2025

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.

The music of Naptown blues pianist Honey Hill – Part 3
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The music of Naptown blues pianist Honey Hill – Part 3
August 3, 2025

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.

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