Cultural Manifesto

WFYI Public Media · 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.

617 episodes

11d ago latest

weekly cadence

English language

▶ Play latestRSS feed Website Music

https://www.wfyi.org/programs/cultural-manifesto/radio/rss

Episodes 300

Secretly Canadian at 30 - How a Bloomington DIY label became a global force in independent music
4d ago · 36:01
This year marks the 30th anniversary of Secretly Canadian, the Bloomington, Indiana record label that grew from a small DIY operation into one of the largest and most respected independent music companies in the world. Secretly is celebrating with three nights of concerts in Bloomington featuring artists from across the label’s history and current roster. Kyle Long speaks with two of Secretly Canadian’s four founders, Eric Weddle and Ben Swanson.
Oreo Jones on this year's Chreece
5d ago · 21:58
On August 29, Chreece returns to Indianapolis, bringing more than 70 artists, DJs and producers to eight venues in the Fountain Square neighborhood. Founded in 2015 by Indianapolis rapper, producer and community organizer Oreo Jones, Chreece has become a major showcase for the city’s hip-hop culture. Listen to Kyle Long’s interview with Jones about this year’s event.
Rob Dixon discusses Naptown Soul
11d ago · 33:08
Listen to an interview with Indianapolis-based saxophonist, composer, bandleader, and educator Rob Dixon, one of the leading voices in the Midwest jazz scene. Dixon will discuss his new album “Naptown Soul” — a celebration of the city’s distinctive soul jazz tradition, featuring music by Wes Montgomery, alongside Dixon originals.
Live from Winchester, Indiana's Hawaiian Steel Guitar Festival
18d ago · 8:30
Winchester, Indiana’s Hawaiian Steel Guitar Festival brings together musicians from across generations and cultures, welcoming Native Hawaiian artists alongside performers from across the continental United States. Kyle Long visited the festival and spoke with some of this year’s performers including the Williams Twins, 96-year-old twin sisters who have been singing and playing guitar together at the festival for nearly 50 years.
Celebrating two of Northwest Indiana's most acclaimed contemporary musician
18d ago · 56:37
Cultural Manifesto can now be heard across Northwest Indiana. To celebrate the show’s arrival on 89.1, Kyle Long revisits his coverage of two of Northwest Indiana’s most critically acclaimed contemporary musicians, Omar Apollo from Hobart and Llin from Gary.
Herbie Hancock on Miles Davis, Freddie Hubbard and his upcoming date in Indianapolis
1mo ago · 6:17
Kyle Long speaks with Herbie Hancock — one of the most celebrated artists in American music history. His groundbreaking career has earned him 14 Grammy Awards, an Academy Award, and recognition as an NEA Jazz Master. From his early work with Miles Davis to his genre-defying explorations of jazz, funk, and electronic music, Hancock has continually expanded the possibilities of musical expression. Hear him reflect on his work with Freddie Hubbard and Miles Davis.
Becky Archibald discusses her new album, Tango for Disobedient Beasts
1mo ago · 34:45
Kyle Long speaks with Indianapolis pianist, composer and educator Becky Archibald. A native of Anderson, Indiana, Archibald has performed at Carnegie Hall, and her recordings have been featured on NPR's All Things Considered and All Songs Considered. NPR's Bob Boilen, creator of the Tiny Desk Concerts series, praised her work, saying, "Becky's music unfolds like I expect a good story to unfold." She joins Kyle Long to discuss the new recording and her history in the Indiana music scene.
Exploring the history of Winchester, Indiana’s Hawaiian Steel Guitar Festival
1mo ago · 21:42
For over 50 years, Winchester, Indiana, has been home to the Hawaiian Steel Guitar Festival, one of the world's longest-running celebrations of Hawaiian steel guitar music. Listen to Kyle Long's conversation with two of the organizers behind this year's festival, musicians Mark Prucha and Bill Wynne.
Steve Wariner discusses his roots in the Indianapolis music scene and his work in visual art
1mo ago · 49:08
Kyle Long speaks with guitarist, singer, songwriter, and visual artist Steve Wariner, one of Indiana's most celebrated country music artists. Their wide-ranging conversation explores memories of Sammy Terry, Cowboy Bob, Arthur's Music in Fountain Square, the Beatles' appearance at the Indiana State Fair, seeing shows at Mockingbird Hill in Anderson, and more.
Monika Herzig's Transparent uses jazz to confront transphobia
1mo ago · 29:11
Kyle Long speaks with the internationally acclaimed pianist, composer, educator, and author Monika Herzig. Her latest album, Transparent, is one of the most personal projects of her career. Inspired by her journey supporting a transgender child, the album uses jazz as a vehicle for empathy, storytelling, and connection.
Valerie Phelps and Kenny Phelps on the Making of Project 7
1mo ago · 42:05
Indianapolis musicians Valerie Phelps and Kenny Phelps join host Kyle Long to discuss Valerie's debut album, Project 7. It features performances by Kenny Phelps and the couple's son, Dorian Phelps — two of the most respected drummers in the Indianapolis music scene. Their album release concert is July 10, 2026 at the Jazz Kitchen.
Remembering Indiana's Tom Hensley - keyboard virtuoso and musical adventurer
1mo ago · 44:18
Look back on the life and music of Tom Hensley — an Indiana-born pianist whose remarkable career took him from Bloomington and Indianapolis to the biggest stages in music. As a session keyboardist, he played on Hall & Oates' hit "Rich Girl," along with recordings by John Lennon, Ringo Starr, Leonard Cohen, Cher, Lionel Richie, Diana Ross, and toured as pianist for Neil Diamond. Kyle Long spoke with Tom in 2017 about his time in Indiana, specifically his work with Masters of Deceit.
Composer Jordan Munson discusses new collaboration with Dance Kaleidoscope
2mo ago · 19:39
Hear an interview with the Indianapolis-based composer, performer, and multimedia artist Jordan Munson. His latest project, We Walk Beneath A Patient Sky, is a collaboration with Dance Kaleidoscope featuring choreography by Joshua Blake Carter. The work finds Munson expanding his sonic palette by incorporating elements of traditional Appalachian folk music.
Michael Cleveland on Bill Monroe, Billy Strings, and returning to the Indiana Fiddlers' Gathering
2mo ago · 25:34
Michael Cleveland is one of Indiana’s greatest living musicians and one of the most celebrated fiddlers in the history of bluegrass. Kyle Long speaks with Cleveland about his remarkable career and his lifelong connection to the Indiana Fiddlers’ Gathering.
Pride Month - LGBTQ+ activist Mary Byrne looks back on her work promoting women’s music in Indiana
2mo ago · 20:30
Celebrate Pride by looking back at Kyle Long’s 2021 conversation with LGBTQ+ activist Mary Byrne. A key figure in Indiana’s gay rights movement, Byrne also played an important but lesser-known role in the state’s music history as a promoter and curator of women’s music. She owned and operated Labyris, a feminist and lesbian bar near downtown Indianapolis that became a vital gathering place for music and community.
Marion, Indiana's Lizz Vega on playing harp, songwriting and livestreaming
2mo ago · 25:20
Before she found an audience as a musician, Lizz Vega built a following online live-streaming video games. Today, the self-taught musician and songwriter still streams live, but her broadcasts now feature performances on harp, guitar and vocals. Born and raised in Los Angeles, Vega currently lives in Marion, Indiana. Cultural Manifesto’s Kyle Long spoke with Vega to learn more about her work in music.
How Indianapolis Songwriter Bruz Fletcher Became a Pioneer of LGBTQ+ Music
2mo ago · 36:14
Explore the remarkable life and music of Indiana songwriter Stoughton “Bruz” Fletcher, a groundbreaking artist whose work challenged conventions of gender and sexuality decades before the modern LGBTQ+ rights movement. Host Kyle Long will talk with author and researcher Tyler Alpern, whose book “Camped, Tramped and a Riotous Vamp” remains the definitive biography of Bruz Fletcher.
Indianapolis musician Naomi Pulver is building an audience for her finely crafted pop songs
3mo ago · 26:24
Hear words and music from Indianapolis-based singer, songwriter, and guitarist Naomi Pulver. She is building a growing audience for her finely crafted music, a sound that blends elements of pop, folk, and R&B with deeply personal songwriting. Raised in Colorado as the youngest of eight children in a multicultural household, Pulver began exploring questions of identity, family, and belonging at an early age — themes that continue to shape her music today.
Harp innovator Edmar Castañeda merges jazz and Colombian tradition
3mo ago · 18:54
Born in Colombia, Edmar Castañeda is celebrated worldwide as one of the most innovative harpists in modern music. His work combines the folk traditions of his homeland with contemporary jazz. A Latin Grammy nominee, Castañeda has collaborated with artists including Wynton Marsalis and Béla Fleck and introduced his music to millions through the soundtrack of Disney’s Encanto.
Rusty Redenbacher on Mudkids, Nasty Slim, and battling Eminem
3mo ago · 46:50
For over 30 years, Rusty Redenbacher has been a fixture of the Indianapolis music scene, performing as a vocalist with rock and hip-hop groups including The Mudkids, Birdmen of Alcatraz, and The Last IV. He joins Kyle Long to discuss his history in music, including battling Eminem at Scribble Jam in 1997, and his latest project, Rusty Redenbacher is Nasty Slim, which expands his skill set to producing beats.
Asian American musicians are shaping Indiana's Sound - celebrating AANHPI Heritage Month
3mo ago · 29:03
Asian American musicians are shaping Indiana's sound — and this week, Cultural Manifesto celebrates AANHPI Heritage Month with music that proves it. Hear from Indiana artists with roots in Afghanistan, Vietnam, China, India, Myanmar, and beyond.
Jermaine from the South on rapping in Creole, playing oud, and making psychedelic hip-hop beats
3mo ago · 44:30
Hear 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.
Indianapolis musician, writer and rapper Foosie on his debut album, All-American Ghetto
4mo ago · 41:40
Indianapolis-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.
The secret history of Radio Free Naptown
4mo ago · 54:51
In 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.
Software, the feminist synth-rock band that broke barriers for women and LGBTQ+ musicians in Indianapolis
4mo ago · 44:09
Hear 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

Episodes

Reading the feed…

Also on wfyi.org

More Music shows

GROOVELECTRIC: Downloadable Soul

groovelectric.com

475 episodes · 9d ago

A Trance Expert Show

trancexpert.com

622 episodes · 8d ago

Lucas & Steve Radio

spinninpodcasts.com

528 episodes · 8d ago

The David Andrew Wiebe Show

davidandrewwiebe.com

440 episodes · 8d ago

Radio Al compás

compasgaditano.com

300 episodes · 8d ago

Le Vieux Show

ckiafm.org

337 episodes · 8d ago

Cultural Manifesto

Episodes 300

Secretly Canadian at 30 - How a Bloomington DIY label became a global force in independent music

Oreo Jones on this year's Chreece

Rob Dixon discusses Naptown Soul

Live from Winchester, Indiana's Hawaiian Steel Guitar Festival

Celebrating two of Northwest Indiana's most acclaimed contemporary musician

Herbie Hancock on Miles Davis, Freddie Hubbard and his upcoming date in Indianapolis

Becky Archibald discusses her new album, Tango for Disobedient Beasts

Exploring the history of Winchester, Indiana’s Hawaiian Steel Guitar Festival

Steve Wariner discusses his roots in the Indianapolis music scene and his work in visual art

Monika Herzig's Transparent uses jazz to confront transphobia

Valerie Phelps and Kenny Phelps on the Making of Project 7

Remembering Indiana's Tom Hensley - keyboard virtuoso and musical adventurer

Composer Jordan Munson discusses new collaboration with Dance Kaleidoscope

Michael Cleveland on Bill Monroe, Billy Strings, and returning to the Indiana Fiddlers' Gathering

Pride Month - LGBTQ+ activist Mary Byrne looks back on her work promoting women’s music in Indiana

Marion, Indiana's Lizz Vega on playing harp, songwriting and livestreaming

How Indianapolis Songwriter Bruz Fletcher Became a Pioneer of LGBTQ+ Music

Indianapolis musician Naomi Pulver is building an audience for her finely crafted pop songs

Harp innovator Edmar Castañeda merges jazz and Colombian tradition

Rusty Redenbacher on Mudkids, Nasty Slim, and battling Eminem

Asian American musicians are shaping Indiana's Sound - celebrating AANHPI Heritage Month

Jermaine from the South on rapping in Creole, playing oud, and making psychedelic hip-hop beats

Indianapolis musician, writer and rapper Foosie on his debut album, All-American Ghetto

The secret history of Radio Free Naptown

Software, the feminist synth-rock band that broke barriers for women and LGBTQ+ musicians in Indianapolis

Episodes

Also on wfyi.org

Film Soceyology

Indiana Week in Review

WFYI News Now

Echoes of Indiana Avenue

Small Studio Signal Boost

More Music shows

GROOVELECTRIC: Downloadable Soul

A Trance Expert Show

Lucas & Steve Radio

The David Andrew Wiebe Show

Radio Al compás

Le Vieux Show

Episodes 300

Secretly Canadian at 30 - How a Bloomington DIY label became a global force in independent music

Oreo Jones on this year's Chreece

Rob Dixon discusses Naptown Soul

Live from Winchester, Indiana's Hawaiian Steel Guitar Festival

Celebrating two of Northwest Indiana's most acclaimed contemporary musician

Herbie Hancock on Miles Davis, Freddie Hubbard and his upcoming date in Indianapolis

Becky Archibald discusses her new album, Tango for Disobedient Beasts

Exploring the history of Winchester, Indiana’s Hawaiian Steel Guitar Festival

Steve Wariner discusses his roots in the Indianapolis music scene and his work in visual art

Monika Herzig's Transparent uses jazz to confront transphobia

Valerie Phelps and Kenny Phelps on the Making of Project 7

Remembering Indiana's Tom Hensley - keyboard virtuoso and musical adventurer

Composer Jordan Munson discusses new collaboration with Dance Kaleidoscope

Michael Cleveland on Bill Monroe, Billy Strings, and returning to the Indiana Fiddlers' Gathering

Pride Month - LGBTQ+ activist Mary Byrne looks back on her work promoting women’s music in Indiana

Marion, Indiana's Lizz Vega on playing harp, songwriting and livestreaming

How Indianapolis Songwriter Bruz Fletcher Became a Pioneer of LGBTQ+ Music

Indianapolis musician Naomi Pulver is building an audience for her finely crafted pop songs

Harp innovator Edmar Castañeda merges jazz and Colombian tradition

Rusty Redenbacher on Mudkids, Nasty Slim, and battling Eminem

Asian American musicians are shaping Indiana's Sound - celebrating AANHPI Heritage Month

Jermaine from the South on rapping in Creole, playing oud, and making psychedelic hip-hop beats

Indianapolis musician, writer and rapper Foosie on his debut album, All-American Ghetto

The secret history of Radio Free Naptown

Software, the feminist synth-rock band that broke barriers for women and LGBTQ+ musicians in Indianapolis