Michael Loves Indy

David Allee wears many hats: club owner, musician, music producer, and community non-profit leader, to name a few. As the owner of the Jazz Kitchen for nearly 30 years and as the Director of Indy Jazz Fest for over a decade, David has helped to curate literally thousands of jazz performances in Indianapolis by national and regional artists. The Jazz Kitchen has received multiple “Best 100 Jazz Clubs in the World” by Downbeat Magazine, and its sonics and ambience have inspired dozens of artists to record live albums in the venue. David, along with jazz artist/community leader Rob Dixon, re-energized the Indy Jazz Fest over a decade ago, and has continued to grow the Fest and the Indy Jazz Foundation, “to preserve the legacy and promote the future of jazz in Indianapolis.” David and I had a conversation in 2022 about his life, what inspired him to start the Jazz Kitchen, and his vision for preserving and growing Indianapolis' rich jazz history.

Michael's friend Dave Tucker returns to the Michael Loves Indy podcast, for a discussion of his and Michael's favorite music of 2023 and early 2024.

Oreo Jones (aka Sean Michael Smith) is not only one of Indianapolis' biggest musical success stories of the last decade, he is one of Indianapolis' most influential cultural leaders. He is a prolific musical artist, recording as Oreo Jones, Michael Raintree, as a band member of White Moms, and as part of the hip-hop supergroup 81355 ('“Bless”). He is Staff Artist and Musical Curator at Big Car and at WQRT Radio. He is co-founder of Chreece Festival, which celebrates another year on August 26, 2023 in Fountain Square in Indianapolis. I was honored to spend time with Sean, to hear more about his life, his approach to creativity and community, and the origins of Chreece. Hope you enjoy what I found to be an inspiring conversation with Oreo Jones.

When Josh Baker started out, he just just wanted to share great music with his friends. He could not have predicted that 20 years later, he would be widely considered one of the biggest single influences on Indianapolis arts and culture. Josh has owned and/or operated many music related businesses since 2000, a record label, a record manufacturer/distributor, a music festival company, multiple music venues, a digital marketing company, and now, restaurants. He has launched the careers of young Indianapolis artists, attracted hundreds of national and international music artists to perform in Indianapolis, and even transformed public spaces like Garfield Park into national music venues. I hope you enjoy this discussion about Josh's life in music, and about the potential he sees for Indianapolis to grow its music identity and music economy. (Note: this episode is dedicated to Josh's and my friend Brent Warnecke, who passed away this week.)

Chris Douglas wears many hats: business owner, civic leader, community advocate, and others. Chris is founding partner and managing director of C.H. Douglas and Gray Wealth Management. An eighth generation Hoosier, he earned his Bachelor's degree from Princeton University's School of Public and International Affairs and his Master's in Business Administration from the Wharton School of Business at the University of Pennsylvania. He was decorated for his service as an officer in the US Air Force and is fluent in Mandarin Chinese. His many business honors include the IBJ Forty Under 40 honors, and Indianapolis Monthly's Five-Star Wealth Managers honor every year for 15 consecutive years. He has been active in politics and philanthropy for many years, known as an advocate for LGBTQ rights, for public education, and for the arts. I hope you enjoy this conversation about Chris' life, his leadership experiences, and his work to make Indiana a better place for all people.

Isaiah J. Thompson is a finalist for the 2023 American Pianists Association (APA) Jazz Competition. Isaiah is a jazz pianist, composer and bandleader from West Orange, New Jersey. He began studying at The Calderone School of Music at an early age, and soon after continued his studies with Jazz House Kids and NJPAC Jazz For Teens. He received both his bachelor's and master's from The Juilliard School, was awarded the 2018 Lincoln Center Emerging Artist Award and earned Second Place in the 2018 Thelonious Monk (now Herbie Hancock) Institute of Jazz International Piano Competition. Isaiah has since performed with major artists including Ron Carter, John Pizzarelli, Christian McBride, Steve Turre and Buster Williams. He was featured on the Golden Globe-nominated soundtrack for "Motherless Brooklyn" and was named a Steinway Artist. Isaiah made his recording debut on Jazz at Lincoln Center's Blue Engine Records' release, “Handful of Keys” with the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra with Wynton Marsalis, and he released his debut album as a leader, "Isaiah J. Thompson Plays the Music of Buddy Montgomery" in 2020.

Thomas Linger is a finalist for the 2023 American Pianists Association (APA) Jazz Piano Competition. Thomas is a New York City-based pianist, originally hailing from Waynesville, North Carolina. Winner of the American Jazz Pianist Competition in 2017, he graduated with a degree in piano performance from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro in 2015. Since that time, he has worked as a performer, composer, and teacher, having performed in some of the most prestigious venues such as the Village Vanguard, Jazz at Lincoln Center, Dizzy's Club, Smalls, Mezzrow and many more.Thomas leads his own trio in addition to engagements alongside current luminaries such as Peter Bernstein, Francisco Mela, Joe Farnsworth, Yasushi Nakamura, Stacy Dillard, Sylvia Cuenca, Brandon Lee, and many others. Thomas's debut album Out In It is fantastic, and features many of his original compositions, released on Cellar Records August 2022.

Dave Tucker returns to the program, to discuss some of his and Michael's favorite songs of 2022-2023.

Caelan Cardello is one of America's most accomplished young jazz pianists, and he is a finalist for the 2023 American Pianists Awards, Born into a musical household in Teaneck, New Jersey, Caelan Cardello began playing piano at the age of five. He was a part of the organization Jazz House Kids for seven years, where he learned from the greatest jazz masters and performed at venues such as Dizzy's Club and the Montclair Jazz Festival. Caelan has also performed at venues in NYC such as Smoke Jazz Club and The Jazz Standard, as well as the Detroit Jazz Festival and Bahrain Jazz Festival. Other accolades include 2021 winner of the BMI Foundation's Future Jazz Master award, 2018 recipient of the prestigious James Moody Scholarship, winner for regional National YoungArts, and 2016–17 All State Jazz Band pianist. Caelan recently finished his Jazz Performance degree at William Paterson University. I hope you enjoy this inspiring conversation about Caelan's life and approach to music.

Arianna Cruz is the founder of MORE Magazine, Making Opportunities Reachable for Everyone, a publication that works to educate and inspire its readers and call them to action in their communities. She graduated first-generation from Indiana University Purdue University Indianapolis in 2018 with a Bachelors in Marketing and International Studies with minors in Communication and Economics. Arianna is currently serving as the Director of Marketing and Outreach at Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Indiana. Arianna is making a positive impact on Indianapolis at a young age, and I hope you find this conversation inspiring.

Comedian and Writer Scott Long has entertained audiences and written for television for nearly three decades. He has made national TV appearances on NBC, FOX (he wrote Frank Caliendo's NFL sketches for 13 seasons), appeared on Bob & Tom, and tours constantly as a standup comedian. Scott has made his home in Indianapolis for many years, where he lives with his wife and three children. Earlier this year, Scott and his family were the subject of an inspiring story in the Indianapolis Star, chronicling Scott's relationship with his daughter Maddie (who has autism along with other developmental conditions) and how Maddie experiences the world. Scott has spoken openly about how his relationship with his daughter has changed not only his life, but his approach to comedy and creativity. I hope you enjoy this conversation as much as I did.

Los Angeles-based pianist and composer Paul Cornish is a finalist for the 2023 American Pianists Awards. Hailing from Houston where he was a student at the prestigious High School for the Performing and Visual Arts, Cornish was one of seven jazz prodigies worldwide selected to be awarded a full fellowship to attend the esteemed Herbie Hancock Institute of Jazz at UCLA. Here, he completed his master's degree and studied and performed with such renowned artists as Carl Allen, Jerry Bergonzi, Billy Childs, Herbie Hancock, Bob Hurst, Geoffrey Keezer, Dick Oatts, Chris Potter, Walter Smith and Terell Stafford.Cornish received the Los Angeles Jazz Society's 2020 New Note Commission and recently was awarded First Place in the Jacksonville Jazz Piano Competition and the 18th Street Arts Center's 2021 Make Jazz Fellowship. Cornish was also awarded the Grand Prize in the 2018 American Jazz Piano Competition. Currently residing in Los Angeles, Cornish has performed extensively across the globe with such notable artists as Herbie Hancock, Mary Stallings, Louis Cole, Theo Croker, Snoh Aalegra, Terrace Martin, John Legend and HAIM. I was inspired by this conversation with Paul, both by his thoughtful, contemplative approach to music, and his artistic range and experiences spanning so many genres of music. We are honored to have him here in Indianapolis as a finalist in the American Pianists Awards.

Esteban Castro is a 20 year old pianist and composer who is on his way to becoming one of America's most accomplished jazz artists. He is a finalist for the American Pianists Awards (APA) competition, hosted here in Indianapolis, and I had the chance to interview him the day before his Premiere Series jazz trio concert at the Jazz Kitchen! Esteban attends the Juilliard School on a full-tuition scholarship, studying with Ted Rosenthal, and he also studies privately with Fred Hersch. At age thirteen, Esteban was the First Prize Winner in the Montreux Jazz Piano Solo Competition in 2016, making him the youngest ever to receive this prestigious award. At fourteen, he was the youngest First Prize recipient at the 2017 Jacksonville Jazz Piano Competition.With over forty compositions to his name, Esteban has garnered three ASCAP Foundation Young Jazz Composer Awards and has won fifteen Downbeat Student Music Awards. He was selected as a pianist for the Grammy Band in 2017 and 2018, as a 2019 YoungArts Finalist, and as a member of the 2019 Next Generation Jazz Orchestra. In addition, Esteban has won a variety of classical piano competitions(!). Esteban has played to sold-out audiences in venues such as The Blue Note, The Montreux Jazz Club, The New Jersey Performing Arts Center, and Dizzy's Club, and at a number of international venues. I was honored to get the chance to speak with Esteban, to hear about his life in music, his approach to improvisation and composition, and what winning the APA jazz competition would mean to him. I was inspired by the conversation, and I hope you enjoy it.

Lou Gerig is one of Indiana's most visible civic leaders, and continues to have a significant influence on public, private, and philanthropic sectors in our state and city. Lou is president of Sease, Gerig & Associates (SGA), an Indianapolis-based consultancy focused on management, communications and public relations. From 1981 to 1982, Lou served in President Ronald Reagan's Administration as an assistant to White House Press Secretary James Brady. Before serving in the White House, Lou first went to Washington, D.C., in 1978 to be press secretary for U.S. Senator Richard G. Lugar (R-Ind.). He is a former teacher and newspaper reporter, hailing from Elwood, Indiana. Lou has a unique perspective on the growth and evolution of Indianapolis, informed by the different roles he has played over the past five decades, and I hope you enjoy this conversation as much as I did.

Author Maurice Broaddus is based in Indianapolis, but over the past two decades, his prolific work (in genres including science fiction and horror) has built an international audience. Maurice wears many hats: he is resident Afrofuturist at the Khewprw Institute, editor at Apex Magazine, his work has appeared in Lightspeed Magazine, and many others. His books include Unfadeable, Pimp My Airship, Buffalo Soldier, and The Usual Suspects. (MauriceBroaddus.com.) His most recent novel, Sweep of Stars, is book one of an epic science-fiction trilogy, Astra Black.He is a teacher (at the Oaks Academy Middle School), a librarian (the School Library Manager which part of the IndyPL Shared System), and a purposeful community organizer As an editor, he's worked on Dark Faith, Fireside Magazine, and Apex Magazine. His gaming work includes writing for the Marvel Super-Heroes, Leverage, and Firefly role-playing games as well as working as a consultant on Watch Dogs 2. This conversation is one of my favorite interviews ever, as Maurice discusses his life, his creative process, and how he integrates his many roles (writer, community organizer, teacher) into his creative life. Please go read Sweep of Stars(!) and learn more about Maurice at mauricebroaddus.com.

I really enjoyed this conversation with David Becker, about how his curiosity and passion for problem-solving led to the creation of First Internet Bank. David Becker is the Chairman and CEO of First Internet Bancorp, a bank holding company with assets of approximately $4.2 billion as of March 31, 2022. He founded and serves as Chairman and CEO of First Internet Bancorp's subsidiary, First Internet Bank, which opened for business in 1999 as an industry pioneer in the branchless delivery of banking services. David has a 40-year career of creating successful entrepreneurial companies in financial services technology (“fintech”) and software-as-a-service (“SaaS), having created and sold five Inc. 500 companies. He has held numerous community leadership roles, including board service for TechPoint, Central Indiana Community Foundation (CICF), and Central Indiana Corporate Partnership. I took away many business and life lessons from this conversation. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.

Lesley Weidenbener is one of my favorite people whom I have met in the political/media community, and her career spans more than two decades covering local & state politics, and now business, as the Editor of the Indianapolis Business Journal. In this conversation, Lesley shares what drew her to journalism as a career, what covering politics taught her about people and community, and how journalism is changing at a rapid pace.

I spend a lot of my time discovering new music, but my friend Dave takes it to another level, and the breadth of his interests is on display every year in the year-end compilation he produces, featuring his favorite tracks across rock, roots, R&B, jazz, classical, and other genres. In this episode, Dave and I talk through our favorite tracks of 2021 and early 2022. Just FYI: if you like this episode, check out Episode 6, which featured Dave's favorite tracks of 2020.

Julie Goodman (CEO of Indy Arts Council) and her team demonstrated inspiring leadership in 2020-2021, providing advocacy and millions of dollars in financial support to keep literally thousands of artists in Indianapolis working during the height of the pandemic. In this interview, we hear about Julie's background as a musician and as a communications/PR professional, and how her path led her to leadership positions with organizations including the Cincinnati Opera, ArtWorks (which oversees Cincinnati's public art program), and many others. Julie returned to her native Indianapolis in 2017, and she became CEO of Indy Arts Council in 2019. Julie believes that Indianapolis in 2022 is primed to fully embrace a more inclusive, creative economy and you hear it in our conversation, which I hope you enjoy.

Owen Thomas has worn many hats in the past two decades: rock star, music producer, visual artist, video director, entrepreneur. After years of recording and touring with his band The Elms, and releasing a solo album (2012's Languages) Owen shifted to focus on running Indianapolis-based Absorb, the creative agency and record label he co-founded with Jared Sparkman. Owen is responsible for some of my favorite music of the past 15+ years, and we talk about his life in music, the commitment to the creative process, and how the act of helping others achieve their visions just makes our lives better. I hope you enjoy this conversation as much as I did.

The Cultural Development Firm GANGGANG has been around for less than two years, but it has already made a big impact on Indianapolis' community and arts scene. Founders Alan Bacon and Mali Jeffers each have many years of leadership experience here in Indianapolis, and they joined forces in 2020 to create opportunities for Indianapolis artists of color. They partnered with the Arts Council and others to create the SWISH festival, which curated over 200 works of public art and performance in conjunction with the 2020 Men's NCAA Basketball Tournament. They hosted BUTTER, a visual art festival at the Historic Stutz Building in 2021. And these are just two examples of a much larger portfolio created by Alan and Mali to create opportunities for artists and to tell the Indianapolis story to audiences locally and nationally. Hope you enjoy this conversation with Alan and Mali to hear more about GANGGANG's vision for Indianapolis.

Keisha Gray has been in Indy a relatively short time, but she is already making a big impact. The Chicago native became Executive Director of Indianapolis City Market in November of 2020 and is making moves to re-invent City Market at a challenging time for the Indianapolis (and world, for that matter) economy. Keisha is a former librarian and library administrator who brings with her a real passion for history, and a desire to tell City Market's unique story. In this conversation, you'll hear about Keisha's life and her ambitions to make City Market a vital, healthy, inclusive public space to be celebrated by Indianapolis residents and out-of-town guests.

Architect and real estate developer Craig Von Deylen has made a huge impact on Indianapolis' built environment and neighborhoods. His companies include Blackline Studios and Deylen Realty, and his project portfolio includes a long list of ambitious historic re-use projects and new mixed-use structures. Craig views his role as an architect and developer as his life's vocation more than as a job. A generous supporter of Indianapolis arts and music, shares his views about how developers have a responsibility to support a more creative, and more inclusive, Indianapolis. I hope you enjoy this conversation with one of Indianapolis' most influential people impacting economic and community development: Craig Von Deylen.

Robert Vane is a U.S. Army veteran, expert in political communications and public relations, and is the CEO of Veteran Strategies, Inc., a strategic public relations firm in Indianapolis. In early 2019, Robert launched the Leaders & Legends podcast, in which he interviews men and women who have made their mark on the City of Indianapolis and on the State of Indiana (and a growing list of leaders with national and international accomplishments). Robert has interviewed nearly 150 individuals, over 100 of whom had a significant impact on Indianapolis and/or Indiana. I was curious as to what common threads or themes Robert has uncovered, as he has conducted so many interviews. I highly recommend the Leaders & Legends podcast, and I hope you'll enjoy this discussion with (one of the most interesting people I know) Robert Vane.

Professional soccer returned to Indianapolis in 2013, with the founding of the Indy Eleven soccer club. The Indy Eleven immediately became a strong part of the Indianapolis sporting culture, selling out every game of its inaugural 2014 season at IUPUI's Michael Carroll Stadium. After a few seasons at Lucas Oil Stadium, the Indy Eleven make a return this year to Carroll Stadium, with plans for a new Eleven Park soccer stadium in the works. This episode features conversations with two of the leaders of Indy Eleven: CEO Greg Stremlaw and Head Coach Martin Rennie. Greg Stremlaw has served as CEO of Indy Eleven since 2019, bringing an international background as former Head of Canadian Broadcasting Company (CBC) Sports, overseeing programs including Hockey Night in Canada, and previously as CEO of Curling Canada. Coach Martin Rennie has led Indy Eleven on the pitch since 2018, bringing a long coaching career which includes head coaching experience in Major League Soccer (MLS) and the Korean K-League. Both Greg and Martin have become great ambassadors for Indianapolis, and I hope you enjoy the conversations.

This episode was the most intense interview I’ve done, to date! Ed Rudisell is one of Indianapolis’ best-known restaurateurs and entrepreneurs, and I have known him for over a decade. Ed has spent over two decades in restaurants and hospitality, launching successful restaurants including Siam Square, Black Market, Rook, and the Inferno Room. He is one of Indianapolis’ great ambassadors, as the host of the national podcast Shift Drink, in which he interviews innovators in the wine & spirits industry. He also hosts the new podcast A440, in which he profiles independent musicians in various heavy metal genres. Ed has documented his struggles throughout COVID-19, which resulted in his decision to close two of Indy’s beloved restaurants, Black Market and Rook. In this conversation, Ed talks about what happened, what we have learned about independent restaurants, and how all of us can support the restaurants that have made a difference in our neighborhoods.

How can we look at politics in 2021 from different angles? OR, maybe politics in 2021 isn’t as hopeless as we think (my words, LOL)? Dr. Laura Merrifield Wilson is Professor of Political Science at University of Indianapolis, and is frequently featured as a political analyst and panelist in the Indianapolis news media. Her areas of focus include gender and racial gaps in campaign finance, state legislatures, and taxation and public budgeting. Dr. Wilson has a real gift for analyzing and explaining our complex political systems, in ways that both engage people and challenge us to think differently about our political systems. In this conversation, she talks about issues including the underrated impacts of state and local government on our lives, and ways to think more critically about how we and the media characterize the polarization of the American electorate.

Dr. Phil Powell is one of the best professors I have had in my life, and it’s an honor to get to work with him in my current role at Indy Chamber. Dr. Powell is Associate Dean of Academic Programs at the Indiana University Kelley School of Business. He manages the Kelley School's portfolio of graduate and undergraduate programs delivered from its Indianapolis campus. He also oversees projects for the Kelley School that drive innovation, outreach, economic development, and fundraising. He has served in a variety of leadership roles within the Kelley School of Business over the years. In this conversation, we talk about Dr. Powell’s recent white paper “Get Ready to Feel the G’s” about the upcoming economic recovery. We also discuss a new effort called Kelley Enterprise Corp, a partnership with my employer, the Indy Chamber, that offers MBA-level education to Indy entrepreneurs for no charge, with a special focus on minority entrepreneurs. Dr. Powell challenges us to create a better, and more inclusive support system for entrepreneurs.

Fr. Peter Marshall is the pastor of St. Jude Catholic Parish on the south side of Indianapolis. Before entering the priesthood, Fr. Peter worked for many years as a therapist and social worker. He has been a friend of mine for nearly 20 years, and is he someone I seek out for advice and spiritual insights on a regular basis. I was excited to record this recent conversation of ours, in which we reflect on the past year of COVID-19. Fr. Peter always helps me and others look at things from different angles and perspectives. In this conversation, he encourages people to look at not only the pain and loss of the past year, but at the blessings and gifts which are often hidden to us (certainly to me, speaking for myself). When we look back on this tumultuous year in 10 years, 20 years, or even further in the future, maybe there are benefits, societal and spiritual, that are not obvious to us at present?

Paulette Fair is an Indianapolis community leader whose influence continues to grow, and I am grateful for the impact she has had on me. Paulette Fair is a co-founder of the Kheprw Institute (KI). She has a passion for empowering black youth to succeed academically and gain valuable life skills that will serve them and their community into adulthood. In the summer of 2003, Paulette, Imhotep Adisa and Pambana Uishi founded Kheprw Institute, and since then she has served as KI's program director and overseen its growth, to serve a broad group of youth and community who work to improve themselves and change the world. In this conversation, we discuss how Paulette’s view of leadership and community were shaped by her upbringing, and what inspires her every day to empower and develop young people.

Tom Coverdale is one of the most beloved Indiana basketball players of all time. He was named Indiana’s Mr. Basketball in 1998, was recruited by Bob Knight, endured the firing of Coach Knight, and led the 2002 Indiana Hoosiers to upset victories over Duke en route to the 2002 NCAA Championship game. Today, Tom lives in Indianapolis where he has established a successful business career and enjoys family life as a husband and as a father of 4 year old twins. In this conversation, Tom talks about growing up in Indiana’s basketball culture, experiences playing for Bob Knight and Mike Davis, and what his basketball experience taught him about leadership and life. Note: the day we had this conversation, Indiana University announced its search for a new men’s basketball head coach, and Tom shares some opinions on who IU should pursue(!).

It’s another basketball-themed conversation, as Indianapolis prepares to host the entire NCAA 2021 DI Men’s Basketball Tournament. Mark Minner is only 30 years old, but he has already spent over a decade as the Radio Voice of the Butler Bulldogs, specifically as the play-by-play announcer for Butler University Men’s Basketball, beginning when he was an undergraduate student at Butler. Over the past decade, Mark has had a front-row seat to witness a progression of Butler from respected mid-major to frequently-ranked, Power Six conference member in the Big East. In this conversation, Mark tells us how he followed his passion for sports to his current role, discusses the Butler Way, and tells stories about coach Brad Stevens. Full disclosure: Mark has been successful in business as well as sports, serving as President of FirstPerson, an Indy-headquartered benefits and compensation advisory firm; and he has emerged as one of Indianapolis’ young civic leaders.

The Indianapolis region will host the entire 2021 NCAA D1 Men’s Basketball tournament! 67 games in total, six different venues, limited capacity (maximum 25%), more than 150 buses, and a much-needed boost to hotels, restaurants, and to the State of Indiana. I’m joined by two great friends of mine, Indiana Sports Corp CEO Ryan Vaughn, and Visit Indy CEO Leonard Hoops, who discuss how Indy won this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Ryan and Leonard discuss why Indianapolis is the ideal city to safely host a self-contained NCAA tournament, and talk about Indianapolis 35 year history of hosting national and international sporting events. They also give us some behind-the-scenes at what it takes to pull off an event of this magnitude, and why “sport is bigger than sport” in Indianapolis.

Imhotep Adisa is not only one of Indianapolis’ most influential community leaders, he is a serious thinker who generously shares his experiences and knowledge with a broad range of people in the Indianapolis community. Imhotep Adisa, along with Kheprw Institute (KI) co-founder Paulette Fair, founded KI to help youth develop entrepreneurial and leadership skills, help communities build wealth and become more effective advocates, and address economic needs including food insecurity and job access. Imhotep and Paulette have been two of the most influential people on my evolving understanding of issues including race, equity, and economic development, over the past three years. In this conversation, Imhotep discusses his formative experiences as a young man which led to the founding of Kheprw Institute. He also reflects on his belief that for us to change the systems that cause the inequities exacerbated by COVID-19, we must invest in “transformational relationships” and grow from friendships with people whose life experiences and perspectives are different from our own.

Since 2018, I have been a fanatic of the music of Carrington Clinton AKA Clint Breeze, including his solo albums and his supergroup Clint Breeze and the Groove whose 2020 album Endtime Overture is my favorite album of 2020. Endtime Overture blends jazz, soul, hip-hop, indie rock, great melodies and uncompromising lyrics, for a sound that calls to mind past eras of Indianapolis music, but with a sense of urgency and relevance to today’s struggles. Clint Breeze and the Groove is a seven-piece band who, in addition to Carrington (drums, beats) include Nick Tucker (bass), Jared Thompson (saxophone), Joel Tucker (guitar), Christopher Pitts (piano), Zachary Finnegan (trumpet), frontman Pernell From Pike (emcee, vocalist), all of whom have established solo careers.For someone who is only 30 years old, Carrington has developed an unmistakable sound as an artist, and he has a sense of positivity and generosity that impacts everyone he meets. In this conversation, Carrington discusses his upbringing in Indianapolis, the early experiences that inspired him to become an artist, the process of writing and recording Endtime Overture, and how 2020 has inspired him to be more creative.

You can’t put former Indianapolis Mayor Greg Ballard in a box. In 2007, the former career Marine upset a two-term Democrat incumbent, running as a Republican in a majority-Democrat city. He quickly developed an identity as a genuine, low-key leader who brought an nuts-and-bolts approach to running Indianapolis, and he quickly adopted a vision of making Indianapolis a more sustainable city that embraced alternative modes of transportation (mass transit expansion, bike infrastructure), renewable energy (setting a goal of moving city government to an all-electric vehicle fleet), and mixed-use development. He continues to be a national advocate for renewable energy, and he published his book Less Oil or More Caskets: The National Security Argument for Moving Away from Oil in 2019, and he continues to teach at the University of Indianapolis. Mayor Ballard and I catch up, talk about his years as Mayor, and he talks about why the United States needs to get more aggressive to move away from fossil fuels and toward renewable energy sources.

Rob Dixon, the Musical Mayor of Indianapolis, is a jazz saxophonist, composer, and community leader, who is the most-recognized figure of Indianapolis’ jazz scene for the past 20 years, when he returned to Indy after many years living and playing in New York City. Rob plays multiple nights a week in Indianapolis, when he’s not touring with national artists including 8-string guitarist Charlie Hunter and The Headhunters (members of Herbie Hancock’s 1970’s jazz fusion band). Rob and I talk about his early life and formative experiences that took him from the East Coast to Indiana University, to New York, and back to Indianapolis. Rob also talks about the need to recapture Indianapolis’ jazz heritage and why he is encouraged by a new generation of Indianapolis jazz musicians.

Michael Kaufmann is one of the most fascinating individuals I have ever met. He has made a successful career in music, leading record labels and launching the careers of new artists (his best-known associations are with artists including Sufjan Stevens and Son Lux). He also is a civic leader in Indianapolis, curating numerous, multi-million dollar public art installations and cross-disciplinary programs. He is pursuing his PhD at Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI) and he most recently served VP of Civic Investment for Health and Hospital Corporation in Indianapolis. Michael continues to challenge conventional thinking in Indianapolis, and in this conversation we talk about the post- COVID-19 economy, the changing role of art’s impact on communities, and why we need to modernize our definitions of terms like “economic development.”

Cassie Stockamp is a former business owner, Indianapolis civic leader, and recently served as CEO of the Athenaeum Foundation in downtown Indianapolis. In late 2018, Cassie made a decision to fulfill a lifelong dream: she would embark on a spiritual journey around the world, traveling on a minimal budget, living in villages and small communities in many different countries, performing volunteer work and living not as a tourist, but as a member of each community. The journey lasted more than 15 months and was cut short by COVID-19 travel restrictions in 2020. Cassie documented this journey at her blog: www.cassiestockamp.com

Dave Tucker is a university VP, attorney, guitarist, and an all around music obsessive. I love discovering new music, but Dave takes it to another level, and the breadth of his interests is on display every year in the year-end compilation he produces, featuring his favorite tracks across rock, roots, R&B, jazz, classical, and other genres. I thought it would be fun to have Dave on the podcast and to discuss selections from his 2020 compilation. I submitted a few favorites of my own. (Note: Dave’s mother, music professor Linda Tucker, passed away in 2020, and he dedicated his 2020 compilation to her memory.)

Playwright, professor, and entrepreneur Andy Black is a prolific playwright, professor (teaching and working on his PhD at Univ. of Missouri), and advisor to businesses and organizations. Andy has coached me for the past five years, and I have benefited greatly from the way Andy incorporates storytelling and narrative into his methods. It is a big part of the way he has successfully integrated his creative life and business life. In this episode, Andy and I have a conversation about how storytelling can help us convey ideas, and also make us better listeners.

This episode took me back 25 years, to my undergraduate years at Northwestern University. It was an honor to speak with the COO of Duke Realty (and Indy Chamber Board Member), Steve Schnur, about the improbable 1995 run by the Northwestern Wildcats football team, for whom Steve started at quarterback. The team opened the season by upsetting Notre Dame, and continued with wins over heavy favorites like Michigan, Penn State, and many others to win its first Big Ten title in almost 50 years. Steve talks about his life experiences leading up to that season, and recalls one of sports’ all-time greatest Cinderella stories.

In October 2020, Indianapolis lost one of its most influential civic leaders of the past 30 years, Tamara Zahn. Tamara led Downtown Indy (formerly Indianapolis Downtown, Inc.) for over 20 years, in an era that saw billions of dollars in new investment in Indy’s downtown. We remember Tamara and talk with two of her Tamara’s close friends and collaborators, Julia Saltsgaver and Polina Osherov.

Aaron Renn has spent over two decades as an observer, analyst, and writer about the unique characteristics of American cities. Before relocating to Indianapolis in 2019, Aaron was Senior Fellow at the Manhattan Institute from 2015-2019. In this episode, Aaron discusses how he turned his passion for cities into a career. He further discusses how Indianapolis can build upon its unique strengths to grow its economic base.

Wildstyle Paschall (aka Wildstyle DaProducer) is not only a well-known Indianapolis-based music producer and photographer, he is an activist and ambassador who helps marginalized communities. In Episode 1 of Michael Loves Indy, Wildstyle and Michael have a wide-ranging conversation about art, music, the history of Indiana Avenue, and other topics facing Indianapolis.