Indy Jazz Fest

Indy Jazz Fest. Born out of the dreams of three jazz enthusiasts, the Indy Jazz Fest, which began in 1999, is a three-day summer event at Military Park. Since the beginning, the line-up has consisted of internationally famous musicians as well as local artists representing not only jazz but also various other traditions, especially soul, blues, and R & B. In the early years, as many as 55,000 guests entered the gates throughout the weekend. Headlining jazz greats have included Dave Brubeck, Wayne Shorter, Herbie Hancock, the Smithsonian Masterworks Orchestra, Dianne Reeves, Cassandra Wilson, Tito Puente, the Rippingtons, Chick Corea, Roy Haynes, McCoy Tyner, Spyro Gyra, David Sanborn, Tony Bennett, Gary Burton, Branford Marsalis, and Medeski, Martin and Wood. Non-jazz stars represented in the festival’s first ten years are B.B. King, Buddy Guy, Aretha Franklin, Ray Charles, Bonnie Raitt, James Brown, Bobby McFerrin, the Temptations, Kool and the Gang, Isaac Hayes, the Neville Brothers, the Isley Brothers, Bruce Hornsby, Chris Isaaks, Norah Jones, Béla Fleck, Manhattan Transfer, John Hiatt, Book T and MGs, Roger McGuinn, Al Green and John Legend. In the first several years, two large simultaneously-running stages (and even three in 2000) were complemented by several smaller stages in tents and pavilions. Starting in 2005, the overall space of the event tightened up when the organizers eliminated the main stage on the lawn of IUPUI. Since 2005, the festival has included a total of two stages, which do not run concurrently. Cutbacks can be traced all the way back to 2000 when the entire first night was cancelled due to rain, thus putting the festival in serious debt. During the “Festless” summer of 2003, the American Pianists Association took over the festival and offered a one-day/one-stage event entitled “Taste of Indy Jazz” in the early fall. Although the three-day format returned the following year, the festival currently includes only around fifteen acts compared to over fifty as in the first several years. Nonetheless, the Indy Jazz Fest offers high quality entertainment by famous recording artists, rising talent, and local greats.