Indianapolis, IN
New Midwest Jazz Collective tour makes stop in Indianapolis; aims to bring more artists to the region
A new Midwest collaboration between venues aims to create a more economically viable tour route here and bring more national jazz artists to the region. The Midwest Jazz Collective tour launched this month, in Ann Arbor, Michigan, and it makes its inaugural tour stop at The Jazz Kitchen in South Broad Ripple this weekend.
Founding member Kyle Knoke said he was inspired by the success of a Central Wisconsin collaboration he co-founded, the Jazz Coterie.
“We have the same desires in sharing the music of touring artists, but are always up against the financial challenges of being able to to make the booking happen,” Knoke said. “Working together again, I think that whole price point scenario and expense scenario shifts into the realm of something being possible.”
The collective started with emails and calls to clubs in Indiana, Illinois, Wisconsin, Missouri, Iowa, Ohio, Michigan and Minnesota.
Owner of The Jazz Kitchen David Allee was in one of those calls.
“I mean, it’s a no brainer,” Allee said. “We want to bring more and more artists into the area.”
Allee said the collaboration helps everyone financially and also allows the sharing of ideas and resources to promote performances.
“To have a little extra help from everybody making that happen, certainly is a plus, and it’s great for the artists too, because they can get a consistent amount of work,” he said. “It’s also maybe a beneficial thing for us to be able to leverage the fees.”
The roughly three week tour keeps travel time between clubs between two to four hours. The string of venues together, with short drives between each show, is similar to tours in Europe. It is also similar to the way touring was historically done in the U.S.
“Back in the day there was a lot more artists like piling in the car, you know, putting the drums in the back seat and going from town to town,” reflects trumpeter and singer Benny Benack III. He is the Midwest Jazz Collective’s first artist to do the route.
“But the reality of the economics of everything, it just really became, you know, not feasible,” Benack said.
He also described how even well known musicians can struggle to break even on a tour.
“It comes out where the artists are saying, ‘well, we’re lucky to break even, you know, if we need to sell out every show just to cover our expenses.’”
He said the partnership between venues helps reduce potential financial losses, as clubs have shows on week nights that might otherwise be difficult to book. The tour also includes educational workshops, including one at Butler University, with the touring artist.
“So not only do we come to the students and go into the schools and do a workshop, but also I’m encouraging a lot of the students to then come to the gigs and sit in,” said Benack.
Midwest Jazz Collective founding member and organizer Kyle Knoke said he hopes to learn from the inaugural tour what works and what might need adjusting.
“I am actually planning on taking the tour with the band,” Kanoke said. “It sounds a little crazy, but I would like to, first hand, be able to meet these presenters and these club owners and take kind of a real time temperature on everybody’s spirit with this collective idea.”
Kanoke said he sees the collective putting together a tour once a quarter.
For Indianapolis local jazz musician Rob Dixon, he hopes to see future collaboration with other jazz organizations and possibly have Midwest artists perform the tour route.
“I’ve always strived for, like, to have a lot of Indianapolis artists just be involved more in the national scene,” Dixon said. “I’m just really on that, supporting, you know, getting Indianapolis more involved in traveling and touring.”
The Midwest Jazz Collective is in Indianapolis this weekend with Benny Benack III quartet performing at The Jazz Kitchen Saturday and Benack teaching a masterclass at Butler University Sunday.
The tour runs through April 10 and ends in Chicago.
Contact WFYI All Things Considered newscaster and reporter Samantha Horton at shorton@wfyi.org.
INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — The Eagle Food & Beer Hall, a Southern-inspired restaurant at 310 Massachusetts Ave. in Indianapolis, is preparing for a Kentucky Derby party on May 2 and promoting a catering deal alongside its signature menu items.
The restaurant is known for its all-natural, brined and hand-dredged fried chicken, comfort-food sides, craft beer selection, scratch-made cocktails, and a blues-inspired atmosphere. It is part of Cincinnati-based Thunderdome Restaurant Group, which operates nine concepts across more than 50 locations nationwide.
Ricky Tindell, regional managing partner for Thunderdome Restaurant Group, highlighted the restaurant’s catering services and upcoming events. He said catering orders range from small gatherings to large events.
“We do a lot of catering. We do it anywhere from six people all the way up to 400,” Tindell said. He added that customers can take advantage of a promotion offering a $25 rebate on orders of $250 or more through July 4, 2026.
Tindell also described the preparation of The Eagle’s fried chicken, which is brined in-house for 24 to 36 hours, double-dredged, and pressure-fried. He said the restaurant uses a proprietary seasoning blend.
He also discussed the Mac and Cheese Burnt Ends Bowl, a popular menu item made with a five-cheese sauce, cavatappi pasta, pork burnt ends, lemon thyme ranch, crispy onions, and chives. Tindell said the dish developed from customer preferences and repeated add-ons to the restaurant’s mac and cheese.
He said the burnt ends are slow-roasted for two hours, deep-fried, and tossed in a Texas-style barbecue sauce. Portions are designed to be shareable for two to three people.
Tindell said the restaurant’s appeal in Indianapolis comes from its Southern comfort food offerings.
“It’s Southern comfort food. So people get that feeling,” Tindell said. “That’s why The Eagle is one of the top four or five reasons people recommend when asked where to eat in Indianapolis.”
He added that he personally craves the chicken if he goes a week without it.
The Kentucky Derby party is scheduled for May 2 from 11 a.m. to midnight and will feature contests, prizes, and giveaways, including a “Win the Eagle for a Year” promotion offering a $50 monthly gift card for 12 months.
The catering promotion, offering a $25 rebate on orders of $250 or more, is available through July 4, 2026.. For more information, visit eaglerestaurant.com/locations.
INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — State Sen. Andrea Hunley, a Democrat representing Indianapolis, has announced her candidacy for a bid to run for mayor of Indianapolis in 2027.
Hunley, who had previously teased a mayoral run, has scheduled a launch event for May 8 as her official kickoff her campaign to lead the city, said her campaign website. The Assistant Minority Leader in the Senate announced in January that she would not seek another term in the Indiana Senate, to which she was elected in 2022.
Hunley’s website says, “Indianapolis is my city. Our city. As someone who knows this city, someone who has served this community as a public school teacher leading our children and supporting families, I am committed to the future of the people of Indianapolis.
“Indianapolis is the economic driver and a key cultural hub for our state. Our city boasts creative entrepreneurs and long-standing local businesses, vibrant neighborhoods and corporate headquarters, community-centered nonprofits and public schools. I aim to champion a better quality of life by listening to and working alongside the people, businesses and neighborhoods that make up our great city.”
Mayor Joe Hogsett has not disclosed if he’s seeking a fourth four-year term.
City-County Council Member Vop Osili in January announced his campaign for the Democratic nomination.
In the same month, Pike Township Trustee Annette Johnson announced her intention to seek the Democratic nomination to run for mayor. She’s running this year to continue in the trustee’s job, which she has held since 2019.
Marion County Prosecutor Ryan Mears, who had been mentioned as a possible Democratic candidate for mayor, announced in January he would seek another four-year term this year for his current job. However, he did not rule out running for the Democratic bid for mayor in 2027.
LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WAVE) – While Louisville is famous for one race in May, a Derby City native is set to make his first appearance in a different iconic May race.
Jacob Abel will be making his first appearance in the Indianapolis 500 on May 24, racing for Abel Motorsports, founded by his father, Bill Abel.
“I am excited and grateful to be able to return to the Indianapolis Motor Speedway to have a shot at the Indianapolis 500. It’s been a lifelong dream to compete in that race and to have the opportunity to do it with Abel Motorsports and Chevrolet makes it even more special,” Jacob said.
Both Abels, the driver and the team, had breakout years in 2024 with three pole positions and three wins in the INDY NXT drivers’ championship, propelling the 25-year-old driver to the NTT INDYCAR Series the following year.
Practice for the 110th Indianapolis 500 begins on Tuesday, May 12 with qualifying being held on May 16 and May 17. The race at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway goes green on May 24, coverage begins at 10 a.m.
Copyright 2026 WAVE. All rights reserved.
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