Indy Jazz Fest 2025: Twelve Days of Music, Memories, and Community
From September 9–20, Indianapolis came alive with the sounds of jazz as the 2025 Indy Jazz Fest brought together 25 bands, 12 days of concerts, and 4 venues for one unforgettable celebration. Presented by the Indianapolis Jazz Foundation and Indy Jazz Fest, this year’s festival showcased everything from straight-ahead jazz to Latin grooves, soulful R&B, and smooth contemporary sounds—capturing the richness and diversity of the music we call jazz.
A Grand Kickoff
The festival opened with a bang at The Jazz Kitchen, where the legendary Kenny Garrett launched two nights of sold-out performances. Each set was its own experience, as Garrett’s fiery saxophone lines mixed with the warmth of Cuban vocalist Melvin Santa—a thrilling way to set the tone for the festival ahead.
Global Sounds, Local Stages
©️Mark Sheldon - Nuvo.net & ©️Angelo Martinez - Snaps Inc.
The following nights carried audiences on a global journey. Charlie and the Tropicales kept things island-inspired with special guest, violinist and Grammy winner Mireya Ramos, while organist Sam Fribush carried the late-night crowd deep into the groove.
The Naptown Block Party returned as one of the festival’s biggest highlights, filling The Jazz Kitchen with local heroes like the Tucker Brothers (featuring Steve Allee), Cathy Morris, Sam Butler & Garrett Fasig, and Bashiri Asad—all playing across two stages into the midnight hours.
Sunday night’s Jazz Meets Samba transported the audience into Afro-Brazilian traditions, with Magary Lord, Juliana Ribeiro, and Lasana Kazembe leading a joyful, rhythm-soaked journey.
Week Two Highlights
©️Mark Sheldon - Nuvo.net & ©️Angelo Martinez - Snaps Inc.
The second week featured dazzling artistry across multiple venues:
The Indianapolis Jazz Collective, with guest drummer and hometown native Rayford Griffin, brought fire and finesse.
Brandee Younger made her Indy debut at The Jazz Kitchen with her trio, enchanting the audience with harp, bass, and drums.
Across town, multi-instrumentalist and entertainer Gunhild Carling brought humor and virtuosity to a sold-out show at The Cabaret.
At Butler University’s Schrott Center for the Arts, the festival presented back-to-back powerhouse performances: first, the dynamic Lisa Fischer—famed for her soaring vocals with The Rolling Stones—delivered an emotional, genre-spanning set backed by pianist Taylor Eigsti and his trio. The following evening, Cuban piano master Gonzalo Rubalcaba and his trio brought breathtaking precision and Latin flair to the same stage, creating two unforgettable nights of music at the Schrott.
Trumpeter Keyon Harrold closed out Indy Jazz Fest’s Sunset Series with a powerful, soul-stirring set that blended groove, storytelling, and modern jazz energy—leaving the packed house on its feet and marking a perfect finale for the series.
The Grand Finale
©️Mark Sheldon - Nuvo.net & ©️Angelo Martinez - Snaps Inc.
The festival concluded on September 20th at Everwise Amphitheater at White River State Park, with four unforgettable performances that showcased the breadth of jazz influences.
Nicole Henry, backed by the Indy All-Stars, opened the night with elegance and soulful warmth.
Judith Hill and her family band lit up the stage with blues-rock energy and raw passion.
Multi-Grammy-winning trumpeter Terence Blanchard & the E-Collective reminded audiences of the deep roots and power of straight-ahead jazz.
Closing out the night, Brian Culbertson turned the amphitheater into a smooth jazz dance party—his band’s energy and showmanship sending the audience home on their feet.
A Festival for All
From start to finish, Indy Jazz Fest 2025 was a triumph—balancing international stars, local legends, and rising voices. With shows ranging from intimate club settings to open-air amphitheater stages, the festival once again proved why it remains one of Indianapolis’s premier cultural events.
Audiences laughed, danced, clapped, and connected—embodying the festival’s true spirit: jazz as community, jazz as celebration, and jazz as a living legacy.
As the Indianapolis Jazz Foundation looks ahead, Indy Jazz Fest remains more than a series of concerts. It’s a reminder of the city’s deep jazz heritage and its vibrant future.
This recap is based on “Indy Jazz Fest 2025 summary in Words and Images,” written by Mark Sheldon for NUVO.net (Sept. 29, 2025).
