INDIANAPOLIS — The Indiana Historical Society (IHS) will host historian and musician Joshua A. Thompson as part of the Lacy Family Distinguished Lecturer Series.
“The Jazz State of Indiana with Joshua A. Thompson” is presented by the Lacy Foundation with support from the Indianapolis Jazz Foundation and Indy Jazz Fest. It takes place Thursday, Aug. 26 from 7 to 8:30 p.m. at the Eugene and Marilyn Glick Indiana History Center, located at 450 W. Ohio St. in downtown Indianapolis. The program will be presented in the Frank and Katrina Basile Theater.
The event will be an evening of music as historian and musician Joshua A. Thompson explores the musical roots of jazz from Richmond to Indianapolis. His presentation will be set to the sounds of the quartet Premium Blend.
Joshua Thompson is a pianist, social musicologist, teaching artist and producer. He is increasingly recognized on a national scale for his expertise on classical composers of African descent and the inherent cultural connectivity in the broader aesthetic of Black Arts movements. Thompson has a body of work that includes solo performances, theatrical productions and co-hosting the 2020 Best New Music Podcast, Melanated Moments in Classical Music with operatic soprano Angela Brown.
The event is free, but there is limited in-person space available. Registration is required, and reservations can be made by visiting indianahistory.org/events/the-jazz-state-of-indiana.
Attendees are encouraged to come before the show, from 5:30 to 7 p.m., to explore the exhibit “You Are There 1927: Gennett Studio.”