Sam Butler • "The Music Of" Art Blakey & The Jazz Messengers

Building on the success of its 2025 launch, we are proud to present the continuing "MUSIC OF SERIES" throughout 2026! Our mission is to consistently highlight some of the amazing talent in Indianapolis while paying tribute to the legendary masters that came before them.

This ongoing series is a great way to support the new sounds on the scene and actively continue the rich Indianapolis Jazz legacy for years to come.

Join us for the next installment celebrating the timeless music of Art Blakey & The Jazz Messengers! This particular show will showcase the incredible, hard-driving rhythms and thrilling horn lines of one of the most influential groups in hard bop jazz music. The band, featuring trumpeter Sam Butler, will perform iconic arrangements and compositions made famous by The Jazz Messengers.

Sam Butler is a professional jazz trumpet player, composer, arranger and educator based in Indianapolis, IN. He has performed all around the United States with various ensembles including Sammy Miller and The Congregation, the Buselli-Wallarab Jazz Orchestra, Sean Dobbins and the Modern Jazz Messengers, and the Visions Jazz Ensemble, which he co-leads with saxophonist Garrett Fasig. As the winner of the 2023 International Trumpet Guild Jazz Solo Competition and with two albums out as a bandleader, Sam is making a name for himself in the modern jazz scene. He is immersed in the blending of musical styles, and is creating a unique voice that includes folk, classical music, funk and jazz.