Cynthia Layne, a jazz and neo-soul vocalist who ranked among the most active and in-demand musicians in Indianapolis, died two years ago due to a recurrence of breast cancer in 2014. Layne was a main fixture to the annual Indy Jazz Fest since its debut in 1999. She frequently worked with keyboard player Reggie Bishop, drummer Kenny Phelps and saxophone player Rob Dixon, who is now both a performer and organizer for the Indy Jazz Fest. In an effort to pay tribute to her, Dixon, Bishop and Phelps, along with a number of outstanding vocalists, will play two very special shows on Friday, Dec. 22 honoring her memory.
Presented by Indy Jazz Fest and 24 Foundation, the Cynthia Layne Tribute concert will prove to be a wonderful event honoring Layne’s spirit and song. Both shows will be at the Jazz Kitchen, 5377 N. College Ave. The first show starts at 7:30 p.m. (doors open 5 p.m.) and the second is at 9:30 p.m. (doors open 9 p.m.) Tickets are available for $15 at www.thejazzkitchen.com.
“Cynthia Layne was a one of a kind vocalist who truly possessed the ability to connect with her audiences,” Rob Dixon said. “Moreover, her many fantastic original songs helped craft her unique and distinctive sound.”
“We are thrilled to have 24 Foundation ‘share a stage’ with these talented artists,” Mallory Walsh, 24 Foundation’s executive director, said. “Cynthia Layne’s legacy will continue to live on through the work of 24 Foundation in the Indianapolis community as we work to change the course of cancer locally and nationally.”
About Indy Jazz Fest
The mission of Indianapolis Jazz Foundation and Indy Jazz Fest is to preserve the legacy and promote the future of jazz in Indianapolis through education and performance. A celebration of community and culture that showcases jazz music in a variety of great venues across the city, Indy Jazz Fest has become a cultural icon since its start in 1999. With an increased emphasis on jazz education, Indy Jazz Fest has expanded from just one day to an entire experience, ultimately benefiting the Indianapolis arts community throughout the year by creating meaningful links between jazz education and the city’s jazz performance scene. Indy Jazz Fest is the preeminent performance event of Indianapolis Jazz Foundation and will ultimately reach upwards of 34,000 people through a combination of performances, workshops, school concerts, master classes, and community partnerships, as an integral cog in the Indianapolis arts scene. For more information, visit www.indyjazzfest.net.
About 24 Foundation
24 Foundation is a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit charity located in Charlotte, North Carolina with a mission to inspire and engage communities to make an immediate impact on the lives of people affected by cancer. Funds raised support organizations dedicated to cancer navigation and survivorship, including: Indiana University Health Simon Cancer Center, Carolinas HealthCare System’s Levine Cancer Institute, Levine Children’s Hospital, Ulman Cancer Fund for Young Adults, and the LIVESTRONG Foundation. 24 Foundation provides charitable non-competitive cycling and walking events – in Charlotte, NC, Baltimore, MD, and Indianapolis, IN – that are safe, fun and open to all levels of riding and walking abilities. For more information, call 704-365-4417 or visit www.24foundation.org.
