David Allee

The Jazz Kitchen Founder &
Indy Jazz Fest Director

Inducted into the Indianapolis Jazz Hall of Fame in 2012

David Allee

(March 24, 1969 - Present)

Raised in Indianapolis, David Allee took to jazz at an early age, mainly through listening to his father, pianist and composer Steve Allee, and his big band. Into his teens, jazz played a big part of his life as he joined the school bands at IPS schools #70 & #59 under director Carl Hungerford. Allee later continued at Broad Ripple High School jazz band under the direction of Rudolph Finnell and in the IPS All-City Jazz band under the direction of Anderson White and Jimmy Coe.

In 1990, Allee bought The Bike Shop, a local retail and repair bicycle shop that he worked at while still in high school. It was a combination of music and business that ultimately was the encouragement to open The Jazz Kitchen with friend Michael Slattery.

The Jazz Kitchen presents a wide variety of local, regional, and international jazz artists in an intimate supper club-style venue. Notable performers include Harry Connick Jr, Ray Brown, JJ Johnson, Jane Monheit, Maynard Ferguson, Billy Cobham, Diane Schuur, John Scofield, Soulive, James Moody, David “Fathead” Newman, Kamasi Washington, Dee Dee Bridgewater, and 1000’s more in their 29-year history. The Jazz Kitchen also features NOLA meets Midwest cuisine. Favorite dishes include Satchmo’s Etoufee, Not-So-Cajun Chicken, Spanish Paella, and Award-Winning Crab Cakes."

In 1997, Allee was a part of a group of jazz-minded musicians and community supporters who formed the Indianapolis Jazz Foundation. A not-for-profit organization that helps drive and support the Indianapolis jazz scene. In 2022, the organization celebrated 25 years of promoting jazz performance, education, and the jazz legacy of Indianapolis.

Allee is the owner of The Jazz Kitchen, which opened in 1994 to support local musicians and jazz fans in Indianapolis. At the time, the amount of high-caliber musicians in Indianapolis was vast, but the number of venues was relatively low. Now, nearing 30 years in business, The Jazz Kitchen presents 300+ shows a year varying in styles from jazz, blues, Latin, soul & R&B and is annually recognized as one of the “Top Jazz Venues in the World” by Downbeat Magazine.

In 2008, Allee was part of a group with partners Al Hall and Rob Dixon to assume the management of Indy Jazz Fest, helping keep the event alive. Allee has been the festival director since helping guide the programming and operations of this signature event of the Indianapolis Jazz Foundation.

Allee is a part-time trumpeter who regularly plays with Latin jazz pianist Pavel Polanco-Safadit and his 8pc band Direct Contact.

As of 2023, Allee is celebrating 30 years of marriage with his wife, Jami. They have two children, Isabel and Sam.

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