Rudy Finnell

Rudolph Finnell, Sr.

(December 8, 1946 - DOD)

Rudolph Finnell, Sr., bass player, music educator and jazz enthusiast, comes from one of the renowned musical families of Indianapolis. Fondly called “Rudy” he was raised on the near north side of Indianapolis attending IPS School #26 with Mr. James Compton where he played the baritone horn and tuba. He played tuba in the Arsenal Technical High School Band under the direction of Mr. Raymond Brandes and it was Mr. Brandes that encouraged Rudy to later become a music educator.

Listening to the jazz music of his brother and older sister, and with the encouragement of his older brother, Rudy started playing the string bass. He took private lessons in the home of Mr. David Baker prior to his professorship at Indiana University and expanded his musicianship under the excellent instruction of Mr. Tom Reynolds, principal bassist of the Indianapolis Symphony.  After graduation in 1969 from Indiana Central University, Rudy began his teaching career at West Side High School in Gary, Indiana as Orchestra and Assistant Band Director. He formed the Rudy Finnell Trio playing around Chicago, including behind vocalist Delphine Cortez. In Chicago he developed a friendship with bassist Rufus Reid who gave many tips on how to improve his concept of playing jazz.

After acquiring his master’s degree in music at the University of Iowa in 1977, Rudy returned to Indianapolis, accepted a teaching position at Manual High School and IPS School # 65, later transferring to Broad Ripple High School as Band and Orchestra Director in 1979.  At Broad Ripple, he grew the jazz program into Indianapolis’ finest performing high school jazz ensembles, achieved the following awards in Rudy’s twenty-four-year tenure: a. Twenty - one consecutive First Division Rating at the Indiana State Music Association Jazz Contest. b. Nine Sweepstakes Band Awards at the Indiana State University Jazz Festival. c. Five Honor Band and four Honorable Mention Awards at the Ball State University Jazz Festival.  During his time at Broad Ripple, his skill in developing student talent was remarkable.

In 1979, Rudy also started performing with Indianapolis’s legendary Mr. Jimmy Coe’s Big Band and small combo which he continued for seventeen years. He considers Jimmy Coe as one of his major musical influences and a mentor to many of his musical endeavors. Retiring from teaching in 2003, Rudy formed the Finnell Factor Jazz Ensemble, which was essentially a small, big band, that has performed during Black History Month at the Artsgarden, Jazz in the Park, Indiana Avenue Renaissance Festival and numerous gigs around town.