CHRISTOPHER WYZE 
AND THE TELLERS

In June 1928, pianist-singer Leroy Carr & guitarist Scrapper Blackwell made their 1st records together in Indianapolis. Their breakthrough,“How Long -How Long Blues,” established them as one of pre-war blues’ most influential partnerships.

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Nearly a century later, Indianapolis musicians Christopher Wyze & the

Tellers bring that music home with NAPTOWN BLUES, an 11- track salute to their hometown’s two greatest bluesmen.

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Recorded and mixed at Postal Recording in Indianapolis, about 2.5 miles from the duo’s first recording site, the album features ten Carr-Blackwell songs plus “Birthday in Jail,” Christopher Wyze’s reimagining of their 1929 recording “Christmas in Jail—Ain’t That a Pain.” With vocals, harmonica, guitars and acoustic bass, the Tellers preserve the music’s acoustic warmth while giving it a contemporary voice.

Includes CD, six-panel wallet and illustrated 24-page booklet featuring the Carr-Blackwell story, Indianapolis history, rare images, track notes, lyrics and recording details.

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For Wyze, this project is personal. Carr and Blackwell came from his hometown, yet their legacy remains underrecognized—even among musicians in Indianapolis. That disconnect sparked Wyze’s deeper dive into their story and music, driven by a clear goal: help today’s blues audience rediscover what Carr and Blackwell created, and why it still matters.

NAPTOWN BLUES follows two acclaimed Christopher Wyze & the Tellers releases. Their debut, Stuck in the Mud, earned Best New Artist Debut Album honors at the 2025 Blues Blast Music Awards. It and LIVE in CLARKSDALE also placed the band as the only artists with two releases in Roots Music Report’s Top 100 Blues Albums of 2025.​