DETROIT'S OWN DON WAS, BETTYE LAVETTE HEADLINE EXPANDED CONCERT OF COLORS
Detroit All-Star Revue, Lukas Nelson & Promise of the Real, Susheela Raman, "Maraca" Valle, Mike-E & AfroFlow featured
New for 2011: four Midtown venues, Grimshaw poster, poetry, Detroit-themed lounge, after party, musical instrument drive
Among the diverse population of southeast Michigan are people whose roots connect to nearly every nation and tradition found on Earth. Once a year, they converge for a joyous musical celebration of that unique combined heritage at a beloved annual festival called Concert of Colors.
The 19th annual Concert of Colors – Friday, July 14 through Sunday, July 17, 2011 at multiple venues in Midtown Detroit – features a lineup almost embarrassingly rich with world music made by metro Detroiters and touring greats, as well as expert purveyors of musical genres, including rock, soul, jazz, hip hop and Motown, that could well be described as the indigenous music of the Motor City. All performances are free and open to the public.
Detroit-raised stars Don Was and Bettye LaVette lead the list of world-renowned hometown heroes on this year's bill, with Was reprising his always-SRO Detroit All-Star Revue, sponsored by Ford Motor Company, at 8:30 p.m. Saturday, July 16 on the Meijer Main Stage (Orchestra Hall) with 11 classic and contemporary acts. LaVette's incredibly powerful soul/R&B stylings will rock the Meijer Main Stage at 8:30 p.m. Sunday, July 17.
The 2011 lineup blossoms with a wide-ranging array of artists including Latin jazz master Orlando "Maraca" Valle (7 p.m. Friday, July 15, Detroit Institute of Arts Auditorium); East Indian jazz/soul songstress Susheela Raman (6:15 p.m. Saturday, July 16, Meijer Main Stage); Colombian folk/jazz fusion by Pablo Mayor's Folklore Urbano Orchestra (6:45 p.m. Sunday, July 17, Meijer Main Stage); southern-tinged rock from Lukas Nelson & Promise of the Real (7:15 p.m. Sunday, July 17, Comerica Diversity Stage) and the family-friendly hip-hop of Detroit's own Mike-E & AfroFlow (7 p.m. Thursday, July 14, Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History).
New to Concert of Colors for 2011 are spoken-word performances, some with musical accompaniment, presented by the Woodward Line Series, based at the Scarab Club, as part of Opening Night programming on Thursday, July 14.
This year's strong Motor City vibe at Concert of Colors is further celebrated by the limited-edition 2011 festival poster and tee shirt featuring an original artwork by legendary Detroit poster artist Gary Grimshaw. These items will be offered for sale during festival hours July 16-17 at the Max M. Fisher Music Center. Grimshaw and fellow Detroit artists Carl Lundgren, Jerry Wheeler, Sioux Foster and Leni Sinclair will all be on hand in the Center's Atrium July 16-17, selling their creative work and autographing purchased items.
Warm Motown hospitality will also be in abundance at the 2011 Concert of Colors, with a new Detroit-themed lounge area July 16-17, sponsored by Yelp!, at the Max M. Fisher Music Center, featuring only Michigan-made food and drink. The musical fun continues with a July 16 after party in the Paradise Lounge at the Center, with live music, dancing and refreshments, sponsored by Mills Entertainment.
To help ensure that future generations of metro Detroiters learn to play and enjoy music, Concert of Colors will collect new and gently used musical instruments from festival goers on July 16-17 on behalf of the Michigan State University Community Music School – Detroit, a sponsor, with the University of Michigan Detroit Center, of this year's outdoor musical presentations.
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The 19th Concert of Colors takes place Friday, July 14 through Sunday, July 17, 2011, at four venues in Midtown Detroit: the Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History and the Scarab Club, both on Thursday, July 14 and both new to the festival this year; the Detroit Institute of Arts on Friday, July 15, and at the Max M. Fisher Music Center on Saturday and Sunday, July 16-17.
This event is the result of an unprecedented programming collaboration among several of our area's leading cultural institutions, in celebration of and in service to our community. Concert of Colors presenting partners are: the Arab American National Museum and ACCESS in Dearborn, and the Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History, the Detroit Institute of Arts, the Detroit Symphony Orchestra and New Detroit, all based in Detroit.
All performances are free and open to all, because of significant financial support from companies that have long contributed to the quality of life in Michigan – lead sponsor Meijer, and sponsors Ford Motor Company, Comerica, Boji Group, University of Michigan, BioMed, Mills Entertainment, Henry Ford Health System and Michigan State University.
A formidable team of media sponsors, also dedicated to serving southeast Michigan audiences, has offered its promotional prowess to the 2011 Concert of Colors: Detroit Free Press; Detroit Public TV & WRCJ-FM; Yelp; WDET-FM, Metro Times; My Detroit Cable; Arab Detroit; WHFR-FM; and My Damn Channel.
The official source for all Concert of Colors information, including venues, schedules, performer biographies/links, partner info and sponsor links, breaking news and much more, is www.concertofcolors.com.
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2011 Concert of Colors schedule ONLY
Thursday, July 14
Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History
315 E. Warren Ave., Detroit
Doors 6:30 p.m.
Free admission + cash bar
Revue-style performances 7-9 p.m.
Mike-E & AfroFlow (African/hip-hop)
Steffanie Christi'an (rock/soul)
Amp Fiddler (soul/R&B)
BombaRica (Puerto Rican folkloric drum/dance)
Omowale African Drum & Dance Ensemble (African traditional)
The Woodward Line Poetry Series @ Scarab Club
217 Farnsworth St., Detroit
Free admission
7 p.m. Saladin Ahmed (narrative)
8 p.m. Audra Kubat (acoustic/folk)
8:30 p.m. Julie Patton w/ Paul Van Curin (poetry + guitar)
9 p.m. The Doll Hairs w/ Tom Orange (rock/alternative/improv)
9:30 p.m. Faruq Z. Bey w/ James Hart II & Scott Farrow (jazz + poetry)
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Friday, July 15
Detroit Institute of Arts
5200 Woodward Ave., Detroit
Doors 4 p.m.
Free admission; cash bar
4:30 p.m. & 6 p.m. Location TBA Mr. B's Joybox Express (blues/boogie woogie)
7 p.m. in the DIA Auditorium: Orlando "Maraca" Valle (Latin jazz)
9:30 p.m. in the DIA Auditorium: Film: From Britain With Love: Africa United
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Saturday, July 16
Max M. Fisher Music Center (indoor + outdoor)
3711 Woodward Ave., Detroit
Doors 2 p.m.
Free admission; food + drink $
DETROIT-THEMED LOUNGE
3rd floor Atrium, Max M. Fisher Music Center
No cover; open during Festival hours
Local specialty food + drink $
Sponsored by Yelp!
Meijer Main Stage (Orchestra Hall)
4:30 p.m. Raion Taiko (Japanese drum)
6:15 p.m. Susheela Raman (East Indian jazz/soul)
8:30 p.m. Don Was Detroit All-Star Revue (rock, soul, jazz and more)
Sponsored by Ford Motor Company
Martha Reeves; Mitch Ryder + The Detroit Cobras; Melvin Davis + The United Sounds; Wendell Harrison; Ivan Kral; The Brothers Groove; Jim McCarty; The Muggs; Billy Brandt + Sarana VerLin; Black Irish; Carolyn Striho
Comerica Diversity Stage (The Music Box)
3 p.m. Wisaal (Arabic/world fusion)
4:45 p.m. October Babies (Asian rock/soul)
6:30 p.m. Will Sessions (funk/jazz fusion)
8:15 p.m. Immigrant Suns (world rock)
10 p.m. The Layabouts (reggae/ska/rock)
The University of Michigan/Michigan State University Cultural Connection Outdoor Stage
2 p.m. FAR Senior Band
3 p.m. Seacht (traditional Irish)
4 p.m. Detroit Bellydance (traditional Arabic dance)
5 p.m. Heritage Works (African drum/dance)
6 p.m. ELLAS Band (traditional Greek)
7 p.m. The Klezmorim (traditional Eastern European)
8 p.m. Richard Rischar + Ling-Ju Lai (classical)
9 p.m. Charity (soul)
10:30 p.m. –12:30 a.m.
AFTERPARTY IN THE PARADISE LOUNGE
(2nd floor Atrium, Max M. Fisher Music Center)
No cover; cash bar
Live entertainment TBA
Sponsored by Mills Entertainment
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Sunday, July 17
Max M. Fisher Music Center (indoor + outdoor)
3711 Woodward Ave., Detroit
Doors 2 p.m.
Free admission; food + drink $
DETROIT-THEMED LOUNGE
3rd floor Atrium, Max M. Fisher Music Center
No cover; open during Festival hours
Local specialty food + drink $
Sponsored by Yelp!
Meijer Main Stage (Orchestra Hall)
4:15 p.m. Nanny Assis featuring Sean Blackman (Brazilian jazz/fusion)
6:45 p.m. Pablo Mayor's Folklore Urbano Orchestra (Colombian folk/jazz)
8:30 p.m. Bettye LaVette (soul/R&B)
Comerica Diversity Stage (The Music Box)
4 p.m. La'Ron Williams (storyteller)
5:30 p.m. Universal Expression (reggae)
7:15 p.m. Lukas Nelson & Promise of the Real (southern folk/rock)
9 p.m. Odu Afrobeat Orchestra (Afrobeat)
The University of Michigan/Michigan State University Cultural Connection Outdoor Stage
2 p.m. Linnea Powell (classical)
3 p.m. Tia Hanna (jazz/fusion)
4 p.m. To Hit Things (percussion duo)
5 p.m. BombaRica (Puerto Rican folkloric drum/dance)
6 p.m. Gratitude Steel Band (Caribbean)
7 p.m. Living Arts Youth Dance Ensemble (contemporary dance)
8 + 9 p.m. Hamtramck World Music Ensemble (global fusion)
In the Atrium at Max M. Fisher Music Center
2 p.m. Nanou Djiapo-Afrikan Drum & Dance (traditional African)
3 p.m. Nazarene Baptist Church Youth Choir (gospel)
www.concertofcolors.com