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  Concert of Colors returns to Detroit August 2-9

Roy Ayers, Don Was, Ram, Souad Massi, Organic Orchestra and Other Greats At The 29th Annual Concert of Colors

An 8-Day Diversity Celebration: The Concert of Colors, The Detroit Institute of Arts, Detroit Public Television, WDET 101.9 FM with other cultural institutions expand free festival that returns as a hybrid: live, broadcast and streamed

DETROIT, MI – The 29th Annual Concert of Colors and partner institutions together announce the return of Detroit’s most beloved free, global music festival that will be a blend of live, broadcast and streamed events for eight exciting days Monday, August 2-Monday, August 9. The list of greats worldwide includes Roy Ayers, Melvin Davis, Souad Massi, Organic Orchestra & Brooklyn Raga Massive, and acts from Haiti, Japan, Uganda, and other countries. In addition, the Don Was All-Star Detroit Revue returns for a spectacular tribute to George Clinton.

Detroit Public TV-WTVS and WDET 101.9 FM will broadcast and stream headlining artists who are recording at The Detroit Film Theatre at the Detroit Institute of Arts (DIA) and on stages from their home countries. In addition, live music returns to Concert of Colors at Detroit’s Cultural Center institutions, including the Detroit Historical Museum, DSO’s Outdoor Sosnick Courtyard, Michigan Science Center, Scarab Club, and the Hellenic Museum of Detroit. Other events will also be streamed on YouTube, Facebook and www.concertofcolors.com. In classic Concert of Colors fashion, all events are free.

“As we all know, the world is craving concerts after being locked down for nearly 18 months,” said festival Executive Director and Founder Ismael Ahmed. “This year, we have curated an exciting eight-day festival of global music, art, food and cultural discussions that are live, broadcast and streaming. In addition, we get to dance to live music and enjoy broadcast concerts in our homes because of Detroit Public TV-WTVS and WDET 101.9 FM. The commitment and generosity by our partners and sponsors to create this year’s event during the pandemic is a gift not only to Detroit but to the world.”

”Returning this year is the Don Was Detroit All-Star Revue tributing George Clinton. Was is recording on the Detroit Film Theatre stage with the ensemble he curated featuring talents: Apropos, Dames Brown, Nadir Omowale, Jennifer Westwood, Coko Buttafli and The Mollywop Singers.”

Concert of Colors acts include Jazz great Roy Ayers, Organic Orchestra & Brooklyn Raga Massive with guest Hassan Hakmoun presenting Ragmala; Detroiter Jessica Care Moore, Algerian singer Souad Massi, Japan’s Minyo Crusaders, the Ukrainian quartet Dakha Brakha plus Sufi music, Jazz, Techno and much more.“

“The DIA is proud to once again partner with Concert of Colors in presenting this remarkable festival as a broadcast program to make it accessible to the widest possible audience in Metro Detroit and beyond,” said Salvador Salort-Pons, DIA Director. “Concert of Colors’ mission, to showcase musical traditions and innovations from Africa, Asia, the Middle East, the Americas and Detroit itself, is deeply resonant with the history and diversity of our community and is an invaluable cultural asset.”

As Covid-lockdown rules continue to fluctuate worldwide, several bands that planned to come to Detroit to record at the Detroit Film Theatre will instead record from their own countries, giving viewers a glimpse of fabulous stages on nearly every continent.

As the festival has always remained free, the event is created through donations, grants, sponsors, partners and volunteers. This year, a ‘donate now’ button has been added to the Concert of Colors website for individuals, corporations or nonprofit organizations who want to support music and art. Sponsorship opportunities are also available. To donate, visit: https://www.concertofcolors.com/donate

Generous Sponsors include the Kresge Foundation, AARP, Detroit Free Press, Arts Culture & Entrepreneurship, The Skillman Foundation, DTE Energy, Michigan.com, Mark Bernstein and Rachel Bendit Bernstein.

This year’s lineup announcement is made by Concert of Colors, along with its partners Culture Source, the Detroit Institute of Arts, Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History, Detroit Public Television, WDET 101.9 FM, ACCESS/Arab American National Museum, PBS, Michigan Science Center, University of Michigan-Dearborn, University of Michigan Detroit Center, Detroit Historical Museum, Detroit Symphony Orchestra, Detroit Excellence in Youth Arts, Keiga Foundation, Midtown Inc., Marx Layne & Co., Scarab Club, Detroit Science Gallery, Hellenic Museum of Michigan, New Detroit and College for Creative Studies.

The 29th Annual Concert of Colors 2021 Lineup (more acts are still being added) is:

MONDAY, August 2

6:00-8:00 pm STREAMED Arab American National Museum Presents: Concert of Colors Forum on Community, Culture & Race 2021 Concert of Colors Forum on Community, Culture & Race: What is Democracy? | The artists respond.
Partners: Keiga Foundation, DPTV, CultureSource
Keynote: Kristina Wong
Panelists:
• Dalia Basiouny
• Will Calhoun
• Dr. Nativo
• Aja Salakastar
Moderator: Charles Ezra Ferrell

The Concert of Colors Forum on Community, Culture & Race, one of the Arab American National Museum’s signature annual events, is a dynamic gathering of artists, activists and advocates who use art and dialogue as a tool for advocacy and community building. This year’s program will be presented virtually online. Breaking bread together is a tradition during this signature event; we hope you’ll tune in during dinner!

The Forum’s theme this year, What is Democracy? | The artists respond and speak directly to this year’s theme of the festival, Art & Democracy.

TUESDAY, August 3

11:30 am – 2:30 pm Detroit Historical Museum LIVE Detroit Historical Society Presents: Detroit Techno DJ ETTA w Gourmet Food Truck. (Techno & Food) 5401 Woodward Ave, Detroit.

A wonderful mix of Detroit techno and Detroit cuisine - outdoors! The Detroit Historical Society is excited to kick off its annual Lunchtime Techno series with Concert of Colors. Move to the beat of your own drum machine! Come hang out on Legend’s Plaza at the Detroit Historical Museum, grab a bite from the featured food truck, the Twisted Mitten, and vibe with DJ ETTA as she curates a mix that’ll satisfy your auditory appetite. Join the DHS team and our Midtown neighbors for food and fun!

WEDNESDAY, August 4

3:30 pm STREAMED Center for Creative Studies Presents: “Creative Boost” inspiring conversation series w/ guest speaker TBA. (Art/Conversation)

Afternoon Creative Boost, a new online speaker series. This series is for students, faculty, alumni, partners and friends of CCS. Infuse your afternoon with a quick blast of inspiration and conversation, featuring short talks led by some of the most influential leaders in creative and rapid growth industries. Streamed here:

https://www.collegeforcreativestudies.edu/community-outreach-and-engagement/creative-boost-series

4:00 pm LIVE Hellenic Museum of Michigan Presents: Aegean Roots (Greek music + food). Playing traditional Greek music styles before the bouzouki and rebetika, back to the roots. Inspiration from the Greek Islands and include songs from the mainland and Asia Minor. The Hellenic Museum is a proud partner with Concert of Colors and welcomes you to enjoy this concert of traditional Greek music, plus fabulous food and warm hospitality as it celebrates in its newly renovated courtyard. Also on view will be the Inaugural Hellenic Art Exhibition, a Byzantine Iconography, in addition to its permanent collection. Hellenic Museum of Michigan, 67 E. Kirby, Detroit (across from the DIA). https://aegeanroots.com/

THURSDAY, August 5

4:00 pm STREAMED University of Michigan Detroit Center Presents: Arts & The Public Good: The Resilience of Creativity and Community in Detroit. (Art)

Focus on Performing Arts (part two of a two-part “Town Hall” style virtual event beginning June 24). The ability of musicians, actors, artists, and institutions to practice, perform and exhibit was severely impeded by the pandemic. Yet, despite the challenges, many developed creative ways to stay active with their craft and engage the community. Join an interactive Zoom of the various ways artists and institutions have persevered and even thrived in 2020 and 2021. This will be a two-part Town Hall focusing on both the Visual and Performing Arts.

Part 1 - A Focus on the Visual Arts: Thursday, June 24, 4:00 pm (RSVP - June 24th: http://bit.ly/ArtsPGJ)

Part 2 - A Focus on the Performing Arts: Tuesday, August 3, 4:00 pm (RSVP - August 3rd: http://bit.ly/ArtsPGA)

6:40 pm (LIVE at the DSO’s Sosnick Outdoor Courtyard at the Orchestra Hall); 7:00 pm-9:00 pm LIVE & STREAMED Detroit Excellence in Youth Arts Stage (DEYA) and DSO Presents: DSO Civic Youth String Ensemble, Mosaic Singers from Mosaic Youth Theatre of Detroit, Heritage Works, InsideOut Citywide Poets. Singers/Spoken (Word/Dance.) Max M. & Marjorie S. Fisher Music Center, 3711 Woodward Ave, Detroit.

The Concert of Colors is pleased to announce its first-ever Youth Stage, in collaboration with DEYA (Detroit Excellence in Youth Arts), an initiative of the Children’s Foundation and the Detroit Symphony Orchestra, sponsored by the Skillman Foundation.

Performances by West African Dancers from Heritage Works, Singers from Mosaic Youth Theatre of Detroit, Musicians from a DSO Civic Youth Strings Ensemble and Spoken Word by Citywide Poets of InsideOut Literary Arts Project. In addition to cash awards for the winner and runner-up, the winner also receives a two-hour recording session with a professional sound engineer and a VIP tour of the Motown Museum. In addition, young people 11-18 years old can submit a video submission for the DEYA Launch Award for Solo Music Performance up until 11:59 pm on July 16th at yourchildrensfoundation.org/fundraising-initiatives/deya.

The Concert of Colors DEYA Youth Stage will be an annual event at the Concert of Colors highlighting excellence in Detroit youth arts. This year, due to Covid restrictions, the event will only take place on the evening of August 5th, with limited in-person attendance in addition to the streaming audience. In future years, the DEYA Youth Stage will be a day-long event featuring young Detroiters achieving arts excellence at schools, Community Youth Development organizations and youth programs by Cultural Institutions throughout the city
7:00 pm STREAMED NEW DETROIT, INC., Presents: R.I.C.E., a unique conversation on race coupled with a delicious culinary experience, Culture (Food & Conversation)
R.I.C.E. - Racially Inclusive Conversations from your Environment. During this virtual event, local chefs will prepare their favorite ethnic rice dish while conversing about community, culture and race. The broadcast for this event will occur on New Detroit's Facebook page with hosts Eric Thomas, Chief Storyteller for the City of Detroit and Marshalle Favors, Program Manager for New Detroit.

New Detroit, Inc. is a coalition of 58 corporate, nonprofit, and community leaders working to achieve racial understanding and racial equity in Metropolitan Detroit. Formed in response to civil unrest in 1967 at the request of then Michigan Governor George Romney, Detroit Mayor Jerome Cavanagh and business executive Joseph L. Hudson, Jr. to identify what went wrong, what needed to change, and how to make that change happen, today NDI provides thought leadership, policy advocacy, and direct services including facilitated conversations on race and customized training on racial diversity, equity, inclusion and justice.

9:00 pm WTVS BROADCAST Melvin Davis & United Sound, (Rock/Soul)
Melvin Lee Davis is a legendary, celebrated American bass player, vocalist, keyboard player, producer, TV composer and engineer based in Orange County, California. He is the music director for Grammy-award-winning artist Chaka Khan and has recorded with The Pointer Sisters, Lee Ritenour, Bryan Ferry, Patti Austin and Gladys Knight & the Pips. Influential, celebrated and known for his energetic performances, Davis has inspired musicians and audiences for decades. He co-wrote "Soul Train's a-Comin," the theme song for the television show Soul Train. Love, Truth & Victory was released through P-Vine Records.
Listen: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HoCZ_c8O150


10:00 pm WTVS BROADCAST Dr. Nativo. (Guatemala/Mayan music/Reggae)
Doctor Nativo is an artist from Guatemala. At just 13 years old, he embarked on a musical journey that has spanned continents and cultures. His music draws on many influences, including hip-hop and reggae flavor with a Latin vibe to create his unique Latin Reggae Cumbia sound. Doctor Nativo delivers a powerful message to his audience backed by an irresistible beat. His message is one of consciousness and spirituality transmitted to listeners through good vibes, explosive rhythms, and exhilarating sounds.

Through his creative use of Mayan language and traditional instruments, Doctor Nativo hopes to bring the ancient Mayan world into a modern-day culture, making it relevant for the new generation with his electrifying performance. Mayan culture has long been suppressed and unknown to mainstream society. However, in recent years, many Mayan elders are making an effort to share their sacred traditions with indigenous and non-indigenous peoples. He is committed to further developing La Escuela M.A.I.Z. and expanding the ILAN Foundation's work; two projects focused on consciousness-based education for the indigenous children living in Lake Atitlan communities. With his thought-provoking message, Doctor Nativo hopes to foster curiosity in the younger generation through workshops and Mayan ceremonies to learn more about their own culture and cultures from around the world. Listen: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C5bdRjlgqYk

FRIDAY, August 6

12:00 pm - 2:00 pm BROADCAST (WDET) Detroit Science Gallery Presents: Afrofuturism with live music and poetry, Made possible, in part, by MSUFCU
Detroit Science Gallery, together with WDET, presents a two-hour program on Afrofuturism in Detroit. The program features performances from three Detroit-based artists (all women) and interviews with the artists. Hosted by WDET’s Culture Shift’s Amanda LeClaire and Head of Programming for Science Gallery Antajuan Scott. Performers are:

Kesswa -Link to Performance
Kesiena Wanogho, aka Kesswa, is an interdisciplinary artist from Detroit. As a vocalist, producer, and music curator, her work integrates performance, sound, light, music, and mantra. Her most recent work, KESSWA UNLIMITED, blends surrealist visuals and the sonic elements of her debut EP, Soften. She has performed in support of avant-garde black artists such as Sudan Archives, The Sun Ra Arkestra, River Spirit, Rashaad Newsome, and Sterling Toles at institutions such as The Cleveland Art Museum, The University of Michigan Museum of Art, and the Detroit Institute of Arts. Her musical work has scored films such as Ahya Simone’s Femme Queen Chronicles and Jamil McGinnis and Pat Heywood’s Gramercy. Her collaborations include Allied Media Conference’s 2020 Opening Ceremony with featured artist Esperanza Spalding; Got Flicked (The Rebirth) from Boldy James; and Sterling Toles’ The Manger album; and an upcoming project with renowned music producer and percussionist, Shigeto.

Jordyn Davis Link to Performance
As a recent graduate of Michigan State University, Jordyn Davis is the first African-American woman to receive a Bachelor’s Degree in Music Composition from the university and the first graduate to receive a Bachelor’s Degree in both Music Composition and Jazz Studies concurrently. Davis spends much of her time composing and arranging music for film, chamber ensembles and symphony orchestra that have been performed at the Detroit Institute of Art, Peter D. & Julie F. Cummings Cube, Guarneri Hall - Chicago, the University of Michigan, Michigan State University, and more. As a bassist, she has traveled the world and performed at the Michigan Jazz Festival with the Black Excellence Trombone Choir, Bruce Barth, and Michael Dease. Additionally, she is the founder of an indie rock/neo-soul project called "Composetheway," which she founded in 2016 to express ideas about recognizing the importance of self-love and empowering others.

Natasha T. Miller
Link to Performance
Detroiter Natasha T. Miller is a performance poet, LGBTQ activist, film producer, and founder of the “Artists Inn Detroit.” Natasha has been a member of four national slam teams, starred in a national Sprite commercial, a Shinola CNN ad and a Women of the World Poetry Slam 3-time top five finalist. She has awed audiences worldwide at more than 100 universities and venues and has performed in stadiums for as many as 30,000 people. She has been featured in Vogue, Entrepreneur and other magazines. Natasha currently tours the world using her words to enlighten, create equality, and spread truth and forgiveness in the tradition of so many great leaders before her.

6:00 pm LIVE Scarab Club Presents Halal Metropolis Exhibition featuring Artist’s Talk, Opening Reception. Art The Scarab Club, 217 Farnsworth Detroit, MI 48202. www.scarabclub.org

Halal Metropolis explores the facts, fictions and imaginaries of the Muslim population(s) in Detroit and Southeast Michigan as viewed through historical and archival research, documentation of current conditions, and explorations of future desires. The Halal Metropolis alludes to the established and growing Muslim population in Detroit and its metro area, one of the largest and most diverse Muslim populations in the U.S., whose visibility is both pronounced and extremely present in the city, yet whose narrative seems unusually silent in the larger Detroit story.

6:00 pm LIVE AND STREAMED Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History Jessica Care Moore and Composer, De'Sean Jones, Title: WILD BEAUTY, (Music/Poetry.) Charles H. Wright Museum, General Motors Theater, 315 E. Warren Avenue, Detroit

Description: Jessica Care Moore explores themes of survival, love, isolation, loss and resiliency during an ongoing pandemic. A libretto, A prayer, a poem, a romance. The grounded poet explores love and possibility and leans into imagination, faith, and art to travel outside her physical realm to find peace. The title, Wild Beauty, is a nod to the great poet Ntozake Shange's last book, published before her death. For registration and more information, visit www.thewright.org.

Jessica Care Moore is the Founder and CEO of Moore Black Press and Executive Producer and Host of Black WOMEN Rock! An internationally renowned poet, playwright, performance artist, and live arts producer, she is the 2019 and 2017 Knight Arts Award Winner, 2019 Joyce Award Winner, 2016 Kresge Arts Fellow, NAACP Great Expectations Awardee, and an Alain Locke Award recipient from the Detroit Institute of Arts. Moore is the author of The Words Don’t Fit in My Mouth, The Alphabet Verses the Ghetto, Sunlight Through Bullet Holes, and her current title, We Want Our Bodies Back, was released by Harper Collins. She is the author of several plays, including the critically acclaimed Techno Choreopoem, Salt City. She has recorded with Talib Kweli, Jeff Mills, Karriem Riggins, Nas, Roy Ayers, Jose James, Young Jeezy, and more. She has performed all over the world, including stages in South Africa and Ghana, NYC's Apollo Theater, Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center, and the London Institute for Contemporary Arts. Listen: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCPk5p2MwPIfEIeRkVKoH2BA
8:00 pm WTVS BROADCAST DakhaBrakha, (Ukrainian)

DakhaBrakha is a world music quartet from Kiev, Ukraine. Reflecting fundamental elements of sound and soul, Ukrainian “ethno-chaos” band DakhaBrakha, creates a world of unexpected new music.

The name DakhaBrakha means “give/take” in the old Ukrainian language. Accompanied by Indian, Arabic, African, Russian and Australian traditional instrumentation, the quartet’s astonishingly powerful and uncompromising vocal range creates a trans-national sound rooted in Ukrainian culture. Live Soundtrack for “Earth”: In addition to their performances, DakhaBrakha also performs their original live soundtrack alongside screenings of the classic 1930 film, “Earth,” by Aleksandr Dovzhenko (considered to be one of the most influential films of the Soviet era). Dovzhenko is a master of composition, and the film is a passionate tribute to the countryside and the people that work on it. Listen: https://soundcloud.com/dakhabrakha

9:00 pm WTVS BROADCAST Concert of Colors Presents: RAM, (Haiti) RAM is Haiti’s preeminent band, founded by bandleader Richard Morse. With over 25 years of creating popular music, RAM recently released its 7th album, August 1971. Ancient folkloric drums intertwine harmoniously with Punk guitar riffs and swinging Caribbean melodies. Led by the entrancing singer, Lunise, it all combines a truly magical experience. The band has consistently gigged at the famed Hotel Oloffson in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, since 1990, where the performances are known to take on another dimension. People frequently describe a spiritual sensation when describing a RAM concert. You don’t simply go to a RAM concert; you experience one. Listen: https://www.youtube.com/c/RAMHaiti/featured

10:00 pm WTVS BROADCAST Minyo Crusaders, Music for the People, Japan - Japanese musical group that reworks traditional Japanese folk songs (min'yō) with arrangements inspired by various international music genres, including Caribbean, Latin and African music. The group was co-founded by Katsumi Tanaka and Freddie Tsukamoto, with the goal of reviving min'yō as "music for the people."
Listen: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mc1QgsEl6zI


SATURDAY, August 7
WDET 6:00 pm – 12:00 am and:

4:00 pm WTVS BROADCAST Keiga Foundation Presents: Freedom of Expression, Will Calhoun Featuring Ugandan dancer & choreographer Jonas Byaruhanga: The legendary Will Calhoun is a musical shaman and a graduate of the Berklee College of Music where he received his degree in Recording and Engineering and received in 2019 was honored the Alumni Lifetime Achievement Award. Will is a two-time Grammy winner (plus four additional nominations) with the genre-bending iconic Rock band LIVING COLOUR and produced Herb Alpert‘s Colors album and Mos Def’s Black Jack Johnson Project. In addition, Will toured and recorded with Harry Belafonte, Caiphus Semenya, Letta M’bulu, Mick Jagger, B.B. King, McCoy Tyner, Marcus Miller, Pharoah Sanders, Wayne Shorter (Highlife CD), Oumou Sangare, Ron Carter, Phillip Glass, Lauryn Hill, Stanley Jordan, Ritchie Sambora, Yasiin Bey aka Mos Def, Public Enemy, Mike Stern, Jaco Pastorius, Steve Vai, Paul Simon, Lou Reed, The Moroccan Gnawan Masters, and many others. 

Will has invested over 25 years of personal research in Mali, Morocco, Senegal, the Outback of Australia, Belize, and Northern Brazil to document and study the true history of the drums, rhythm, sonic vibrations, and impact on modern music. In addition, Will is an inventor and avid user of technology and its unique role in creating music. Three well-known creatives who continue to brainstorm with him are Jaron Lanier (Virtual Reality Inventor), Roger Linn, and Mario DeCurtiis. “Simultaneously studying the past and future of music/rhythm is essential in today’s musical environment.”  He’s spoken at prestigious universities and festivals across the globe.
Listen: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rLzfoW55JgA

Jonas Byaruhanga

World renown dancer, choreographer, and inspirational instructor Jonas Byaruhanga was born in Mbarara, located in Western Uganda. He started dancing at the age of six when he learned different Ugandan traditional dances. As a teenager, Jonas was involved in Namasagali Center productions and later joined Footsteps Dance Company in Kampala. He furthered his dance training at the Ecole des Sables (Senegal) under the direction of Germain Acogny.

Having gained a wealth of experience through workshops and collaborations with numerous internationally acclaimed dancers and choreographers, Jonas was encouraged to establish Keiga Dance Company. Since its inception, the company has evolved through the philanthropy of Dr. Chris Traidl into one of East Africa's leading dance companies and serves as the Resident Company at the Uganda National Cultural Centre in Kampala.

Jonas' love for dance and willingness to share led to the Keiga School of Dance establishment, which has rapidly become one of the premier dance studios in Uganda. Jonas has an infectious personality and continues to motivate and inspire young artists throughout the world by his dynamic performances and impressive troupe of highly talented dancers.

https://www.facebook.com/keigafoundation/videos/breathe-featuring-jonas-byaruhanga/796246444553364/

9:00 pm & 10:00 pm WTVS BROADCAST Don Was Detroit All-Star Revue Tribute to George Clinton

The Revue featuring Don Was, Apropos, Dames Brown, Nadir Omowale, Jennifer Westwood, Coko Buttafli and The Mollywop Singers.
Listen Dames Brown: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6M86tYcT0Ao
Nadir Omowale: https://youtu.be/c4G6IXI5GHc
Apropos: https://youtu.be/t36ZIa5ock0
Mollywop Singers: https://www.youtube.com/watch?app=desktop&v=nDxzWnbjVaM&feature=youtu.be
Isis Damil and Simon Winter https://youtu.be/nDxzWnbjVaM
and https://youtu.be/jxxjB0DUVGQ
Coko Buttafli: https://youtu.be/IL3AEBIseBM?t=273

Don Was: All-Star Revue Curator/Leader, Blue Note Records President, Multi-Grammy winner, Producer, Bass Player, Radio Personality of The Don Was Motor City Playlist on WDET 101.9 FM. One of Detroit’s most beloved celebrated leading musicians/personalities.

Dames Brown: Their show is a delicious buffet of non-stop, pulse-pounding, House Music that drives concert fans into a frenzy. The beat, the melody, the energy, the dancing, the vocals - it’s all there. Just sit back and enjoy the ride. From the United States to England, from Spain to Croatia, the ladies have performed at clubs and concerts where fans expect a spectacle, and Dames Brown delivers big time.

With extensive backgrounds in Jazz, R&B, Funk, Soul, and Gospel singing, they bring a wide range of musical stylings to their performances. They’ve performed as guest acts for the likes of Michael Franks, Parliament-Funkadelic, Soul Clap, and RZA of The Wu-Tang Clan with audiences in the thousands and headline their own.

Coko Buttafli: is a dynamic, eclectic vocalist who specializes in "Heavy Funk. Coko hails from Pontiac, MI. After getting a boost in her career singing with the popular funk band Will Sessionas, Coko works with different bands nationally and abroad recording funk, R&B, rock, and live performances. Coko has worked with Elzhi, Dennis Coffey, Funk Night Records, McKinley Jackson, Thornetta Davis, Gabe Gonzales, King Rooster, Misha Panilov, King Gordy, and The Soul Surfers and many others. Additionally, she headlined the St. Paul Trois Chateau Soul Jazz Festival in France.

Nadir Omowale: Eighteen-time Detroit Music Award winner and patriotic citizen of planet earth, popular Nadir Omowale is always tuned into the global conversation of politics, culture and change. His powerful music reaches across genres and political aisles – sometimes with a gentle, outstretched hand and occasionally with a clenched fist – always challenging listeners with a funk-inspired, Motor City sound that is as relevant today as Norman Whitfield and Barrett Strong were in the 60s and 70s. Nadir’s music represents the evolution and celebration of an ancient blues credo in that it tells stories for and from the heart. A reflection of all that is funky and joyful. The soulful vocals wrap up the package for an unforgettable listening and live experience.

Apropos: is a celebrated international recording artist whose innovative Modern Motown sound was best encapsulated by Grammy-winning, Hall of Fame songwriter Allee Willis: “If I could take Otis Redding and blend him with Marvin Gaye, throw in a whole lot of contemporary R&B, Hip Hop, and Funk that would be Apropos.”

Mollywop Singers: Mollywop! is a Detroit-based, genre-defying band led by Malik Yakini that plays hard-hitting original and classic funk, reggae, rock, hip-hop and more! The band features Aisha Ellis on drums, Ufuoma Akili on bass, Yakini on guitar and vocalists Ayodele Bakari, Simone Winter and Solar Liquid. In addition, multi-instrumentalist/vocalist King Mellow Man, vocalists Isis Damil and Venus Sky and emcees GMAC, Money Wellz and S.I.R.I.U.S. often complete the band's line-up. Mollywop! will release an EP titled "Rebel Music" in June 2017.

The singers are:
Simone Winter, Vocalist, model, dancer/choreographer.
Born and raised in Detroit, Simone displayed a passion for music and performing from the age of 5. She executed her Detroit Public School system skills in marching bands, dance, vocal recitals, and more. She is a Wayne State University grad, earning her B.A. in music/vocal performance. She is currently working on her solo project; Simone balances being an integral part of Mollywop and a vocalist/choreographer with the Nadir Omowale Band. Her performances are high-driven!

Isis Damil, Producer, singer, songwriter, entrepreneur, actress and Communications Professional. Isis is a new breed of musical artist who is comfortable in all musical genres while creatively making any style completely her own. She loves mixing styles of Jazz, R&B, Soul and Funk to create musical experiences for her audiences. Isis has performed in various venues and festivals in Detroit, Chicago, New York, Los Angeles, and Africa for the King of Ghana! She has graced stages with Brian McKnight, J Moss, Dave McMurray, Zion Yisrael and Mono Neon and more. She’s currently a member of Black Light Collective and Mollywop and recently released a solo single "Cry 4 Me" on all streaming platforms. She has two projects, Civil Love and Higher Standards, which has airplay and internet radio worldwide.

Ayodele Bakari, Ayodele Anyabwile Bakari/Craig Stephen Jones entertainer extraordinaire, with legendary talent in both
the lyrical and vocal realms. His musical career can only be described as the sultriness of Luther Vandross meets the consciousness of Bob Marley meets the depth of Sonya Sanchez. Being the musical voice for the grassroots movement for over 30 yrs his legacy began as lead singer and writer for the Detroit group; The Quickest Way Out, followed by The Dramatics. He would later make his own musical stamp as a music producer with the Pan-Afrikan group AFRIKA i.s.o.M. This group encourages critical thinking and activism. Today he serves as executive producer and lead singer/writer with the cross-generational breakthrough group Mollywop.

SUNDAY, August 8
WDET 3:00 pm – 9:00 pm and:

5:00 pm WTVS BROADCAST Organic Orchestra & Brooklyn Raga Massive wsg Hassan Hakmoun Presents: Ragmala (World):
For the past four decades, composer and percussionist Adam Rudolph has performed extensively throughout North & South America, Europe, Africa, and Asia. He has released over 30 recordings under his own name, featuring his compositions and percussion work. Rudolph composes for his ensembles Moving Pictures Octet, Hu Vibrational, and Go: Organic Orchestra, a 30-piece group for which he has developed an original music notation and conducting system. He has taught and conducted hundreds of musicians worldwide in his Go: Organic Orchestra concept.

Rudolph has performed with Don Cherry, Sam Rivers, Pharaoh Sanders, Muhal Richard Abrams, Shankar, Wadada Leo Smith, Philip Glass, Jon Hassel Omar Sosa and Fred Anderson. He toured extensively and recorded 15 albums with Yusef Lateef, including duets and large ensemble compositional collaborations. His compositions have been performed by the Momenta String Quartet, The Oberlin Percussion Group, Figura new music group, and the Odense Percussion ensemble.

Rudolph is known as one of the early innovators of what is now called “World Music.” In 1978 he co-founded Mandingo Griot Society, one of the first groups to combine African and American music. In 1988 he recorded the first fusion of American and Moroccan Gnawa music with Sintir player Hassan Hakmoun. Listen: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dc5UPWsa8Mo

6:00 pm WTVS BROADCAST Massi (Algerian singer) Often cited as one of North Africa’s greatest female singers, Souad Massi’s reputation is forged on a solo career that stretches back 15 years. It is driven by a fierce, politically inspired determination and upholds the values of freedom in its constant fight against injustice. Her songs are imbued with love, bravery and protest against intolerance. Following her last album, El Mutakallimûn, where she had brought back to life a selection of texts from great Arabic poets, Massi is back with a very personal project: Oumniya (“My Wish). In this new project, Souad sings about what touches her: women and their conditions through time and in the world. She raises her voice, hoping to fight, on her level, against the violence so many women experience, but also to be part of those seeking to find a new path: the path to independence and dignity.

Her musical choices are pure, universal, thus creating a bridge between chaâbi and folk music. Souad invites us to experience with her the source of her musical grounding, tinted by her genuine inclination for diversity. Listen: https://www.riotartists.com/artist-roster/souadmassi/

7:00 pm WTVS BROADCAST Roy Ayers (American Soul Jazz) Legendary American funk, soul, jazz composer, vibraphone player and producer. The Godfather of Neo-Soul, known for “Everybody loves the Sunshine,” “Searchin,” and “Running Away.” He’s been sampled by Tupac, Mary J. Blige, Erykah Badu, Ice Cube, Tribe Called Quest, and 50 Cent. One of the most respected, well-known jazz and R&B artists alive today. Listen: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Q0yHqKU2pY

5:00 pm WTVS, 6 pm, WDET FABIAN ALMAZAN + DSO STRING QUARTET

Tune in to the 29th Annual Concert of Colors for a one-of-a-kind global music collaboration! Cuban-born jazz pianist and composer Fabian Almazan and his ensemble join forces with a DSO String Quartet to perform Almazan’s composition Alcanza. This vibrant multi-movement suite fuses jazz and contemporary classical chamber music. Almazan’s band recordings from Perth, Australia, blend with DSO String Quartet recordings from The Cube in Detroit, MI, in this celebration of making music together while being physically apart.

Fabian Almazan Quartet
FABIAN ALMAZAN, piano and composer
JO LAWRY, voice
LINDA OH, bass
BEN VANDERWAL, drums

DSO String Quartet
HAI-XIN WU, violin
RACHEL KLAUS, violin
HAN ZHENG, viola
PETER MCCAFFREY, cello

MONDAY, August 9
Michigan Science Center Presents: LIVE Colors of the World. Weekend with Techno DJ and Laser Light Show on IMAX Screen, plus children’s activities in the daytime. Colors of the World explores many styles of music and samples cultures from around the globe. Showtimes: (37min.) 11am, 12 noon, 1pm, 2pm & 3pm.

3:00 -5:00 pm LIVE Scarab Club Presents: The Astro Mystic Sama Ensemble and Friends. Every soul became for me a musical note: An afternoon of Sufi song and Cosmic Jazz. Along with Halal Metropolis Exhibition. 217 Farnsworth, Detroit, across from the DIA

Low Riders of Detroit STREAMED.

For more information, visit www.concertofcolors.com
Facebook.com/concertofcolors
Instagram: @concertofcolors


 

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