CONCERT OF COLORS MAKES HISTORY AT THE MAX

Sudanese Troup’s Performance Promotes Peace in Troubled Nation
Don Was Leads One-Night-Only Detroit Super Session

Dearborn – With a beat-driven lineup propelling its 16th year, the 2008 Concert of Colors promotes peace and respect through the universal language of music with four days of free performances at the Max M. Fisher Music Center, 3711 Woodward Avenue, in Detroit.

The 2008 lineup is all highlights, no filler, and very heavy on percussion. The artists represent diverse musical genres and regions of the world including Africa, India, China, Japan, the Caribbean, Europe, Native America and Latin America. The United States, especially Detroit, shares the global musical spotlight.

International activist pop star Buffy Sainte-Marie joins the Detroit Symphony Orchestra for the opening night performance at Orchestra Hall on Thursday, July 17.

Then, on Friday, July 18, get ready for gospel & soul legend Mavis Staples, the Master Musicians of Jajouka featuring Bachir Attar, contemporary polka purveyors Brave Combo, and the Senegalese hip hop of Gokh Bi System, among others.

It gets even more frenetic on Saturday, July 19. Performances by Rickie Lee Jones, the Machito Orchestra, Pharaoh’s Daughter, and Detroiters Soul Clique and Madame XD, are on the bill, along with some of the best-loved performers from Sudan using music and dance to draw global attention to the plight of their nation in Sudan United for Peace.

Sunday, July 20 offers the big finale with reggae stalwarts Toots & the Maytals, bluesy folk-rocker Michelle Shocked, zydeco master Terrance Simien, plus a once-in-a-lifetime Detroit Super Session on the Orchestra Hall stage, led by Motown native Don Was of Was (Not Was) and featuring John Sinclair, Lola Morales and members of Detroit bands including Black Bottom Collective, the Dirtbombs, Sisters Lucas and the Detroit Cobras.

Also included in the festivities are free public workshops to be conducted by Concert of Colors artists, as well as ethnic food booths, multi-cultural arts and crafts vendors, and the Meijer Children’s Tent activity area. A complete schedule and artist bios are available at www.concertofcolors.com. Information is also available by calling 313.624.0215.

The Concert of Colors comprises three distinct settings at The Max: the Chrysler Main Stage in acoustically superb Orchestra Hall; the Comerica Diversity Stage in the intimate Music Box; and the Outdoor Rhythm Stage, an outdoor venue set up on Parsons Street, which is closed to traffic. Performances inside the air-conditioned center ensure the show goes on, no matter the heat or precipitation served up by a Michigan summer.

All performances are free and open to the public; however, those willing to pay for reserved prime Main Stage seating throughout the festival may opt to become a Concert of Colors “Groupie,” a limited opportunity that also includes private “meet the artist” receptions and a Groupie tee shirt. The Groupie program debuted in 2006 with resounding success. Individual Groupies pay $100; a Couple of Groupies is $150. Registration information is available at www.concertofcolors.com.

Designed to celebrate the many ethnic and cultural groups that comprise metro Detroit, the Concert of Colors is produced in partnership by the Arab American National Museum, New Detroit, Detroit Symphony Orchestra and ACCESS (Arab Community Center for Economic and Social Services). New Detroit’s Cultural Exchange Network, a consortium of 50 community-based organizations representing metro Detroit’s communities of color also plays an active role. New Detroit, Inc. and ACCESS established the event in 1993 at Chene Park on Detroit’s riverfront. The Detroit Symphony Orchestra hosted the 2005 opening night program and came on board fully in 2006 when its Max M. Fisher Music Center became the host venue.

This event is made possible by generous corporate partners, including lead sponsor Chrysler and major sponsors Meijer and Comerica. Vital support is also provided by AT&T, DTE Energy, Polk, AAA Michigan, Ford Motor Company, HAP, New Detroit’s Cultural Exchange Network, and the University Musical Society. Media sponsors for 2008 are WDIV Local 4, Metro Times, WDET 101.9 FM, WWJ Newsradio 950, Great Stuff, WHFR-FM 89.3 and WUDT-TV 23 Univision Detroit.

The Arab American National Museum documents, preserves, celebrates, and educates the public on the history, life, culture, and contributions of Arab Americans. We serve as a resource to enhance knowledge and understanding about Arab Americans and their presence in this country. The Arab American National Museum is a project of ACCESS, a Dearborn, Michigan-based nonprofit human services and cultural organization. Learn more at www.arabamericanmuseum.org and www.accesscommunity.org.

The Arab American National Museum is a proud Affiliate of the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C. Read about the Affiliations program at http://affiliations.si.edu.

The Museum is located at 13624 Michigan Avenue, Dearborn, MI, 48126. Museum hours: 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Wednesday, Friday and Saturday; 10 a.m.-8 p.m. Thursday; noon-5 p.m. Sunday. Closed Monday, Tuesday; Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s Day. Admission is $6 for adults; $3 for students, seniors and children 6-12; ages 5 and under, free. Call 313.582.2266 for further information.

New Detroit is the coalition of Detroit area leadership addressing the issue of race relations by positively impacting issues and policies that ensure economic and social equity. Learn more at www.newdetroit.org.

Founded in 1914, the Detroit Symphony Orchestra performs September through June in Orchestra Hall at the Max M. Fisher Music Center, offering a variety of concert presentations appealing to people of all ages and musical tastes. It is currently the most widely heard orchestra in America, reaching millions of listeners weekly through its national radio broadcast series on XM Satellite Radio and on terrestrial radio stations across the country. Since the opening of The Max in 2003, the DSO has expanded its diverse programming to include poetry slams, chamber music, world music and other special events. For more information on the Detroit Symphony Orchestra’s programs, initiatives and concerts, visit www.detroitsymphony.com.