This past weekend we had the pleasure of
attending the 17th annual edition of The Concert of Colors. The weekend festival is a celebration of
cultural diversity through the enjoyment of music, dance and unity. The festival brings together musical acts
from across cultures and across the world.
I thought I would present a few of the photos that I got on the first
day of the festival. 
Detroit heroes Ishmael Ahmed and Don Was
greet each other on stage at the start of the Detroit Super Session. Ish is the founding father of the festival
and has shepherded it through its 17 years of music and love. Don, a great producer and bassist, brought
together an extremely talented group of Detroit artists to make up the Detroit
Super Session II (as well as version one last year). Each of the artists/groups performed a song
during the two hour review. Don
contributes a lot of unheralded good to his hometown and we appreciate it.
Detroit blues star Thornetta Davis belts
out a tune for the gathered thousands.
Guitarist Amy Gore of Gorvette presents
an enthusiastic dose of Detroit Punk.
The Upscale recreate some Motown love
with their performance.
Detroit alt-country band Blanche gives
the audience their unique take on country music.
Detroiter and Stax recording great Sir
Mack Rice contributes Memphis Soul to the effort with his compositions “Mustang
Sally” and “Respect Yourself”
The entire cast of the Super Session
joined legendary Michigan rockers Teegarden and Van Winkle onstage, and with
the help of the thousands in attendance, filled the magnificent Orchestra Hall
with the sound of “God, Love and Rock and Roll”
Thanks to New Detroit, ACCESS, The Arab
American National Museum, and The Detroit Symphony Orchestra for presenting the
2009 Concert of Colors.
Kudos to Meijer, the Comerica Charitable
Foundation, AT&T, HAP, Ford, yelp, the Metrotimes, WDET-FM WHFR-FM, and the
Concert of Colors Groupies for stepping up to the plate in these hard times and
providing sponsorship for the festival. You guys hit a home run!!!!
Can’t wait for next year!
Thanks to
Debbie at Delicious Baby for continuing to deliver Photo Friday to us.
© Tim Marks all rights reserved
Great shots! You manage to get a lot of stuff I just can't capture because of the faster lens of yours :)
Posted by: Dominique | July 24, 2009 at 08:22 AM
those are great shots. You brought the festival to life, I swear I could hear the drums beating!!!
Posted by: marina k. villatoro | July 25, 2009 at 12:39 AM
I love how everything is infused with purple.
Posted by: Caitlin | July 26, 2009 at 01:53 AM
Thanks for the comments. The festival is one of the best I have attended. Such a variety of music!
Posted by: Tim Marks | July 27, 2009 at 01:03 PM