The Wandering Photographer

18th Annual Detroit Concert of Colors July 16-18 2010

The exciting and fun Detroit diversity festival, The Concert of Colors, returns to for its eighteenth year. Presented by the Arab Community Center for Economic and Social Services (ACCESS), the Arab American National Museum, New Detroit, The Detroit Symphony Orchestra (DSO) and, new this year, the Detroit institute of Arts (DIA), the concert is intended to bring all of the cultures in metro Detroit together for a weekend of music, dance and fun.

 The festivities will start at 4:00pm on Friday, July 16^th at the DIA with a performance by the Detroit Symphony (a second DSO Performance will happen at 5:30) followed by the Mexican folk group Tien-Huicani at 7:00. Events Friday evening at the DIA will also include Free admission to the exhibit Through African Eyes: The European in African Art 1500-Present and a screening of a 1931 Spanish language version of the film Dracula.

 On Saturday the music continues down the street at the Max Fisher Music Center (The Max), home to the acoustically and architecturally exquisite Orchestra Hall. Performances on Saturday include traditional Irish folk, Reggae, and African and Jazz/Funk, all leading up to the Don Was Detroit All-Star Review.

 For the third consecutive year Don Was has put together an eclectic group of Detroit based musicians to entertain the festival goers. Each artist or group performs a piece and at the end, the ensemble comes out for a rousing finale. In past years the review has included funk, soul, country hip hop classic rock and punk. This year the line-up presents fifteen acts including Jimmy Ruffin, Gary Quackenbush, Kim Weston and Marshall Crenshaw. The Review is the highlight of the weekend for me. You can see video of the 2008 and 2009 review performers at the Don’s Wasmapolitan Cavalcade of Recorded Music.  

 On Sunday the festival continues with the DSO, conducted by Tito Munoz, highlighting soloist Simon Shaheen performing Shaheen’s composition Concerto #1 for Oud and Orchestra. Known for his expertise at Arabic and Western classical music, Shaheen will be a special treat for the Detroit audiences.

 Following a day of diverse music and talent (Asian, Electronic, Steel Guitar and storytelling included), the festival ends with two shows in Orchestra Hall. At 6:15 the Southwest Detroit Latin Super Session will entertain with a varied repertoire from south of the border, followed by the incomparable R&B and Gospel sound of Mavis Staples at 8:30.

 The Concert of Colors is a chance to meet new folk, listen to great music and have a fabulous time. For more information you can check out the festival web site or Dominique's informative article at the Midwest Guest Blog.

© 2010 Tim Marks All Rights Reserved

A Museum for Car Lovers in Auburn, Indiana

When we think of classic American made cars most of us immediately think of Detroit and Ford, GM and Chrysler. Another place to look is Auburn, Indiana, home of the Auburn, Cord and Duesenberg Museum. Founded in 1900, for the next 36 years, the Auburn Automobile Company manufactured luxurious performance cars for the upper crust of society. The museum is a paradise for car lovers of all stripes.

The Auburn company produced three name plates. The Auburn was the companies mainstay automobile and in 1903 a new one cylinder Auburn could be had for the princely sum of $1400. By 1932 a 12 Cylinder version of the Auburn could be purchased for $1425.

Introduced in 1929, the Indianapolis 500, inspired Cord was the first production front wheel drive car offered for sale. The price was about $3200. Within months of the introduction of the Cord models the stock market crash of '29 started the company's demise.

The third nameplate was to become the most famous of cars to come out of Auburn. Introduced at the end of 1928, the Duesenberg Model J was aimed directly at the top of the upper crust. Originally selling for $8500 (for the chassis only) Coach work was extra and started at $2500 and went up from there. The mid 1930's price for a completed car ranges in the "mid teens".  These were unbelievable prices for an unbelievable automobile.

The company also entered the fast growing airplane market. Manufacturing quality engines to put the country into the air.

By 1936 the great depression had devastated the company. the Auburn Automobile Company was sold in 1937 after producing just over 177,000 automobiles in its 36 year life span.

The Auburn Cord Duesenberg Museum (ACD Museum) is worth the visit for anyone with even the slightest interest in cars and the life of the rich during the depression. Many of the cars in the museum have a current value well in excess of $1 million. It is located in Auburn, Indiana, 20 miles North of Fort Wayne off of I-69. 

© 2010 Tim Marks all rights reserved