Monday, July 18, 2011

Martha Reeves and Other Detroit Greats Rock Out at Don Was All Star Revue












Saturday evening marked the third night of the city of Detroit's 19th Annual Diversity Festival, the multicultural and multi-genre Concert of Colors. Don Was' Detroit All-Star Revue concert venue was abuzz with performances from a variety of Detroit legends including Martha Reeves,Mitch Ryder, Melvin Davis and United Sound,Ivan Kral,Carolyn Striho, Black Irish,Jim McCarty and  jazz musician Wendell Harrison.

Most of them have been around for many years rocking the house down and waving various genres of the rock and roll flag. They all showed the packed house what they had, some even shook what their momma gave them while  exhibiting what has made many of them household names locally as well as recipients of international acclaim. Don Was with a Detroit cool and subtle panache wizzed his way around stage flipping hats between Masters of Ceremonies,guitar and bass acompaniment throughout most of the performances. Was is a producer and has been in the studio with  multiple Grammy Award winning singer-songwriter, Rolling Stone guitar god John Mayer, working on his upcoming release "Born and Raised" which is scheduled for an October release. While Was' presence on stage was subtle, there was no mistaking his maestro regard and respect among the artists who were a part of  his revue.

The stage was lit up for almost two hours with jazz,blues,rock,soul,funk and rock and roll with what sounded like a little folksy polka during the Striho set. Motown legend Martha Reeves with back up singers and dance routines in tow, rocked the house with an energetic performance of Dancing in the Streets. Her performance started out with great energy which had the audience dancing in the aisles and up front near the stage throughout her set. She was backed by two family members who were as energetic and full of enthusiasm as she.  A celebration of  her 70th birthday that night involved everyone in the house and a multi-layered cake was rolled out on stage along with directives to the audience to sing Happy Birthday. She thanked Don Was for inviting her, gave him a warm hug and appeared genuinely happy to be a part of the show.

Other show highlights included the performance by the legendary Mitch Ryder leader of the Detroit Wheels back up band. Mitch was joined by Detroit Wheel Jimmy McCarty who had earlier in the concert performed a stellar blues guitar on "Got to Help Me"  which received a standing ovation from the audience. Ivan Kral performed a song which he said he had to have someone special to write the lyrics.  He revealed that someone as Patti Smith in homage to the famous singer songwriter as he segued into a performance of the song.

Melvin Davis backed up by his band United Sound gave an electrifyingly soulful performnce and Black Irish a rock band nearly blew the roof off the Max Fisher Center with some rousing rock guitar. When the concert drew to a close, one of the show's organizers who came from the backstage area to celebrate Martha Reeves' birthday made a point of  making closing remarks to the audience which reminded me somewhat of the benediction of preacher gives the congregation at the close of a Sunday morning worship service.  He expressed thoughts of togetherness and harmony as he sealed the close of the concert with " remember we are all in this together."  It was a "Concert of Colors" to remember.

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