- Hi, I'm Satori Shakoor and here's what's coming up on One Detroit Arts and Culture.

A music festival brings diverse cultures together on Detroit stages.

Two friends join forces to spread the power of kindness and understanding, art on the body, and we'll cap it off with a fantastic musical performance.

It's all this week on One Detroit Arts and Culture.

- [Spokesperson] From Delta faucets to Behr paint, Masco Corporation is proud to deliver products that enhance the way consumers all over the world experience and enjoy their living spaces.

Masco, serving Michigan communities since 1929.

- [Advertiser] Support for this program is provided by the Cynthia and Edsel Ford Fund for Journalism at Detroit Public TV, The Kresge Foundation, - [Female Advertiser] The DTE Foundation is a proud sponsor of Detroit Public TV, among the state's largest foundations committed to Michigan focused giving.

We support organizations that are doing exceptional work in our state.

Visit dtefoundation.com to learn more.

- [Spokesperson] Nissan Foundation, and viewers like you.

(upbeat music) - Hi, and welcome to One Detroit Arts and Culture.

I'm your host, Satori Shakoor.

Thanks for joining me here at Collected Detroit, an art gallery on 4th Street, just off the Fisher Service Drive.

Collected Detroit is known for supporting and uplifting our city's creativity and talent.

Coming up on the show, a 30 year long friendship, combined with entertaining and thought provoking music, aims to spark social change.

An artist uses the human body as her canvas, and a performance by Monique Ella Rose.

But first, let's talk about the music festival coming to Detroit stages, starting July 16th.

The Concert of Color celebrates its 30th anniversary this year and is back in full force, live and in person, bringing in bands from across the world to our city.

Next up, we take a look back at how the Concert of Colors began, how it succeeded through COVID, and what we have to look forward to in the coming weeks.

- These are changing times that we live in when it comes to race and culture.

These are times when people are learning how to appreciate each other.

The good message in that is that we, ourselves can change.

(applause) - The Concert of Colors really is focused on the question of equity, diversity, and justice, and of course, music and art.

♪ That's when you do the things you do ♪ - [Ishmael] It's done in 24 of Detroit's major arts institutions.

as a festival, it brings in artists from all over the world, and of course has emphasis on Detroit artists as well.

The aim is to bring people together, to enjoy each other's communities and cultures and ways of life and to build respect for each other.

♪ We want peace in the world, we sing ♪ - We're celebrating our 30 year anniversary this summer and it began as a grassroots collaboration with neighborhoods and activists and trying to bring cultures of Detroit together.

Ishmael Ahmed, our founder for the festival, realized early on, as many of us do, that music is the great universal language, so to speak, and that people could really connect through experiencing other people's music, experiencing their culture, their food, their dance.

And so, the Concert of Colors began in parks, small neighborhood parks, and has grown through the years.

We were at Chene Park for a while.

We were with the DSO, and now we're homed and housed at the Detroit Institute of Arts.

And we are all over the Midtown area now.

(funky jazz music) - [Don] That's a really nice thing about Detroit and it, it creates an environment, where I think people are really honest with each other.

It's a, it's a very real city.

The music that comes outta here is very real.

And if you're not putting on any airs, you sort of look after each other a little bit.

(upbeat jazz music) - [Don] In my job at Blue Note Records, I'm moving around the world all the time, and it just feels like people are nicer to each other here.

I don't know how to put it any other way.

(inspirational music) - [Ishmael] In 2019, when we were planning, we were planning to do things exactly the same way, and when COVID started and really became a force to be reckoned with, it became clear that we couldn't do it the same way.

(upbeat music) We went to Detroit Public Television and asked for their help.

And they were there for us.

They made the difference.

Literally hundreds of thousands of people have seen the Concert of Colors, as a result of their work, getting the information out, and doing the programming, and then getting the programming to people, you know, was a mountain to be climbed.

- [Narrator] Recorded live from the Detroit Film Theater, inside the Detroit Institute of Arts.

It's the 29th annual Concert of Colors.

- [Christy] Detroit Public Television partnered up with the Concert of Colors to be the production team and helped bring all of these amazing performances into our homes.

We shot performances over three days, it was a heck of a production.

So, here's a look at just one of them, a performance from Last Gasp Collective.

(soft indie music) ♪ Saying and doing what you want to, want to ♪ ♪ And you don't ever come through, come through ♪ ♪ Enjoy your that I do, for you ♪ ♪ Baby when am I gettin'' into ♪ - The virtual programming was hugely successful.

We had 200,000 people watch and listen in 20 countries, 40 states, and of course the Detroit area.

(singing in foreign language) You can't be the same every year.

We have to change.

We have to learn, change, and apply.

- It's tough to deal with.

It's a lot for people to carry around and anything that helps you forget about your burdens and dance for an hour and a half, you should make a point to participate.

- Music is like I said, is a universal vessel.

And it's something that everyone can relate to.

And the transcend different cultural aspect, through music, is the greatest thing there is and that's what Concert of Colors do.

- [Ishmael] Change is hard for all of us.

And if we can cause change that makes a difference in people's lives, and the way they look at each other, and the way that they get together, the way they build trust with each other, and we can do that through music and art.

It's a big step forward for our community.

- You can head down to the Concert of Colors for some music, dancing, food and fun, July 16th through the 24th.

Next up two friends, a Reverend who grew up in the inner city of Detroit, and a former teacher who grew up in the suburbs of Plymouth, have been creating music together for the last 30 years.

Reverend Robert Jones, Sr. and Matt Watroba saw something special in the way audiences across the country reacted to their camaraderie on stage and the social education behind their music.

That's when they started Common Chords, a nonprofit organization focused on understanding shared values and commonalities among diverse groups of people.

We caught up with the duo to talk about Common Chord's mission at the Reverend's church, Sweet Kingdom Baptist.

♪ Well, this little light of mine ♪ ♪ I'm gonna let it shine ♪ ♪ Lord, this little light of mine ♪ - [Reverend] Maybe the main underlying message of Common Chords, is that we want to tear down the things that separate us.

♪ I'm gonna let it shine ♪ ♪ Let it shine, let it shine, let it shine ♪ We're more separate than ever, coming out of George Floyd, coming out of the election, coming out of the pandemic.

And so, there's so little communication, that we often talk about, okay, what is the one thing that we say that people don't have pushback?

Among those things is art, music, and stories.

Through your music and your art, I can experience your humanity.

♪ Oh, tell me what I said ♪ ♪ Tell me what I said ♪ ♪ Tell me what I said ♪ ♪ Tell me what I said ♪ ♪ Tell me what I said, now ♪ ♪ ♪ Tell me what I said ♪ ♪ Tell me what I said ♪ ♪ Oh, I think we should do that again.

♪ - [Matt] Common Chords did not spring out of nothing.

It sprang out of 30 years of traveling around the country with my best friend, reminding people that there are more things to celebrate than there are to fight about.

- [Reverend] So we have this friendship, and, you know, it's just our friendship.

But then, we start to see that there are people, who can't get past their differences, who cannot communicate unless they are carbon copies of each other.

And I think we started to realize that the same love of shared values that made us friends were applicable to other situations in the society.

- One of the things we started to notice about the work we did as a duo, was the stories we told, the educational aspects of the stuff we did, turned out to be the thing that, that actually makes us unique.

(guitar music) - With bluegrass, you had a guitar player by the name of Lester Flat, and Lester used to play something called the G Run.

Mr. Trouble, would you demonstrate the G Run?

- Every bluegrass guitar player at the end of the phrase would go (guitar riff) - Oh, that's pretty.

Would you do that again?

(guitar riff) Now you notice- - [Matt] So basically, when we decided to actually formalize it into like a nonprofit organization, the idea was to take what we've already done over three decades and put it into words and make an organization around it.

- [Reverend] So part of the idea of art is, and storytelling and songwriting, is that I can put my story into that song.

You experience a song, you learn more about me, I learn more about you, and then we can have a conversation.

So, this song is for my great grandfather.

His name was Will Cunningham.

(guitar music) ♪ Conecuh County, Alabama, 1925 ♪ ♪ Will Cunningham rode into town to get his week's supplies ♪ ♪ Now Will was a black man who'd fought in World War I ♪ ♪ And he'd face the smoke and powder ♪ ♪ But he never chose to run ♪ - [Matt] You know, when it comes to choosing songs for the performance, sometimes we don't even do full songs.

We'll just do snippets of songs that are examples.

We use the metaphor of a tree.

So, we'll say, imagine this big tree out in the middle of the forest and on this tree are all these different branches.

And each branch is a different kind of American music.

New branches off that tree seem to pop off every time people from diverse places share their music with each other.

- So we get a guy by the name of Son House, who's down in Coahoma County, Mississippi, and he's doing a song called Death Letter Blues.

And it's like (guitar music) ♪ I got letter this mornin' ♪ ♪ What do you reckon it read ♪ ♪ Said, hurry, hurry ♪ ♪ 'Cause the girl you love is dead ♪ ♪ Got a letter this mornin' ♪ ♪ Oh Lord, are you reckon, read ♪ - [Reverend] Rap is old.

Rap goes back to slavery time.

Then it came up through gospel, people literally rapping, and then jazz, it's called scatting.

So, Matt and I can show you that this stuff has a 200 year old plus foundation that's based in the idea of using the rhythmic word.

And that's just one genre that you can do that with.

♪ You know, I packed up my suitcase, took off down the road ♪ ♪ When I got there, she was laying out on the cooling board ♪ ♪ I inch up closer and I looked down in her face ♪ ♪ I say, hey, you nobody love you ♪ ♪ but I just can take your place and ♪ ♪ Seemed like ten thousand was standing ♪ ♪ 'Round funeral ground ♪ ♪ I didn't know how much I loved her ♪ ♪ 'Til they put and placed her in the ground ♪ ♪ Formed my own, and then I walked away ♪ ♪ I said hey, you know I loved you ♪ ♪ Have you seen your judgment day ♪ ♪ You know I woke up this mornin' ♪ ♪ It was about the break of day ♪ ♪ I was tuggin' on my pillow ♪ ♪ Where my baby used to lay ♪ ♪ And now I went to church ♪ ♪ Bowed down, I tried to pray ♪ ♪ But the blues come along, and they blowed my spirit away ♪ - [Matt] And for me, that message boils down to this idea that if it wasn't for the sharing of different cultures in our country, we wouldn't have the music we have.

And I think we hone that down into a presentation that has the ability to really have people leave a little different than they were when they got there.

- [Reverend] Hopefully, when you leave, you start to think about how many things that I thought were set-in-stone are now fluid.

- One of the things I got really excited about is this idea of not just saying, we hope that this fosters conversation, but we'll facilitate the conversation.

And what is it that drives fear?

It's the unknown, you know, it's, it's, if it wasn't for us meeting, we would've never probably had the courage to do it under any other circumstance.

So, I think one thing we can all do in honor of Dr. Martin Luther King, is to step out of that comfort zone.

- One of the ideas is to get to the point to teach perhaps like-minded younger artists that the music is a tool for change and that sort of coming off of that seed, we end up growing a garden that everybody can enjoy.

(guitar music) ♪ Could you love me, if I don't look like you ♪ ♪ Is it deeper, is it stronger ♪ ♪ Somethin' hidden, somethin' true ♪ - [Reverend] Use the music for healing, use the music for social change, use the music to tell a great story, to create bridges between communities.

- Everything Common Chords does will always have that idea, is how can we bring diverse people together to get to know each other, to hear each other's stories, to sing each other's songs?

- [Reverend] Common Chords doesn't solve all of those problems, but hopefully it causes us to question our answers to the point where maybe that little germ of a song, or that story, or that concert causes us to rethink some other things and reorder some things in our world.

♪ Oh, deep in my heart ♪ ♪ I do believe ♪ ♪ That we shall overcome someday ♪ - Sandra Epps is an artist, whose awe inspiring paintings bring joy to every person who receives them.

The catch?

The paintings are on her clients' bodies.

I sat down with Sandra during Detroit Performs Live from Marygrove to talk about her creations.

Welcome everybody.

I am thrilled to be sitting here with Sandra Epps of Sandy Land, and you're an artist.

- Yes, I am a artist.

I do body art and I do fine art.

The butterfly means so much to me.

I am a lupus survivor.

It attacked my central nervous system, my kidney, and my heart.

I was confined to a wheelchair.

This happened at the age of 14.

And when that happened, my self-esteem was affected by having this illness as a child and the rash that appears on a lupus patient's face, it's in the shape of the butterfly.

And that's where I gain my respect and love for the butterfly, because it also represents prosperity, of course, transformation, peace, and rebirth.

So much of my art has butterflies in it.

And that's where it comes from.

- [Satori] And how did your journey and experience with having lupus, how does that translate into your art for others?

- It's all about survival and celebrating.

I want women to celebrate who they are and how far they've come.

And that's what the journey is all about.

That's what creating, creating the art on women, especially.

I've painted women who have lupus.

I've painted women who are cancer survivors.

I've painted women who have lost all their hair from alopecia, but it's all about celebration and loving themselves because of how far they come and just being beautiful, unique individuals, as we all are big, beautiful and unique individuals.

- And so what have been the experiences of the women that you've transformed?

- Oh, that's the thing, transformed and to just go from having nothing on them at all and putting the butterfly on them and adding the bling and wings and costumes, they are happy.

They're happy and they're feeling good about themselves and that's what it's all about.

And it's just that form of celebrating them at that time and going on and feel good for the rest of the day and just as we've painted Joy today, she's getting ready to go out and go to the bank and go places.

And then people will say, oh, you look nice.

And so that makes you feel good.

I have done work with women who have had reconstructive surgery on their breasts and some who just didn't feel beautiful, you know, after that happened.

But after being painted, they feel good.

They're smiling.

The smile is big.

And that's what it's about, celebrating them where they are.

You can also always look back at the pictures, too and just, you know, it's another reminder of your road of surviving or, or growing through the process that you've, you've experienced.

And so, it's a reminder that they are growing forward and doing some wonderful things as they look back on that experience that they had with me and just feeling happy and joyful moving forward.

- [Satori] So, it took you two hours, but you talked about sometimes it takes six, but the detail, can you just convey to the audience, your experience in painting?

- [Sandra] It's one of those things, I listened to the spirit, you know what I'm saying?

I, it, because I had you sketch some things out, had all these designs in mind and I actually left the paper.

But as soon as I got here, it's just something that happens, you know?

And I, I work from spirit.

The longer I actually paint a person, the better it looks to me.

And I think I get a, a bit in a trance.

And not only that too, going back to the model, not only do they look good, but it's the gentle touch.

It's the touch that makes a difference too, touch, you know helps the lower, your blood pressure, and slow down, you know, helps with your cardiovascular.

You know, it just, it's good for you that touch.

I love doing the details 'cause that's what make it pop.

It's the little white dots, it's the glitter, it's the glitter lips, you know, it's those details to me and putting on the wings, adding those extra things, just make it a piece of art.

I make sure it's just all about them.

The focus is just on them, making them feel good.

And the experience is good.

When I get relaxed, and I get into it, I just totally focus on what I'm doing.

And you can even see the models or the person I'm painting, their breath just slows down because their eyes are closed, and they become really relaxed.

And then I have people who say it feels good getting painted as well.

It's relaxing.

- [Satori] You're painting on bodies, but obviously that translates to any surface, right?

Any kind of surface?

- Yes.

- So do you do other forms of art?

- Yes I do.

I originally had my BFA in Fiber Arts from Wayne State University.

So, I love painting on silk.

That's, that's actually my joy.

I really love doing that.

And so, as my business though, in my business, Sandy's Land, I host pillow paint parties, art parties.

So I create all the designs and then I, you know host parties where people, I teach them how to paint, but I create all the art for that and painting on wood.

I make boxes.

I do other things, fine arts things, you know, for projects that I create for my events that I host, because I host events as well.

- Is, is there anything else that you'd like to say?

- Staying conscious of being positive.

We want people to just, you know continue during this season, it's a tough season that we're in, but to always show love and respect.

Yes, for one another.

That matters.

Yes.

- Thank you for that.

And you have a website?

- My website is www.sandyslandllc.com.

That's www.sandyslandllc.com.

- Thank you so much, Sandra Epps, thank you for talking with us and for giving us all the gifts that you give us.

For more information on Sandra Epps, and all of our arts and culture stories, go to our website at onedetroitpbs.org.

That's gonna do it for us tonight.

Thank you for joining me and thank you to Collected Detroit for having us here at their gallery.

I'm going to leave you with a performance by Monique Ella Rose.

Enjoy, and I'll see you next Monday.

(jazz music) ♪ La da ta da ta da ta ♪ ♪ La da da da ta da ta ♪ ♪ Oh-ee ♪ ♪ La da ta da ta da ta ♪ ♪ Oh yeah ♪ ♪ La da da da ta da ta ♪ ♪ La da da da ta da ta ♪ ♪ There's no shame in how you make me feel ♪ ♪ It feels so unreal ♪ ♪ With you I know it's not a game ♪ ♪ Your love is indescribable ♪ ♪ You've been back for me ♪ ♪ You're my time in need ♪ ♪ And you never let me go ♪ ♪ Even when I was afraid to give you my heart ♪ ♪ You said trust my love will never depart ♪ ♪ Yes, you got me confident ♪ ♪ I didn't think this could exist ♪ ♪ No matter sun, nor rain ♪ ♪ You've been by my side ♪ ♪ My side ♪ ♪ It can't be denied ♪ ♪ There's no love like our love ♪ ♪ I don't want to know ♪ ♪ What life is like ♪ ♪ I don't want to know ♪ ♪ Without you by my side ♪ ♪ What life is like ♪ ♪ Only you and I ♪ ♪ Yeah, yeah ♪ ♪ I cannot get enough ♪ ♪ And this is beautiful ♪ ♪ I get butterflies ♪ ♪ When I hear your voice ♪ ♪ I know I made the right choice ♪ ♪ Your eyes are edible ♪ ♪ You are my home, man and then some ♪ ♪ We can weather any storm ♪ ♪ You see me for who I am ♪ ♪ From the purest place ♪ ♪ You will take me to outer space ♪ ♪ Just know that I'm all in ♪ ♪ 'Cause you have been ♪ ♪ My best friend ♪ ♪ Ooh ♪ ♪ No matter sun, nor rain ♪ ♪ You've been by my side ♪ ♪ Yeah ♪ ♪ By my side ♪ ♪ By my side ♪ ♪ It can't be denied ♪ ♪ Be denied ♪ ♪ There's no love ♪ ♪ Like our love ♪ ♪ Oh ♪ ♪ Don't wanna know what life is like ♪ ♪ Without you by my side ♪ ♪ I can't live without you ♪ ♪ Only you and I ♪ ♪ No, no, no, no ♪ ♪ I cannot get enough ♪ ♪ No matter sun, nor rain ♪ ♪ No matter sun, nor rain ♪ ♪ You've been by my side ♪ ♪ Yeah ♪ ♪ It can't be denied ♪ ♪ There's no love ♪ ♪ You, you, you, you ♪ ♪ Like our love ♪ ♪ Don't wanna know what life is like without you by my side ♪ ♪ Between you and I ♪ ♪ Yeah, yeah ♪ ♪ I cannot get enough ♪ ♪ La da ta- ♪ - [Advertiser] From Delta faucets to Behr paint, Macso Corporation is proud to deliver products that enhance the way consumers all over the world experience and enjoy their living spaces.

Masco, serving Michigan communities since 1929.

- [Spokesperson] Support for this program is provided by the Cynthia and Edsel Ford Fund for Journalism at Detroit Public TV.

The Kresge Foundation, - [Female Advertiser] The DTE foundation is a proud sponsor of Detroit Public TV, among the state's largest foundations, committed to Michigan focused giving.

We support organizations that are doing exceptional work in our state.

Visit dtefoundation.com to learn more.

- [Spokesperson] Nissan Foundation and viewers like you.

(upbeat music) (piano)