- Hello everybody, I'm Satori Shakoor.

Welcome to "Detroit Performs: Live From Marygrove," where Detroit's talented artists take the stage and share insight into their creations.

Today's episode is curated by Detroiter and spoken word artist, Joel Fluent Greene.

He's brought with him Tariq Gardner's Evening Star Trio, also known as The Evening Stars.

Stay tuned to see a solo performance from Joel Fluent Greene and a collaboration with the Trio, right here on "Detroit Performs: Live From Marygrove."

- [Announcer] Funding For "Detroit Performs" is provided by the Fred A. and Barbara M. Erb Family Foundation, Gregory Haynes and Richard Sonenklar, The Kresge Foundation, the A. Paul and Carol C. Schaap Foundation, the Michigan Arts & Culture Council, the National Endowment for the Arts, and by contributions to your PBS station from viewers like you.

Thank you.

(upbeat music) - Hello everyone and welcome to "Detroit Performs: Live From Marygrove."

I'm excited to be sitting here with the legend Joel Fluent Greene.

Hi Joel.

- Hey Satori.

- When did you discover that you wanted to open your own gift up and have other people have access to it and present other people?

- That's been my responsibility.

I think people did it for me.

When I started out at Cafe Mahogany or I was going to Pour Me Cafe, all these awesome places back in the day, I had people that opened a space and facilitated a vibe for me.

I know so many talented Detroiters, and I feel like once I started getting into certain venues like Music Hall or Detroit Public Theater, where I am doing a monthly now, places like that, I recognized the opportunity like this is a beautiful thing.

If it's just me on stage, I wouldn't make any money.

(laughs) You know what I'm saying?

I wouldn't really have the reputation I have in the city.

I wouldn't shine.

And you know, as a curator as well, it's really important to bring people to the stage and offer them opportunity to be themselves and do their thing and they'll do the same.

And that's how it keeps going.

You know, we set these examples, the examples follow, and then before you know it, it's like, boom, you know?

- And who have you curated and gifted us with today?

- Oh, Evening Star Trio.

Three talented musicians, young cats, all from the city doing their thing.

They vibe so well, their music is so cool and jazzy and funky and honest.

It's real jazz, like it's the kinda stuff you hear on WJZZ back in the day, you know, like that's the kind of vibe.

Like you're in a car on Belle Isle in the summertime and you're by the water, you know what I'm saying?

You're vibing to some really good jazz, and that's them.

- Thank you so much Joel.

- Thank you Satori.

- And now we're headed to the stage to hear a performance by Joel Fluent Greene.

- I was here, so I remember when downtown was dark.

The people also.

The sidewalks were barren.

The storefronts, they advertised wigs and gator shoes, and Dobb hats and pink ties, the hangouts were hidden.

And the eating was cheap.

The appreciation was deep for creatives like us when this grit was a way of life.

It wasn't a calling card, it wasn't a T-shirt, it wasn't a slogan, it wasn't another tattoo.

I was here, I remember you can't tell me shut.

I was here, I used to catch them cabs.

I used to walk up Grand River, I used to hop that Dexter, all the Hamilton just to show up in a ride with like minds who got there just like me.

Ha, I was here.

I did the art, we did the work, we set this whole thing up.

We passed the torch to our cuz, our kids, our neighbors.

Not the visitors, not the rich, not the occupying new occupants block.

I was here, so I remember when Midtown was narrow and the fun was so different, it was poor.

It was inexpensive.

I was here before my elders were displaced and the homeless were erased.

I remember something rugged, yet gentle, it made me who I am.

It made this black man from Detroit progress possible when Coney Island was the only option at the late night escapades block.

I was here, so I remember the smell of sewers, the steam on my steps, I'll never forget because I was present, I was here.

So I'll remember.

If I'm to talk about the corridor I know, that narrow suffocating stroll where street walkers in neon clothes or threads would prance down cast with them really tricky goals.

The darkness of it all still, 20 something years later, the danger of parking on 'em side streets still lurking.

The late night quest to visit main state buildings with shiny new names that reflect this new village, this commune of consumers with expensive bicycles, pop.

See, I just wanna be accepted.

Not as new, as authentic said the black man with the jitney before the Uber, before the Lyft, he was part of this economy.

Before that dichotomy this half called the nots, the other half called the gots.

And I won't forget the goats.

Nah, the characters, the dark rooms, the deep bass, the sale signs slapped on the backside of a ghost that cannot be revived, only replaced.

I'm familiar with all the haunts and all the crazy wild stories that took place, oh.

Kinfolk, this corridor I know spin me around blindfolded off any street off Cass and I swear to God, I'm gonna find my narrow butt way back home, ha.

Or maybe I'll find my way to the Bronx Bar, and perhaps that's preferable for this drowning of a sorrow, thoughts of friends I used to know.

When all of this shiny, it was raw, it was real, it was actually exciting.

See, I walked past that bar and I'd see the white and the black faces now older, still nameless, still way cooler than me, ha.

A punk song from my homeboy Crazy Dan for East Palmer and Woodward, right?

I regret that we never played chess on that old glass countertop, pop.

And I miss our conversations about our city, these rapid weird changes, the displacement of the seniors, the ordaining of that Caesar and the quickening of fever, pitching ideas over wood oven pizza.

Us fools, we should have thought bigger when the land was cheaper.

Our collective attention skewed eastern, this was our sacred raw speck of dust on that palm of Michigan.

And on that speck we were living microscopic simple dreams, simple sins.

But now, 20 something years later on my 40-something birthday, I remember being 21.

I used to be one of 'em fresh kids, right?

And now I have kids and I consume these bougie conveniences, expensive coffees, macaroons, and all that.

These good things I never thought that would come, hey.

You could call it a progress.

Me, I'm gonna call that a show thing, ride wide open for the right ones with that paper of green.

This is for my brother.

Jean jacket, a million buttons, the Kings of Cass, adorned is his crown.

And so to all the young misfits, promise to enjoy it.

treat each single alley like it's sacred and please, for the love of God, pick up your frigging garbage.

Pop in those new popups and hop on that gentry train.

But respect that bumpy road underneath that bike lane: Cass Corridor, the original name.

This last one is a personal favorite and it's written in the spirit of one of my favorite poets, who is Paul Laurence Dunbar, so here we go.

Of all the many dreams I hoard, tickets for flights I've yet to board where the soil is rich with words and joy.

The palms are weathered but still support.

The women weathered, yet still comfort.

Where leaves and fall they fall the cords and bees and spring don't sting, they sing, ha.

My lonely heart tethers to one escort.

My main has roots in dear Detroit.

Thank you.

- We're back from the stage from seeing that fantastic performance from Joel Fluent Greene, that was was fantastic.

- Thank you Satori.

- Hi Joel.

So Joel, what is a poet?

- Ooh, a poet, (clears throat) someone that expresses the things that we all think about and feel.

Maybe we can't find the words to say them, with words.

So maybe you're feeling a certain way.

I'll find the most nuanced, beautiful, heart wrenching, maybe, whatever way to say that and put it on paper or on a tablet or a laptop or whatever.

- Okay, so it's an empathetic soul.

- Yeah, definitely empathetic soul.

Someone that really can like see into people and understand feelings and emotions.

I like to really touch like Detroit chakras or personal chakras or relationship chakras.

Like little tiny things we think about, we can't really say and put into sentences or stanzas or whatever, so I do that.

- And what is your mission?

- You know what, for so many years I've like talked about being a bridge.

I talked about, and I'll still always do that, I'll still always educate.

I love those things about it.

But I think my mission right now is gonna be a little bit more selfish and to really showcase my talents and what I do.

Because for so many years it's been like, coming to the stage, this person doing slams and showcases and all these things, you know?

And sometimes you gotta really come into yourself and take that moment and like, 'cause I'm not getting any younger and I feel good and I think I look good, so let me just go ahead and get it in.

You know what I'm saying?

And like really go hard right now.

- Thank you very much.

- Thank you, Satori.

- Now we're headed back to the stage to see Joel Fluent Greene with Tariq Gardner and The Evening Star.

(steady music) - Yeah, this right here is called "Be More."

And I'm gonna perform it for y'all, here we go.

♪ Why can't we be more ♪ ♪ We want the same thing say we don't mean it do we ♪ ♪ Know why we ain't more we kids in the swing ♪ ♪ Back and forth gravity please ♪ ♪ Summertime in the city she wants to see mo' ♪ ♪ I want to be mo' ♪ ♪ We grown sweat the gangs fold the back and the forth ♪ ♪ And I don't right you wrong right ♪ ♪ In summertime in the city, she's hot to fifth fab shop ♪ ♪ and try it on run it for me ♪ ♪ I want to give her the most ♪ ♪ but what she means by the most ♪ ♪ Don't know.

And it's kind of messing with me ♪ ♪ like the heat.

♪ ♪ It's hot, too hot to get close to her ♪ ♪ 'cause when she in Detroit, she ain't messing with me ♪ ♪ When the game I roll to five, six, ♪ ♪ rolled again.

Three, four ♪ ♪ I'm good, I ain't messing with you ♪ ♪ Oh my god, watch so hard while I won ♪ ♪ A chick's hard headed miss ♪ ♪ Hard to get in.

Gotta get it, feel me ♪ ♪ God's grateful ♪ ♪ The taste of a lip, so no pessimist eh, BS ♪ ♪ Boo boo boo boo boo boo boo ♪ ♪ Next time it be stayin' stick around another day ♪ ♪ Since the time around my way wouldn't hurt your feelings ♪ ♪ If I'm willing to play the fool baby, it's just for you ♪ ♪ Crazy, but I guess I like a crazy life ♪ ♪ Like good times, go out too late ♪ ♪ Good things, we grown, we know better, better, better ♪ ♪ Been around the block.

Ain't around the block ♪ ♪ Plus the neighbor checks the old letter ♪ ♪ Ha!

Play in the fields, know better ♪ ♪ when the field ain't level ♪ ♪ We relate.

Why I hate Philly ♪ ♪ 'Cause if you really want what you say ♪ ♪ you can have what you want.

♪ ♪ It's in front of your face.

Nah, da, nah.

♪ ♪ Why can't we be more?

We want the same thing.

♪ ♪ Say we don't mean it, do we ♪ ♪ know why we ain't more ♪ ♪ We kids in a swing back and forth.

Gravity, please ♪ ♪ Hey, it's summertime in the city.

She wants to see more.

♪ ♪ I want to be mo.

Hot hot, we grown ♪ ♪ So with the games fo the back and the forth ♪ ♪ I'm right, you wrong, Feel me ♪ ♪ In summertime in the city ♪ ♪ city, city, city, city, city ♪ ♪ Hot in summertime in the city ♪ ♪ (scats) Hey summertime in the city, city, city ♪ ♪ (scats) Hey summertime in the city, city, city.

♪ ♪ Bring it out, right ♪ ♪ Shorty set me up for the fay yo ♪ ♪ Got me high said jump your fly.

Yo.

Whoa.

♪ ♪ Bridy put me up on her payroll.

♪ ♪ So I get up, go ♪ ♪ and grind on when that daylight comes, ♪ ♪ we say day yo can in dope to let go of.

♪ ♪ Right on baby said that.

♪ ♪ Check, send May yo got home envelope.

Say I owe what?

♪ ♪ He waving the choice.

She the queen ♪ ♪ of the swings like to play with your boy.

♪ ♪ I ain't the muse with the platinum.

Floyds with the poet.

♪ ♪ Need the muse.

So I let it enjoy up in the spot.

♪ ♪ She the talk of the town hold out.

♪ ♪ Feel good hand mines in my pocket.

♪ ♪ Love is to wait to the re to the people so ♪ ♪ that people go out and find love.

♪ ♪ Too easy.

Love ain't hard, but it ain't that easy.

♪ ♪ Love ain't hard, but it ain't that no love ain't hard.

♪ ♪ But it ain't that easy.

Love ain't hard, ♪ ♪ but it ain't that easy enough.

♪ ♪ Love ain't hard, but it ain't that hot.

Love ain't hot.

♪ ♪ But it ain't that easy enough.

♪ ♪ Love ain't hot, but it ain't that easy.

Love ain't hot.

♪ ♪ Come on.

And why can't we be more?

We want the same thing.

♪ ♪ Say we don't mean it.

Do we know why we ain't more?

♪ ♪ We kiss in her swing back and forth.

Gravity please.

Hot.

♪ ♪ The summertime in the city.

She wants to see more.

♪ ♪ I want to be more.

We ground towards the game.

♪ ♪ Back in the for right feeling.

♪ ♪ The summertime in the city, city, city, city, city, city.

♪ ♪ Summertime in the city, city, city.

♪ ♪ Hey summertime in the city, city, city, city.

summer ♪ ♪ city, city, city go ♪ (jazzy, funky music) ♪ Nah, back and forth please.

♪ ♪ So say the city wants seek wannabe both weak Bronx.

♪ ♪ What the gang fought the back and the forth outright.

♪ ♪ Strong.

Billy in summertime in cities, ♪ ♪ cities, cities, cities.

♪ ♪ Hey and summer time In cities.

Cities.

Cities and cities.

♪ ♪ City.

City.

Hey it's summertime in cities.

♪ ♪ Cities and cities.

And cities.

Hey, summertime in city.

♪ Hi ha, ladies and gentlemen of Detroit, Michigan and the whole world.

I gotta show some love to these brothers right here.

They go by the name of the evening of Star Trio and they doped in the mud.

That's what we say in Detroit.

A, A, a.

Show some love for Tariq Gardner on drums.

Hey.

(steady music) Yep, yes (jazzy, funky music) ha, (steady music) Detroit, show some love for Caelin Amin on the base.

(jazzy, funky music) (steady music) Ha!

Yeah, let's go.

Detroit.

And last but not least, show some love to the one and only Leroy Mickens on the keys.

Ha ha.

Yeah, yeah.

♪ I go, why can't we be more?

We want the same thing.

♪ ♪ Say we don't mean it.

♪ ♪ Do we know why we ain't more we kids ♪ ♪ in the swing back and forth.

♪ ♪ Gravity please.

It's summer time in the city.

♪ ♪ She wants to see mo.

I want to be mo, but we grown.

♪ ♪ So what?

♪ ♪ The gang folded back in and forth and I'm right you wrong.

♪ ♪ Feel me?

It's summertime in the city.

Sets the city sense.

♪ ♪ City.

City.

Summer time in the city.

The city.

♪ ♪ Hey it's summertime in the city.

♪ ♪ The cities and cities And cities city.

Ha.

♪ ♪ It's summertime in the city.

All right.

Oh y'all ha ha.

♪ ♪ You don't want me to do it?

Hey, we don't mean to do it.

♪ ♪ We don't mean to do it.

♪ (steady music) And I go by the name of Joel Fluent Green Yes.

Evening star Trio.

(slower jazzy, funky music) (music stops) (jazzy, funky music beat) (drum beat) (faster drum beat) (smooth jazzy, funky music) (steady music) (bass guitar) (steady music) (steady music) (keyboard playing) (jazzy, funky music) (music stops) - We are back from the stage from witnessing and hearing and enjoying that fabulous performance by Tariq Gardner and the Evening Star.

Welcome.

- Well thank you.

Thank you for having me.

Satori.

- When did you discover that you wanted to do play and be a part of music?

- Well, it is, it's been an interesting role over the years.

So I grew up in an artistic family.

My father's a abstract painter, an artist, and my mother's a upright bassist, Marian Hayden, plays bass in the group Straight Ahead, among many other projects around the city.

So it's been a part of my life.

The whole, you know, the whole way through.

You know, my, my godmother never let me forget that I used to sit on her lap during, during rehearsals while she was playing drums and just watching her and just being still as I could, just observing.

- And what did you choose today to, for this episode of for music?

- Today, we chose music from our upcoming record piece that I wrote myself a few years ago.

It's entitled Besos de Venus or Kisses from Venus.

- So tell me about The Evening Stars.

- We started up in 2019.

It was me, Caelin, and the saxophone is Jeff, Jeffrey, which, which you'll hear on our, on our upcoming album.

So the three of us we're kind of playing cordless because Caelin and I play a lot together with his pedal board.

He does like a lot of looping stuff and he can get a lot of textures out of the electric base that you don't hear all the time.

So we've made our shake with that and then we just started adding piece after piece and then finally we just decided to cut a record.

And we have like so much material to share.

We have so much material to share.

- Thank you Tariq.

- Thank you for having me Satori.

- And thank you for watching Detroit Performs Live from Marygrove.

See you next time.

- Funding for Detroit Performs is provided by the Fred A and Barbara M Erb Family Foundation, Gregory Haynes and Richard Sonenklar, the Kresge Foundation, the A Paul and Carol C. Scott Foundation, the Michigan Arts and Culture Council, the National Endowment for the Arts.

And by contributions to your PBS station from viewers like you.

Thank you.

(upbeat music)