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

A mental health service organization teams up with the DSO, celebrating bass players, a festival of African culture and a sneak peak at Detroit Performs Live from Marygrove.

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

- [Announcer] Support for this program provided in part by the Kresge Foundation, The Cynthia and Edsel Ford Fund for Journalism at Detroit Public TV.

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.

- [Announcer] 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.

- [Announcer] Gregory Haynes and Richard Sonenklar, Nissan Foundation, and by contributions to your PBS station from viewers like you.

Thank you.

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

I'm your host, Satori Shakoor.

Thanks for joining me here at Detroit Public Theater's new home on Third Street in Detroit.

Coming up on the show, a day celebrating bass players.

We'll honor African culture as we look back on this year's African World Festival in Detroit's Hart Plaza.

And you'll get to see a performance from the new season of Detroit Performs Live from Marygrove.

But, first Kadima Mental Health Services clients work with musicians from the Detroit Symphony Orchestra to create a very special concert.

Let's see how the performance comes together.

(guitar strumming) ♪ Whenever the clouds roll away ♪ - [Shannon] Music is a way to connect with people.

♪ And the sun begins to shine ♪ - [Eric] There are people with gifts and talents and struggles like all of us have.

♪ I see my freedom from across the way ♪ - They're some of the most eager students I've ever seen and ever worked with, which really makes it enjoyable.

- I needed help.

My mom got me to come here, and it's helped me that they've had a lot of activities so I get out more, you know, talking with people, socializing.

- Kadima serves people who are struggling with typically chronic and persistent mental health challenges who need support to be able to live independently in the community.

Kadima's Creative Expressions program was started to provide the people we serve with opportunities to experience the arts and then to have that integrated with their formal treatment goals.

Studies go back years showing the benefit of participating in arts programming for people with mental health challenges.

We were introduced to a number of arts organizations, including the Detroit Symphony Orchestra, that come and work with people we serve.

- Music is important for therapy because it helps people get in touch with their emotions.

♪ When you walk through a storm, hold your head up high ♪ - [Shannon] We need to really feel in our lives in order to get better, and music just kind of helps that come out in a really honest way.

- Members of the DSO, they come to us and we interact, we play music together.

(clarinets playing) ♪ And it seems like ♪ - I sing songs, and I enjoy doing that.

♪ 'Cause it seems like, seems like ♪ - Many people with mental health challenges are exceedingly creative, and so we have a number of very talented singers and flautists and violin players and trombonists and clarinetists and piano players and more.

(trombone playing) - Well, for Joel, he plays trombone.

His dad was first chair in the DSO.

It's a great thing for him to be able to do.

He plays trombone and he plays keyboards.

For me, it's great to have a place to come sing.

♪ You're the meanest old woman that I ever seen ♪ - [Michael] We've been singing Hit the Road Jack, Ray Charles, and it's just a lot of fun.

♪ Hit the road Jack, and don't you come back no more ♪ ♪ What'd you say ♪ - Remember the two fingers on the right hand.

- [Eric] The DSO musicians spend time working on pieces that our clients are interested in working on and learning more about.

- You listen (drums tapping) and play.

(drums tapping) Listen, (drums tapping) play.

(drums tapping) - And then for some of our other folks who don't have a history of playing instruments, there was a music therapist who worked with them on some other skills that were integrated into their treatment plans.

And the music therapy piece isn't to be discounted.

For some of the people we serve, just engaging with a group in a group activity and learning some basic music skills or some more advanced music skills is a great way for them to be engaged in the project as well.

So many of the people that we serve have been discounted through their whole lives.

People don't believe in them or see the potential that they have, and what's been so wonderful about the musicians who are with us is they really see the potential there.

- They're just smiling the whole time when they're engaged, and they're doing something they really love to do, they're experiencing something new, and we try to plan the session so that everyone can be involved.

- When we're doing a song, they have me lead sometimes, like last time.

We had a lot of fun on Hit The Road, Jack.

♪ And don't you come back no more ♪ ♪ What'd you say ♪ - [Eric] In addition to us being able to spend some time with their friends and do something different, they're able to build some skills and build some confidence.

Often when we build and gain confidence in anything that we're doing, any of us, that translates to other areas of our lives.

- It's improved my confidence.

I've performed in front of a group.

It improves my confidence at karaoke, too.

♪ And it give so much love and it comes from the sky above ♪ - [Eric] We culminate this experience with a recital, with a performance, an opportunity for the people we serve to show to their friends and family what they've learned and what they've built.

(piano playing) We're doing the concert at the home of Janet Aronoff, who was one of Kadima's founders, and somebody who supported this project over the years I think the people who come to the concert are gonna get a wonderful musical experience, and it's an opportunity for everybody to see the people we serve as just that, as people.

- [Shannon] The participants here at Kadima have become much more confident with playing in front of other people.

- At first I was like, I had my eyes practically closed, but I was looking down at the lyrics, but then when I connected with the audience, I felt that was the best thing.

♪ Brand new day ♪ ♪ Brand new day ♪ - [Eric] I think one of the exciting things about this program is it's an opportunity for everybody to learn.

I think that the musicians are gaining a broader understanding of the world of mental illness.

- [Shannon] The people here at Kadima are just such interesting people and interesting to talk to and all have good hearts and are willing to learn.

- With a little luck, these sorts of programs can help reduce stigma and provide more opportunities for people to talk about mental health challenges and seek care.

We're thrilled these days more people are talking about mental health, are seeking out the care they need and getting the care they need, and it's imperative that we help people build up skills so they can live a rich and productive and meaningful life.

- Anybody interested in getting involved with Kadima who has some issues, come on out, get involved.

You'll thank yourself.

(guitar strumming) - Thank you, everyone.

(group applauding) - Detroit Bass Day is a yearly celebration created by legendary bassist Kern Brantley.

Hundreds of bass players of all ages, styles and genres get together to play in front of Detroit's Motown Museum.

This year, the ninth annual Bass Day event celebrated the 50th anniversary of the Motown hit Papa was a Rollin' Stone, made popular by The Temptations.

♪ Papa was a rollin' stone ♪ ♪ Wherever he laid his hat was his home ♪ - Detroit made Motown famous, and I live in Detroit, and I'm obnoxious.

(crowd cheering) I am proud, I am outspoken.

- [Reporter] It's a special day for the city of Detroit.

Motown, it's Detroit's annual Bass Day, as in that musical instrument.

- Today we have going on a wonderful, you hear it in the background, we have Detroit Bass Day.

You hear the horns, you hear the celebration.

This is all Detroit.

This is what we do, the music, the mayhem and the message.

So we're here today celebrating the 50th recording anniversary of Papa was a Rollin' Stone, the Temptations version.

That Grammy Award-winning song deserved to be honored.

♪ I know you're no good for me ♪ - [Reporter] World-renowned bassist and Detroit native Kern Brantley started Detroit Bass Day, inspired by the many legendary bassists that have come from Detroit who've influenced music around the world.

- Ralphe Armstrong that works with Mahavishnu Orchestra and Santana is a bass player from Detroit.

Nate Watts, the bassist for Stevie Wonder, is from Detroit.

Alex Al, bassist for Michael Jackson, is from Detroit.

Elton John's bass player Matt is from Michigan.

Byron Miller, who plays with Marvin Gay and Luther Vandross is from Detroit.

Lawrence Washington with Charlie Wilson is from Detroit.

Detroit has a lot of really prominent bass players, so we decided to come together here at Motown and give honor to Mr. James Jamerson, who was the Motown bass player who played on over 3,000 hit records.

We're also doing a tribute to the late Mr. Michael Henderson, Detroit bass player that just passed away, as well as bass player Reggie Canty and Volley Craig.

We got 50 bass players that's gonna gather here today, and we're all gonna perform Papa was a Rollin' Stone, giving a tribute to a song that came out 50 years ago this month, recorded right here at Hitsville USA in Detroit with The Temptations.

- The richness and the legacy of what Detroit specifically contributes to bass guitar worldwide is my explanation of Detroit Bass Day.

This is our ninth annual year.

Next year we're gonna do something crazy for the 10th, but we figured no one's ever had 50 bass players playing at the same time.

♪ Papa was a rollin' stone ♪ ♪ Wherever he laid his hat was his home ♪ ♪ When he died all he left us was alone ♪ ♪ Papa was a rollin' stone ♪ ♪ Wherever he laid his hat was his home ♪ ♪ When he died all he left us was alone ♪ - [Reporter] But today isn't just about celebrating the popularity of the Motown hit.

It's also about exploring deeper themes than the song itself, family responsibility and fatherhood.

This is Richard Tolman with the University of Michigan School of Social Work.

He's leading the Papa WAS Project.

- When we heard that there was gonna be a 50 bassist tribute to the song Papa was Rollin' Stone, we thought this would be a great opportunity to tell stories about fathers, and have 50 father stories to match the 50 bassists that are gonna play today about the song.

We've got spoken word artists who are gonna do poems about their fathers and about fatherhood and about fathering to bring that into it and to enrich the legacy of this amazing song that so many people resonate with.

- 30 years with me, three weeks at the hospital, forehead, I kissed it, his hand, I held it, thinking I'm still too young for these growing pains.

His breath was last to remain.

It left his body and filled my own life now reflects his impact on mine.

Thinking back, I was just a little kid, snotty nose, putting on his work boots, something fun to do, running in this errands just to spend more and more time with you, sitting at the kitchen table as you paid the bills.

I can only imagine the ticket for three kids.

Waking up on a school night when I heard you come home from Chrysler.

I knew you were tired, but still we secretly ate fries and spoke laughter.

Good nights you gave me kisses on my forehead.

That's the love I knew from my father.

- You know, I think there's a lot of misconceptions about fatherhood from not only society but fathers themselves.

We just want to provide an open space, a brave space for these men to come together so not only are they supporting one another but also supporting the development and the relationships of their family.

- We know there's so many stories of dads in Detroit and everywhere that are showing up for their kids, that are doing amazing things, meeting the challenges of being dads, and we wanted to tell all those stories.

A lot of the guys that experienced maybe father absence themselves, they dedicate themselves to being the kind of father maybe that they didn't have or that they wish that they had, and then they show up and make that happen.

- Just like the bass anchors the band, we're here to anchor and support Kern Brantley.

One Band Global, Kern Brantley, these 50 bass players, bass players everywhere, Motown Museum, and the message behind the music.

Papa was a Rollin' Stone was a song that while that that groove and that beat caught you, the message was one that made you think, and we're here today to celebrate both the beat and the groove as well as the message.

(exciting music) - The African World Festival took over Detroit's Hart Plaza back in July.

Two stages came alive with music, theater, poetry, dance, and more over a weekend.

There was also a marketplace filled with over 150 vendors celebrating African food and art.

Let's take a look back at this year's festival while we dream about next year's.

(drums tapping) - [Reporter] It was a journey through African culture by way of Detroit, the 39th annual African World Festival.

(drums beating) The festival was put on by the Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History.

Vendors from around the country and patrons from around Detroit and the Midwest packed Hart Plaza.

Njia Kai, Festival Director, helped put it all together, something she says takes a lot of planning.

- We do our very best to make this as wonderful an event and as full of variety and to pull from the full African world, because there's so many traditions, so much different music and presentations and culture and technology, and there's just a lot to pull from, and so we have a sampling here that we hope our community will come and enjoy and acquaint themselves with the variety and the deep richness really of the African culture.

- [Reporter] It's been years since the African World Festival was held at Hart Plaza.

- The last time we were here was 2011, so it's been quite a while since we were down on the river and we're happy to return.

We were happy at the Wright Museum and on the grounds and streets around the museum, but of course this is a venue made for this type of event, and as we continued to grow around the museum, it was time to make a move.

- Oh, I love it here.

I know it was down by the Afro-American museum and all there, that was was nice, but here it's more festive.

- I like this downtown better.

- [Reporter] What do you think about the selection in terms of all the African art and different things that it offered?

- Oh, it's a great variety here.

- [Reporter] So what brought you out here today?

- The festival is the one that brought me out here.

I do this every year at the Wright Museum, but this is the first time doing it here at the Hart Plaza.

That's what brought me over here.

- [Reporter] Originally from Liberia, Dauda Beretay traveled from his home in Columbus, Ohio to sell some of his African art collection here.

- [Dauda] The price on this in auction, 25,000 for that.

- [Reporter] 25,000?

You think you'll sell something like that?

That's a lot of money.

- For the right person that come, will like it, of course I will.

- [Reporter] The African World Fest had of a variety of vendors, for those who were looking to purchase high-end African art to those who wanted a small piece of African culture.

- Yeah, I got some African attires from Ghana, from Gambia, and we have some African shea butter for dry skin, blemishes, and we have African handmade fans from Ghana.

That's the one right there, you're looking at it.

You know, different stuff, you know?

Mostly for women.

- [Reporter] And of course there was plenty of food.

What are you cooking up here?

- Here is some jerk chicken and a curry chicken.

- [Reporter] What do you think about this food selection they have here?

- Outstanding.

- It smells awesome.

- [Reporter] After checking out the food, we checked out more art vendors and patrons like Katie Homant, who stopped by from Farmington Hills.

- It's been very welcoming, very open, a lot of diversity here, so I think that's great, and of course the vendors.

Donald Calloway has been a great friend, and I think that his displays are some of the best.

- [Reporter] Detroit artist Donald Calloway is selling his unique artwork.

- It's part of a series I call Rediscovery.

I'm taking objects, rediscovering them and transform into art.

The base of this is of a chair and parts of furniture and children's toys, and put it all together and make the faces.

- [Reporter] I see you ladies are out here showcasing some local offerings.

- We have Jafra Cosmetics, the international cosmetic company, and we have fragrances, body care, skincare is where we specialize in, actually.

We call it royal jelly for the skin.

Nature's perfect food.

- [Reporter] From African music (drums beating) to blues (upbeat music) and gospel performances, people were able to take a break from checking out what vendors had to offer to be entertained.

- This is actually my very first festival.

I'm enjoying it a lot.

I like all the different booths.

I especially like the earrings.

- Oh, it's good.

It's good for everybody to be able to get out and mix the mingle, and it's just outstanding.

- We appreciate the Wright Museum and all of the sponsors who support the museum and this festival so that we can continue to have this annual gathering that pulls people together like family.

- For more information about all of our arts and culture stories, go to our website at onedetroitpbs.org.

Thank you for joining me, and thank you to Detroit Public Theater for having us.

Make sure you stop by their new home for a show.

Now, do you feel that energy?

The beat's about to be bumping.

I'm leaving you with Junesflow's performance from Detroit Performs Live from Marygrove.

The season premiers Wednesday, October 12th.

I'm excited to see you then and next Monday.

Enjoy.

♪ Back when Seven Mile was lit, cars bumper to bumper ♪ ♪ East Jefferson was off the hook ♪ ♪ I mean Jefferson was smothered ♪ ♪ But then you hit the bridge, crossed over to Belle Isle ♪ ♪ We've been on the rock for two hours but only drove a mile ♪ ♪ Been working hard all week ♪ ♪ Couldn't wait to get to Friday ♪ ♪ In my CD player Anita Baker, Guy, Jodeci and Sade ♪ ♪ Oh man, your system bumping, your speakers sounding loud ♪ ♪ But these fifteens in my trunk ♪ ♪ Said they came to shut it all down ♪ ♪ Now dances come and go ♪ ♪ We know they change like the weather ♪ ♪ But we started something decades ago ♪ ♪ But can't nobody do it better ♪ ♪ And I would never lie to you, it ain't that easy to get ♪ ♪ But pay close attention ♪ ♪ Detroit long live Jit ♪ ♪ Yeah, yeah, yeah ♪ ♪ Somebody out there say this ♪ ♪ Long live Jit, long live Jit, long live Jit ♪ ♪ Let me hear y'all, long live Jit, long live Jit ♪ ♪ Long live Jit ♪ ♪ One time for the culture, two times for the love ♪ ♪ Three times for all our fallen soldiers ♪ ♪ The greats up above ♪ ♪ I'm a slave to the drums, mama look what I've become ♪ ♪ I've tried looking for competition ♪ ♪ But there seems to be none ♪ ♪ Six a.m. in the morning, we don't stop to the sun ♪ ♪ It's coming up, my number's up ♪ ♪ And we's just here to have fun ♪ ♪ You might not believe it, you might not even buy it ♪ ♪ But when you see the people move ♪ ♪ You might go home and try it ♪ ♪ I knew it like I was psychic ♪ ♪ Dope since flip phones and Sidekicks ♪ ♪ The rhyme you hear is classic ♪ ♪ And the moves you see are timeless ♪ ♪ And I would never lie to you, it ain't that easy to get ♪ ♪ But pay close attention, long live Jit ♪ ♪ Let's go y'all ♪ ♪ Long live Jit ♪ ♪ It is primarily done to Detroit techno music ♪ ♪ Somebody said long live Jit, long live Jit ♪ ♪ Long live Jit ♪ ♪ Long live Jit, long live Jit, long live Jit ♪ ♪ Long live Jit, long live Jit, long live Jit ♪ ♪ Long live Jit, long live Jit, long live Jit ♪ ♪ Long live Jit, long live Jit, long live Jit ♪ ♪ Long live Jit, long live Jit, long live Jit ♪ ♪ Long live Jit, long live Jit, long live Jit ♪ ♪ Long live Jit ♪ ♪ Long live Jit, come on, come on ♪ ♪ The club was lit last night, I mean everybody was there ♪ ♪ Adult DJ, no drama, bottles everywhere ♪ ♪ But then the music had sped up ♪ ♪ And everybody formed this circle ♪ ♪ The younger dude told the old school ♪ ♪ I'll take it easy, I won't hurt you ♪ ♪ The younger dude had the moves ♪ ♪ That was a shock to Big Sean ♪ ♪ What the old school began to do ♪ ♪ Made everybody turn their cameras on ♪ ♪ His beat was going crazy, I mean, how fast can he get ♪ ♪ I seen this dance before ♪ - [Announcer] You can find more at onedetroitpbs.org or subscribe to our social media channels and sign up for our One Detroit newsletter.

- [Announcer] Support for this program provided in part by the Kresge Foundation, The Cynthia and Edsel Ford Fund for Journalism at Detroit Public TV.

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.

- [Announcer] 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.

- [Announcer] Gregory Haynes and Richard Sonenklar, Nissan Foundation and by contributions to your PBS station from viewers like you.

Thank you.

(energetic music)