The Detroit Sound Conservancy has set up an exhibit at the Detroit Public Library to honor the Graystone International Jazz Museum! I hadn’t heard of the GIJM or any of the history behind the place before helping out with the display. The museum was founded in 1974 by James Jenkins to fulfill an ongoing aspiration: to house […]
I am currently the Head of Education at the Detroit Institute of Education (DIME) but also a Lecturer at Oakland University. It was in that latter capacity that this past Fall I created, curated, and taught a class called “Detroit Music Heritage: Sounds of the City” in the Oakland University Honors College. The syllabus for […]
Michigan Sound Conference 10 am – 8 pm, Friday May 22, 2015 at the Detroit Public Library. Music, Arts & Literature Department, Third Floor This event is free and open to the public. Please RSVP and / or donate here. Call for Papers The Detroit Sound Conservancy (DSC) will host our second annual conference on […]
Photo above: DSC Vice Presidents LaVell Williams and Denise Dalphond in front of the Blue Bird Inn, Detroit. Conferences are not just for talking heads and academic circles. The conference can be a primary method of telling musical stories and documenting oral histories. The conference is also an effective tool for public exploration of themes […]
What ever happened to the Graystone Ballroom? For those who remember, or were lucky enough to be around during the heyday of the vibrant, African American community known as Paradise Valley, they know how important the Graystone was to Detroit. It was one the area’s main attractions. The Graystone Ballroom was a famous Detroit entertainment venue […]
We are pleased to announce the First Annual Detroit Sound Conservancy Conference on Detroit Music. CONSERVING SOUNDS: TELLING STORIES Friday May 23, 2014 at the Detroit Public Library. Our goal is to increase knowledge of Detroit’s vast musical legacy through education and reflection. The presenters and panelists are encouraged to explore a wide range of […]
One of our advisers and future contributors, Veronica Grandison, wrote a great article this week exploring the current state of musical mentoring in Detroit. At one point she says: “Whether it’s breaking out the sax to help a student practice scales, conducting private lessons, or leading a band, musicians play an important role in music […]
The Detroit Sound Conservancy began last summer 2011 initially as HEAR Detroit (which stood for History / Heritage Education Advocacy Research Detroit). At the time DSC collaborator Denise Dalphond wrote this on her blog “Schoolcraft Wax”: HEAR Detroit’s mission is to become a catalyst for indigenous musical preservation and historical advocacy in Southeastern Michigan. We […]