Earlier this year, WDET made a significant commitment to serving metro Detroit with updates to its programming designed to bring more local coverage and locally curated music to the airwaves as we celebrate our 75th anniversary year. The response to these changes was very positive, as measured by listener ratings data, membership feedback, fundraising metrics, and via WDET’s annual listener survey results.  

On Monday, Nov. 25, WDET will refresh its programming schedule again with changes informed by additional input from our community. Sixty percent of the new schedule will feature local programming — up from 51% previously. We’ll include more daily local coverage of news, arts and culture, with more input and call-in dialogue from our listeners on an expanded The Metro, more local and national reporting on Morning Edition, and more opportunities for listeners to hear our one-of-a-kind music programming every weekday evening with an expanded weeknight music schedule.  

Other changes include more music overnights with rebroadcasts of In the Groove Monday-Friday starting at midnight; Jeremy Hobson’s The Middle joins WDET’s roster of national current affairs programming; Fresh Air adds a Friday episode; and On Point, Latino USA, Fresh Air Weekend, The Treatment and Sound Opinions will occupy new time slots.  

After almost a decade of service to WDET listeners, Stephen Henderson will wind up his tenure as a daily host with the conclusion of the program Created Equal. The nationally syndicated show On the Media will also be discontinued.  

“We want to thank and acknowledge Stephen Henderson for his important contributions to our city and our station. Although Created Equal will no longer be a part of our schedule, WDET remains committed to pursuing stories that highlight the challenges of inequality and the promise of opportunity in our communities, throughout our programming and journalism,” said WDET Program Director, Adam Fox. “We are extremely proud and grateful for Stephen’s tenure at WDET, and we know Stephen’s commitment to our community will continue.” 

General Manager Mary Zatina noted that, valuing transparency, WDET leadership made the choice to implement these changes now, before our Holiday On-Air Fundraiser, which begins on Dec. 3 and runs through Noel Night on Dec. 7.

“Growing listener and member bases and delivering the exceptional programming expected from WDET Public Radio is important as we improve our financial stability for the next 75 years serving Detroit,” Zatina said. “WDET ended Fiscal 2024 in a deficit, and we are working hard to improve our financial position.”     

Listeners can view the updated program schedule here or by going to wdet.org/schedule on Monday.

View a summary of the programming changes below.

What if a radio show could almost feel as frenetically fresh as your Instagram feed? Welcome to MI Local: your one-stop shop for literally the latest in local music, particularly when a cavalcade of new releases comes tumbling into my inbox just in time for the show!

Pictured above, we have Mother Night, a new cinematic-sounding indie-rock quintet coming out of Ypsilanti; they have their debut full-length album, “Hungry Ghost,” out on Nov. 30, and we were able to premiere their lead single, “Looking Skyward,” before it even appeared on Bandcamp or iTunes (or elsewhere). Mother Night will perform an album release party next Saturday at the Dreamland Theatre in Ypsilanti.

One of my favorite new artists in town, Bluhm, recently released a full-length album, “Midnight Hill.” They were previously in-studio guests, earlier in the summer, where I interviewed vocalist and guitarist Claire Bluhm and multi-instrumentalist and producer Cameron John Marion. Bluhm will be releasing a new single, “Double Dream,” this Friday, but you can hear it — exclusively — on MI Local this week!

Singer-songwriter and music educator Audra Kubat will lead an impressive lineup of songwriters at this weekend’s “Friday Night Live,” at the DIA. Kubat is working on a follow-up to her 2019 album, “The Sliver and the Salve,” and (surprise) we were able to hear an unreleased track from this as-of-yet-untitled-follow-up, with a beautiful ballad titled “Hand and Leaf.”

But there’s more! Two local garage-pop trios, Zem and Prude Boys, are putting out a split EP, featuring three songs by each band. A digital release should be available on the internet any day now, but you can hear Zem’s “Finger,” and Prude Boys’ “Insane” on this week’s MI Local.

Plus, we heard the latest hip-hop track from happytree, the latest punk shredder from The Antibuddies, and a danceable electro-pop track from the project known as Haunted House!

• “Back N Forth” – happytree
• “EXT266” – Haunted House
• “Looking Skyward” – Mother Night
• “Imagine My Eyes” – Ronny Tibbs
• “Veterans Park Ice Arena” / “Arbor Oaks Park” – Timothy Monger
• “Double Dream” – Bluhm
• “New Forgetting” – Fred Thomas
• “First Place” – pia the band
• “Calloway” – Laurel Premo
• “Leaf and Hand” – Audra Kubat
• “Finger” – Zem
• “Insane” – Prude Boys
• “Verde” – Mooses
• “Mothman Live(s)” – The Antibuddies

I wanted the first hour of the show to feel like being wrapped in your favorite flannel around a bonfire because it is that time in Michigan… and man, did we nail it… as a team! Because your song selections for music you’re currently obsessed with DID NOT MISS.

Thank you for dropping those on the Groove hotline… PLUS! New music from Kim Deal, who is finally going solo after decades of being part of Pixies and Breeders and basically my musical upbringing. The new record is lovely. It’s called “Nobody Loves You More” and is out this Friday. This New York Times profile about her is lovely, too.

Also, new music from MJ Lenderman, Lola Young, Tyler The Creator and more.

Check the playlist below and listen to the episode for two weeks after it airs using the player above.

In The Groove with Ryan Patrick Hooper playlist for Nov. 19, 2024

• “Winterlong” – Pixies
• “Invisible Man” – Breeders
• “Nobody Loves You More” – Kim Deal
• “Are You Mine?” – Kim Deal
• “Gigantic” – Pixies
• “Into The White” – Pixies
• “Angels With Dirty Faces” – Los Lobos (Groove Hotline)
• “Keep On Keepin’ On” – Delvon Lamarr Organ Trio (Groove Hotline)
• “Green Arrow” – Yo La Tengo (Groove Hotline)
• “Wristwatch” – MJ Lenderman
• “Not” – Big Thief
• “Charlie (feat. Lil Yachty)” – Lola Young
• “Os Ancestrais (feat. Dom Salvador)” – Adrian Younge & Ali Shaheed Muhammad
• “Master Blaster (Jammin’)” – Stevie Wonder
• “Ghost Town” – The Specials
• “Stompin & Motorik’n” – Penza Penza
• “20th Century Boy” – T. Rex
• “Noid” – Tyler The Creator (In The Groove Pick of the Week)
• “Paranoid (feat. Mr Hudson)” – Kanye West
• “Still Life” – ALASKALASKA
• “Is It It or Is It I?” – Astrel K
• “Football” – Youth Lagoon
• “100 Years of Bill & Lil” – Joe Webb
• “What You’re Missing” – Shannon & the Clams
• “This Time Tomorrow” – The Kinks
• “Can’t Hardly Wait (Cello Version)” – Replacements
• “Hot Sun” – Wilco
• “Hive Mind (Speakers Corner Quartet Remix)” – Tirzah
• “Burn The Witch” – Radiohead
• “Canopy” – Charlotte Day Wilson
• “Cantar Das Kandakinhas” – Pedro Ricardo
• “Estación Esperanza (feat. Manu Chao)” – Sofia Kourtesis
• “Tjomme (DJ Koze Remix)” – José González
• “Second Wind” – Kadhja Bonet
• “Les Fleurs” – Minnie Riperton
• “Darkness, Darkness” – Kieran Hebden & William Tyler

Listen to In the Groove with host Ryan Patrick Hooper weekdays from noon-3 p.m. ET on 101.9 WDET or stream on-demand at wdet.org.

This week was a special The Foreign Exchange (TFE) tribute edition of The Progressive Underground as we celebrated the group founded by Phonte Coleman and Nicolay Rook back in 2004. We chronicled their rise from a groundbreaking duo to a game-changing music ensemble with a burgeoning record label and music movement redefining the sound of progressive soul and conscious hip-hop while providing a multifaceted platform for independent artists.

We played tunes from the TFE catalog as well as individual works of its members such as Phonte, Matthijs Nicolay Rook, Zo! aka Lorenzo Ferguson, Carmen Rodgers and Tamisha Waden, while also mining cuts from artists on the TFE record label like Sy Smith, Bemyfiasco and YahZarah St. James. Plus, some TFE-adjacent artists like Eric Roberson (the king of independent soul), Maurice Pirahnahead Herd & Tee Diviniti Smith, Tall Black Guy Productions and many more! We give TFE and their family tree their flowers and celebrate them for the musical movement that they are.

See the playlist below and listen to the episodes on-demand for two weeks after it airs using the media player above.

The Progressive Underground Playlist for Nov. 16, 2024:

• “Milk & Honey” – The Foreign Exchange
• “Brave New World” – The Foreign Exchange
• “Take Off The Blues (feat. Darien Brockington)” – The Foreign Exchange
• “Make Me Fool (feat. Jesse Boykins)” – The Foreign Exchange
• “Right After Midnight (feat. Sy Smith)” – The Foreign Exchange
• “So What If It Is” – The Foreign Exchange
• “We Are On The Move (feat. Eric Roberson)” – Zo!
• “Role Play (feat Bilal)” – Leron Thomas
• “We Can Fly” – Nicolay
• “Sweet Love (feat. Jeanne Jolly)” – The Foreign Exchange
• “The Answer” – The Foreign Exchange
• “If This Is Love (feat. YaZarah)” – The Foreign Exchange
• “Flight of the Blackbyrd (4Hero Remix) [feat. Phonte]” – Zo!
• “Love Come Save The Day” – YaZarah
• “Flowers” – Sy Smith
• “Close To You” – Art Nap
• “Pretty Little Love (feat. Lola Violet)” – BeMyFiasco
• “Saturday Night (feat. Carlitta Durand)” – Nicolay
• “Wonderluv” – Darien Brockington
• “Lifetime” – Bain
• “Follow (feat. Carlitta Durand)” – Phonte
• “The Beauty of Life (feat. Carmen Rodgers)” – Pirahnahead & Diviniti
• “Lifelines (feat. Dornik)” – Zo!
• “Body” – The Foreign Exchange
• “The Brightest Star (feat. Phonte & Carmen Rodgers)” – Nicolay
• “Why Do You Keep Calling Me?” – Sy Smith
• “Don’t Wanna Be Your Lover” – BeMyFiasco
• “Hold My Hand (feat. Phonte/Muhsinah & Darien Brockington)” – Zo! & Tall Black Guy
• “Funk in the Hole (Nicolay Remix)” – Roy Ayers
• “No More Waiting (feat. Creative Theory)” – Nicolay
• “Better” – The Foreign Exchange
• “Something” – Phonte & Eric Roberson
• “Count to Five” – Zo!
• “Asking for a Friend” – The Foreign Exchange
• “Sun Rings/Uprising” – Nicolay
• “All The Kisses (feat. Paris & Amber Strother of KING)” – The Foreign Exchange

I have a track for you that is steeped in soul, grit and the tenacity of hip-hop royalty. This week’s Pick of the Week comes from none other than Charyse Marshall, aka Mahogany Jones, a name that reverberates with authenticity, power and the kind of lyrical mastery that makes you sit up and take notice. She doesn’t just step onto the track; she commands it. And if you’ve been following her story, you know she’s been a force since her days on BET’s 106 & Park “Freestyle Fridays,” where she didn’t just compete — she became the first four-time undefeated champion, setting a high bar for freestyle.

From her early days in New York to her reign in Detroit, Jones has sculpted a career that transcends borders. As a cultural ambassador for American Music Abroad and the U.S. State Department’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, she’s made hip-hop a global language, representing not just a genre but a movement. And now, Jones is back with her latest single, “Go,” featuring the sultry, soulful vocals of Detroit’s own Monica Blaire.

This track is whole a vibe, a layered experience that dips into the underground while embracing house and techno with a remix from Roberto “Ma$terPeace” Peace. The synergy between Jones and Blaire is electrifying, their voices effortlessly weaving through rhythm and melody. Jones’ lyrics are fierce, thoughtful and uplifting, a reminder of the resilience and beauty of Black womanhood, while Blaire’s hook is pure Detroit, grounding the track in a sonic landscape that’s as innovative as it is soulful. Check it out:

If deep grooves and underground energy move you, tune in every Saturday at 6 p.m., when The Progressive Underground takes you on a musical journey through future soul, techno, deep house, nu-jazz and those rare grooves that keep the spirit alive. See you next time, peace.

Stay up-to-date with Mahogany Jones at mahoganyjones.com.

On this episode of Rob Reinhart’s Essential Music, The Decemberists capture our current political moment, plus classic Marvin Gaye, the late Laura Nyro‘s upcoming box set (with another Motown classic), and poetry from Lawrence Ferlenghetti + Ray Charles for an interesting mix!

See the playlist below and listen to the episode for two weeks after it airs using the media player above.

Rob Reinhart’s Essential Music Playlist for Nov. 16, 2024

• “One And The Same” – Thee Sacred Souls
  
• “Magnetic” – Tunde Adebimpe
  
• “Whipped Cream Daydream” – Tunde Olaniran
• “Nowhere To Run” – Laura Nyro
  
• “She’s Got What It Takes” – The Tragically Hip
  
• “America Made Me” – The Decemberists
• “Severed” – The Decemberists
• “Everything Is Awful” – The Decemberists
• “The Rest Of Me” – Michael Kiwanuka
• “In The City” – Lady Blackbird
• “Spirits” – The Devil Makes 3
• “Debra” – Beck (Midnight Vultures released this week, 1999)

• “Smoky Mountain DNA” – Dolly Parton
• “Dolly P/Jolene” – Beyonce
• “Ninety Three ‘Til Infinity And Beyonce” – Andre 3000
• “I’m Ready” – Nick Piunti & the Complicated Men
• “Never Alone” – Amythyst Kiah
• “My Kind Of Town” – Marvin Gaye (Hello Broadway released this week, 1964)
• “Sea Of Love” – The Honeydrippers (Vol. 1 released this week, 1984)
• “I’ll Go Anywhere” – Mustafa
• “Empty Trainload Of Sky” – Gillian Welch & Dave Rawlings
• “Tear My Stillhouse Down” – Gillian Welch & Dave Rawlings (Acoustic Cafe, 1996)
• “Sunshine Life For Me” – George Harrison & The Band
• “Milonga accidental” – Alisa Amador
• “Just My Luck” – Obongjayar
• “Pity The Nation” – Lawrence Ferlenghetti
• “America The Beautiful” – Ray Charles

Listen to Rob Reinhart’s Essential Music every Saturday from 2-4 p.m. ET on Detroit Public Radio 101.9 WDET and streaming on-demand at wdet.org.

On this week’s episode of Acoustic Café, Chris Smither is our in-studio guest, just as he’s turning 80! This is Chris’ eighth visit to Acafe, and the discussion and music is always brilliant.

Also this week, in-studio performances from our first year on the air (1995).

See the playlist below and listen to the episodes on-demand for two weeks after it airs using the media player above.

Acoustic Café Playlist for Nov. 17, 2024

• “Million Dollar Intro” – Ani Difranco
• “Memory Lane” – Elliott Smith
• “Man On A Boat” – Lady Backbird
• “Can’t Have It All” – Leon Bridges
• “Evergreen”– Soccer Mommy
• “Homegrown Tomatoes”– Guy Clark (in-studio performance, 1995)
• “Without A Leg To Stand On” – Cunningham Bird
• “All About The Bones” – Chris Smither (in-studio performance)
• “Still Believe In You” – Amy Helm (in-studio performance)
• “Sleepwalking Through Christmas” – Ben Folds
• “Let’s See Ourselves Out” – Amythyst Kiah
• “The Shadows’ – Laura Marling
• “Soulful Wind”– Nick Lowe (in-studio performance, 1995)
• “Re-Arson”- H. Sinno (SongWriter podcast)
• “The Boy And The Swan”– Jean Dawson
• “This Is How It Went” – Beabadoobee
• “Everyday Boy” – Joan Armatrading (in-studio performance, 1995)
• “Lotta Love” – Neil Young
• “Please Help Me I’m Falling” – Neil Young
• “I’ve Loved Her So Long” – Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young
• “The Action” – Keb’ Mo’ (in-studio performance, 1995)
• “Good Enough” – Joy Oladokun
• “Down In Thibodaux” – Chris Smither (in-studio performance)
• “In The Bardo” – Chris Smither (in-studio performance)

New music Friday with Vulfmon & Evangeline, Dawuna, Doves, Mk.gee, Jack White, O & the Mo… but I really gotta be honest — there were a lot of throwbacks today! That’s what happens when you fall back in love with Paul McCartney’s “Heaven On A Sunday” (the woozy cassette dub version), plus Jarvis Cocker, Broken Social Scene, Lake Trout, Velvet Underground & Nico, and more.

Check the playlist below and listen to the episode for two weeks after it airs using the player above.

In The Groove with Ryan Patrick Hooper playlist for Nov. 15, 2024

• “It Might Have To Be You” – Vulfmon & Evangeline
• “I Only Watch It for the Weather” – The Delegates
• “Baby I Got News for You” – Kelley Stoltz
• “The Summer Sun” – Chris Stamey
• “Black Magic” – Jarvis Cocker
• “Renegade” – Doves (In The Groove Pick of the Week)
• “Water’s Edge” – Tsunami
• “Venus In Furs” – The Velvet Underground & Nico
• “Vitamin C” – Can
• “TNT” – Tortoise
• “Sweetest Kill” – Broken Social Scene
• “Little Things” – Lake Trout
• “Heaven On A Sunday (Rude Cassette)” – Paul McCartney
• “Arrow Through Me” – Wings
• “Right” – David Bowie
• “Inner City Blues (Make Me Wanna Holler)” – Marvin Gaye
• “Got ‘Til It’s Gone (feat. Q-Tip & Joni Mitchell) [Ummah Jay Dee’s Revenge Mix]” – Janet Jackson
• “The Lovecats” – The Cure
• “DNM” – Mk.Gee
• “Farewell Transmission” – Songs: Ohia
• “Sunday” – Annahstasia
• “Cold Was the Ground” – The Limiñanas
• “Levitate Me (John Peel Session (3rd May 1988)” – Pixies
• “Todos Nacen Gritando (feat. Cate Le Bon)” – St. Vincent
• “Mi Mujer” – Nicolas Jaar
• “Red Right Hand” – Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds
• “Human Fly” – The Cramps
• “It’s Rough On Rats (If You’re Asking)” – Jack White
• “Poppin” – Dawuna
• “Make Way For The Sun” – O & The Mo
• “Hey” – Nilüfer Yanya
• “Bang” – Melenas
• “New York, Let’s Do Nothing” – King Hannah
• “Salvation” – The Limiñanas
• “New Beginning” – Automatic

Listen to In the Groove with host Ryan Patrick Hooper weekdays from noon-3 p.m. ET on 101.9 WDET or stream on-demand at wdet.org.

I first fell in love with Doves when their video for “Catch The Sun” was in regular rotation on MTV2. It was a gateway drug into a bunch of other stuff from folks like Grandaddy, who have always felt like some distant American cousin to Doves.

And I’m falling back in love with this trio from outside of Manchester and their latest single, “Renegade.” It’s the first taste of their upcoming album, “Constellations For The Lonely,” due out on Valentine’s Day (Feb. 14) next year. Drummer Andy Williams described it like this:

“Looking at everyone’s lives over recent years, and considering the news at the moment, ‘Renegade’ feels a lot more loaded in retrospect. We wanted to go for a dystopian feel, thinking about Manchester itself over the next century or so. A totally imaginary thing… ‘Blade Runner’ set in our home city.”

Easy to relate to that considering how often Detroit’s cityscape feels like “Blade Runner,” too.

Listen to the In The Groove song of the week below.

Listen to In the Groove with host Ryan Patrick Hooper weekdays from noon-3 p.m. ET on 101.9 WDET or stream on-demand at wdet.org.

Thank you to everyone that hung out underneath the sonic umbrella today for a rainy day mix on In The Groove… featuring new music from MATTERS UNKNOWN, nimino, Domo Domo, Aja Monet and others.

Plus, comfort classics from Barry White, Marvin Gaye, Wendell Harrison, Massive Attack and more.

Check the playlist below and listen to the episode for two weeks after it airs using the player above.

In The Groove with Ryan Patrick Hooper playlist for Nov. 14, 2024

• “Teardrop” – Massive Attack
• “Eloquence (feat. Miryam Solomon)” – Total Refreshment Centre & MATTERS UNKNOWN
• “100 years of Bill & Lil” – Joe Webb
• “Star Blanket River Child” – Brightblack Morning Light
• “Coffee” –  Yuna
• “Thin Lines” – Kidnap
• “I Only Smoke When I Drink” – nimino
• “Tonight (feat. Meshell Ndegeocello)” – Miguel Migs
• “Happening in the Streets (Domo Domo Rework)” – Domo Domo
• “Rocket Love” – Wendell Harrison
• “Autumn In New York” – Makaya McCraven
• “Ghost in the Machine (feat. Phoebe Bridgers)” – SZA
• “Mystery” – Turnstile & BADBADNOTGOOD
• “Alien Love Call” – Turnstile, BADBADNOTGOOD & Blood Orange
• “Underwater Boi” – Turnstile & BADBADNOTGOOD
• “Everything’s Beautiful” – Hiatus Kaiyote
• “Stay With Me Through the Night” – Fabiana Palladino
• “Loved” – Four Tet
• “Deep Dive” – Penza Penza
• “Why My Love?” – Aja Monet
• “Breeze” – Ashley Henry
• “Flowers” – Andrew Ashong & Theo Parrish
• “The Rain (Supa Dupa Fly)” – Missy Elliott
• “I Can’t Stand the Rain” – Ann Peebles
• “Rain (Vocal Remix)” – Kerri Chandler
• “100% Samba” – Rogê
• “Race Against the Sun (feat. Flavio Correa)” – MATTERS UNKNOWN
• “Freedom as a Heartfelt Song” – Work Money Death
• “Could Heaven Ever Be Like This” – Idris Muhammad
• “Playing Your Game, Baby” – Barry White
• “I’m Doing Fine (feat. Amp Dog Knight)” – Moodymann
• “Got to Give It Up, Pt. 1” – Marvin Gaye

Listen to In the Groove with host Ryan Patrick Hooper weekdays from noon-3 p.m. ET on 101.9 WDET or stream on-demand at wdet.org.

This week, we have interactive cultural experiences, artisanal holiday markets and festive celebrations for our beloved Lions.

Plus, opportunities to spend time with your favorite WDET personalities. Read on to learn more.

Cultural experiences

On Friday, Nov. 15, Dayton Contemporary Dance Company will perform “Moving Justice” at the Detroit Film Theatre inside the DIA. Rooted in the African American experience, DCDC is a company of innovative dance artists steeped in the spirit of Sankofa – retrieving from a rich past while venturing forward. The program will include “American Mo’,” a celebration of the exquisite pride and love that accompanied the marches of the Civil Rights era, and “Nourishing Routes,” a love letter to the ancestors who left breadcrumbs of wisdom for future generations to find, ingest and employ in the long march to justice. This performance is 90 minutes long and begins at 7 p.m. Tickets are $15. For more information, visit dia.org.

Also on Friday, Nov. 15, residents are invited to connect with the rich traditions of Michigan’s indigenous communities for a Celebration of Native American Culture from 7-8 p.m. at The Hawk Theater in Farmington Hills. This dynamic celebration will feature renowned Michigan performers and educators Reg and Marca Pettibone, along with special guests. Enjoy traditional drumming, songs, storytelling and various styles of powwow dance performed by champion dancers. This performance is open to all ages and tickets are $15. For more information, visit TheHawkTheatre.com.

Then on Saturday, Nov. 16, the DIA’s Friends of Asian Arts and Cultures auxiliary invites residents to an enchanting afternoon of culture and flavor with “Spiced Stories: A Celebration of Islamic Coffee, Tea and Cooking.” In connection with the special exhibition “The Art of Dining: Food Culture in the Islamic World,” this program will feature musicians playing instruments related to the exhibition, presentations about coffee, tea, and cooking cultures from the Islamic world, and delicious samples of food and drink to enjoy. Guests will experience the rich heritage and artistry of the Islamic world through a sensory journey that promises to be both educational and unforgettable. This program is free with museum admission and is open to all ages. For more information, visit dia.org.

Holiday shopping

The Jingle & Mingle Underground Holiday Market returns to Ferndale for its second year this weekend. In the basement of the doT parking garage on Troy Street and Allen, visitors will find a secret society of artists, makers, authors and bakers. This limited-edition market will be open for two days only — Saturday, Nov. 16 from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Sunday, Nov. 17 from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. For more information, visit undergroundferndale.com.

Related: Jingle & Mingle Underground Holiday Market organizer Mark Loeb joins The Metro

The 9th Annual Royal Oak Market: Art Fair Edition will take place indoors at the Royal Oak Farmers Market on Thursday, Nov. 21 and Friday, Nov. 22. This festive event will feature 60 jury-selected artists, live entertainment, food vendors and alcoholic beverages for those over 21. The market will be open from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. both days. For more information, visit theguild.org.  

This is also your last weekend to take advantage of the DIA’s Museum Shop Double Discount Days. Now through Sunday, Nov. 17, DIA Members are invited to enjoy an exclusive 20% discount on all purchases, as well as free holiday gift bagging for all gift purchases. For more information, visit dia.org.

Lions celebrations

Statler French American Bistro, located just feet from Ford Field, will be hosting a Tailgate Patio Party on Sunday, Nov. 17 as the Lions take on the Jacksonville Jaguars at home. Guests can enjoy BBQ ribs and brisket along with mac n’ cheese, coleslaw and drink specials as a live DJ brings the energy up. The patio will be open starting at 10 a.m. and kickoff is at 1 p.m. There’s no cover charge but reservations are encouraged. For more information, visit statlerdetroit.com.

Then, keep the Lions pride going at the Detroit Historical Museum with their new exhibit, “Detroit Lions: Gridiron Heroes.” In partnership with the Detroit Lions and showcasing artifacts from both the team’s collection and the Pro Football Hall of Fame, this exhibition explores the franchise’s fascinating roots as well as the NFL of the 1930s, the team’s period of dominance in the 1950s, Hall of Fame-level star power players, and the Dan Campbell-led gritty Lions of today. The exhibition is on display now through August 2025 on the second level in the City of Champions Gallery. Admission to the museum is $10 for adults, $8 for seniors, students, active military and first responders, and $6 for children. For more information, visit detroithistorical.org.

Station happenings

Join us on Monday, Nov. 18 for a no-obligation informational session about our upcoming Travel with WDET: Canadian Rockies trip! We’ll discuss travel itinerary and take questions about this once-in-a-lifetime train journey, featuring snow-capped mountains, glacial lakes, rushing rivers and the sheer unspoiled wilderness of Canada. The informational session will take place on Zoom at 6 p.m., and attendance does not commit you to participating in the trip. For more information, visit wdet.org/events.

Related: Travel with WDET: Canadian Rockies

Then on Tuesday, Nov. 19, join WDET News Director Jerome Vaughn and a panel of experts for the third installment of Smart Politics, hosted at Shield’s of Midtown. We will reflect on Michigan’s effects on the 2024 presidential election, explore what worked and what didn’t, and take audience questions with our panelists. Food and drinks will be available for purchase, and a $5 reservation fee is required to secure your spot. For more information, visit wdet.org/events.

Let me tell you, this week’s pick is nothing short of a revelation. Amber Mark, the bold and unapologetic artist who first commanded our attention with her 2022 debut, Three Dimensions Deep, has returned. Her latest single, “Sink In,” is not just a track — it’s a communion of sound and spirit, an invitation to experience the visceral pulse of after-hours grooves and an all-encompassing vibe.

Mark penned and produced this track herself, and it shows in every intricate layer. She’s crafted a rhythm that doesn’t just catch your ear; it ensnares your entire being, compelling you to, quite literally, sink in. The beat is anchored in a hypnotic, groove-laden bassline reminiscent of Giorgio Moroder’s disco mastery, yet transformed — shaped with jungle undertones and a 21st-century heartbeat.

And those piano flourishes? They swirl in the background, creating a landscape rich with emotion, suspense and the promise of dancefloor liberation. There’s a mystical quality here, wrapped in 808 beats that echo and reverberate, expanding the track’s sonic reach to feel like an immersive journey and a superb listening experience.

“Sink In” doesn’t just ask you to listen; it demands that you give in, that you allow the rhythm to take hold of you, to lead you to that place where time is irrelevant, and only the beat remains. Mark is giving us a taste of what’s to come with her upcoming EP, and if this single is any indication, we’re in for something truly exceptional.

If you’re as captivated by electronic dance fusion as I am, join us on The Progressive Underground every Saturday at 6 p.m. Here, we journey across genres — future soul, nu-jazz, deep house, B-sides, and those rare grooves you won’t find anywhere else. I’m Chris Campbell, and until next time, keep digging deeper.

Stay in tune with Amber Mark’s latest, from releases to tour updates, at ambermarkmusic.com.

This week, we’re listening to a lot of new music from talented Michigan-based singer-songwriters — kicking things off with a sweet, twangy and subtly profound alt-country ballad from Ann Arbor’s Lily Talmers, “The Big Idea.”

Also featured on this week’s MI Local is Grand Rapids-based singer-songwriter Spencer LaJoye, with a beautiful yet heartrending song titled “Death Drive.” LaJoye has even more new music coming out this Friday, ahead of their co-headlining performance at the Ark in Ann Arbor on Nov. 21.

But we had even more songwriters with recently-released tracks, including Alto-based Kyle Joe with “Take It Easy,” featuring Ypsilanti’s Kylee Phillips — catch Kyle Joe this Friday in Lake Orion at 20 Front Street.

I was able to bring WDET listeners exclusive premieres from local rock groups like Rose St. Germaine ahead of their 7-inch vinyl release coming up on Saturday night at The Congregation. We also played brand new music from local country-rockers Loose Koozies, who have an album release party set for Dec. 7 at the Outer Limits Lounge. Plus, local garage-pop duo Checker have a new EP out this week, capped off with a show at The Polka Dot in Hamtramck this Friday night.

But it also wasn’t just folk, and rock, we heard new hip-hop from George Montrelle and some lo-fi shoegaze from Overly Polite Tornadoes.

• The Big Idea – Lily Talmers
• Death Drive – Spencer LaJoye
• My Love – Cal In Red
• Skin Suit Serenade – Career Funeral
• Give Rise – George Montrelle
• Wobbly Wheel – Loose Koozies
• Too Long – Rose St. Germaine
• Potential New Apartment – The Plutophonics
• Wrong Things – Brother Elsey
• Slow Motion – Checker
• Take It Easy – Kyle Joe
• Something More, Something Else – Zach Peterson
• Slow It Down – Overly Polite Tornadoes
• Weekend Warrior – Venus In Spurs

I got an email from a listener today. They wrote: “way to get a grown man to cry at work with this drake tune lol.”

What an honor! And no, it wasn’t Drake the Canadian rapper — it was Nick Drake, the reclusive, mysterious English musician who sadly died at the age of 26 but left behind some insanely good music, like “Northern Sky.”

There’s also a new Boy Harsher remix of Pet Shop Boys, Eddie Chacon’s killer collab with John Carroll Kirby and a spiritual jazz epic courtesy of Work Money Death. Then, we make a brief but important pit stop exploring the new Dark Entries Records release of Patrick Cowley’s From Behind on the anniversary of the pioneering musician’s death (another talent gone far too soon). Lots of reasons to cry today on In The Groove.

Check the playlist below and listen to the episode for two weeks after it airs using the player above.

In The Groove with Ryan Patrick Hooper playlist for Nov. 12, 2024

• “ASR (feat. Jeff Parker)” – Meshell Ndegeocello
• “New London boy (Boy Harsher remix)” – Pet Shop Boys
• “Breathe” – Brighter Days Family
• “Lady Day and John Coltrane” – Gil Scott Heron
• “Impossible” – Andre Williams & Velvet Hammer
• “Empire (feat. John Carroll Kirby)” – Eddie Chacon
• “Respect Yourself” – Staple Singers
• “Home Is Where The Hatred Is” – Gil Scott Heron
• “Dreamin’” – Common & Pete Rock
• “In a Moment Divine” – Freak Heat Waves & Cindy Lee
• “Soldissimo – EDC Remix (with Air)” – Etienne de Crécy
• “New Star in the Sky (Demo 1)” – Air
• “Iko Iko” – Patrick Cowley
• “Gentle Persuasion” – Doug Hream Blunt
• “Green Fuzz” – Naked Giants
• “What Are You” – Pete Brandt’s Method
• “No Go (For Louis Macneice)” – The Cleaners From Venus
• “High Pressure Days (Todd Terje Remix)” – The Units
• “You Make No Sense” – ESG
• “The World and The Sun” – Moon Duo
• “Freedom as a Heartfelt Song” – Work Money Death
• “Count The Days (feat. Jenny Lewis)” – Swamp Dogg
• “Northern Shuffle” – Julian Lage
• “Meet Me In The City” – Junior Kimbrough
• “28-50” – Joe Webb
• “100 years of Bill & Lil” – Joe Webb
• “C + F” – Sam Prekop
• “Northern Sky” – Nick Drake
• “Blue Moon” – Beck
• “Sunrise Fool” – SHOLTO
• “Where’s My Brain???” – The Lazy Eyes

Listen to In the Groove with host Ryan Patrick Hooper weekdays from noon-3 p.m. ET on 101.9 WDET or stream on-demand at wdet.org.

On this episode of Visions, I explore rhythm with just a small slice of music that makes me want to get up and dance. This is by no means a comprehensive study on rhythm! But it’s a good variety of feel-good music.

I play a mix of classics from Miles Davis, Stanley Cowell, Sun Ra and Elvin Jones. I head to Detroit’s Club Mozambique for selections from Dr. Lonnie Smith and Grant Green. I also check out some of Brownswood Recordings’ new-ish releases from Kokoroko and Yussef Dayes. I’ve got a few other selections in there which tie this whole rhythm-based episode together.

Check out the playlist below and listen to the episode on-demand for two weeks after it airs using the media player above.

Visions Playlist for Nov. 11, 2024

• “Black Classical Music (feat. Venna & Charlie Stacey)” – Yussef Dayes
• “Ewà Inú” – Kokoroko
• “Dream Traveler” – Roy Hargrove
• “Blue Mist” – Joe Lovano
• “I Can’t Stand It (Live)” – Dr. Lonnie Smith
• “One More Chance (Live)” – Grant Green
• “Travellin’ Man” – Stanley Cowell
• “On Jupiter” – Sun Ra
• “Nem Um Talvez” – Miles Davis
• “Coalhada” – Hermeto Pascoal
• “Juicy (feat. Renee Neufville & Karl Denson)” – Roy Hargrove
• “Optimism” – Robert Hurst
• “Flight” – Ahmad Jamal
• “La Fiesta” – Elvin Jones
• “Jean Marie” – Woody Shaw
• “Samba del Sol” – Roy Brooks
• “Waltz for Zweetie” – Walter Bishop, Jr.
• “Conjuration” – Pepper Adams

Back into the mix on a moody Monday that brings together shoegaze and post-punk from Mount Kimbie, Mogwai and Fleeting Joys, alongside funk classics courtesy of Ike & Tina Turner, Funkadelic and Childish Gambino’s contemporary classic “Redbone.”

Plus new music from Doves, the 10th anniversary of Mitski’s “Bury Me At Makeout Creek,” and a 25th anniversary celebration of Fiona Apple’s “When The Pawn,” her sophomore album released this week back in 1999.

Check the playlist below and listen to the episode for two weeks after it airs using the player above.

In The Groove with Ryan Patrick Hooper playlist for Nov. 11, 2024

• “Come Together” – Ike & Tina Turner
• “Whole Lotta Love” – Ike & Tina Turner
• “Ain’t That Peculiar” – Fanny
• “To Be Still” – Brittany Howard
• “I Don’t” – Brittany Howard
• “Last Laugh” – BADBADNOTGOOD
• “Ouroboros” – GOAT
• “Black Tables” – Other Lives
• “Firesuite” – Doves
• “God Gets You Back” – Mogwai
• “Pull The Rope” – Ibibio Sound Machine
• “Goatbrain (Radio Edit)” – GOAT
• “ROCKMAN” – Mk.gee
• “Flames shards goo” – ML Buch
• “Fishbrain” – Mount Kimbie
• “First Love/Late Spring” – Mitski
• “My Love Mine All Mine” – Mitski
• “Moon River” – Frank Ocean
• “Paper Bag” – Fiona Apple
• “Fast As You Can” – Fiona Apple
• “Let You In (feat. Hutch the Great & Melodi Marsh)” – Max Sinal
• “Let The Light In (feat. Father John Misty)” – Lana Del Rey
• “Silently” – The Delfonics & Adrian Younge
• “Devil’s Pie” – D’Angelo x Tall Black Guy
• “Sunshine” – Bilal
• “Staring at the Sun” – TV on the Radio
• “Soft Spot” – JMSN
• “Future Lover” – Thee Sacred Souls
• “Daydreaming” – NxWorries, Anderson .Paak & Knxwledge
• “Redbone” – Childish Gambino
• “One Nation Under a Groove” – Funkadelic
• “Renegade (In The Groove Song of the Week)” – Doves
• “Cedar Room” – Doves
• “Go And Come Back” – Fleeting Joys

Listen to In the Groove with host Ryan Patrick Hooper weekdays from noon-3 p.m. ET on 101.9 WDET or stream on-demand at wdet.org.

The holidays are right around the corner. The days around Thanksgiving and Christmas are known for many things: pretty lights, hearty food and lots of time with family members.

But what do we do when quality time with family becomes contentious? Do we confront the situation head on and work through the tension, or do we pretend the tension doesn’t exist? That’s one of the key questions the new film from Detroit filmmaker Christine Swanson asks.

Subscribe to The Metro on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, NPR.org or wherever you get your podcasts.

“Albany Road,” debuting Nov. 15, stars Renée Elise Goldsberry (“Hamilton,” “Anything’s Possible”) and longtime actress Lynn Whitfield (“The Retirement Plan,” “The Chi,”). The story follows a high-powered woman on her way to the most important meeting of her life and while on her way is forced to share a rental car during a snowstorm with the mother of her ex-fiance.

Swanson joined The Metro on Friday to discuss the project. As writer and director of the film, Swanson said she wanted to explore some serious themes, but in a comedic form.

“It’s almost like a spoonful of sugar helps the medicine go down-type of approach. So when you have someone who has great comedic timing — like Renée Elise Goldsberry, who’s the original Angelica Skylar from ‘Hamilton,’ — and then you match her up with the legendary Lynn Whitfield, most people are gonna walk away thinking I did not know Lynn Whitfield was just funny, but then the humor takes a serious turn,” she said. “So is equal parts hilarious and equal parts gut wrenching.”

More headlines from The Metro on Nov 8, 2024: 

• It’s Detroit Documenters Friday on The Metro. The Detroit Documenters play a crucial role in improving our access to public information. They’re at all the city’s public meetings, taking thorough notes on what local officials and community members are saying. Recently, they spent some time at a different kind of meeting than what’s normally on their docket. The meeting was part of University of Michigan’s Poverty Solutions series. This one focused on community violence intervention. Detroit Documenter Perry Sylvester and Noah Kincade, coordinator for the Detroit Documenters, joined the show to tell us more.
• Starting a business can be tough especially if you aren’t familiar or understand how to get started. Some don’t have the connections that could support their growth. For the last three years Creator Con has stepped up to fill in the gaps. This year, the two-day conference will convene at the Cambria Hotel in Detroit. Attendees will learn about branding, the creative process, and more. Creator Con Founder Robert Courtney joined The Metro to share more about the event.

Listen to The Metro weekdays from 11 a.m. to noon ET on 101.9 FM and streaming on-demand.

On this episode of Rob Reinhart’s Essential Music, some classic albums from Novembers of the past (1974, 1994), new Detroit music from Speed Circuit’s second album, and an hour long tribute to the musical genius of the late Quincy Jones!

See the playlist below and listen to the episode for two weeks after it airs using the media player above.

Rob Reinhart’s Essential Music Playlist for Nov. 9, 2024

• “Do You Realize” – Willie Nelson
  
• “Messy” – Lola Young
  
• “Psycho Killer (acoustic)” – Talking Heads
• “I’ll Go Anywhere” – Mustafa
  
• “Don’t Try” – Speed Circuit
  
• “Fire” – Ohio Players (released November, 1974)
• “Autobahn” – Kraftwerk (released November, 1974)
• “Die Slowly Without Complaint” – Amythyst Kiah (coming to The Ark 11/19)
• “Day By Day” – Samara Joy
• “X-Ray Eyes” – LCD Sound System
• “The Man Who Sold The World” – Nirvana (released November, 1994)
• “Waterfalls” – TLC (released November, 1994)

• “You’ve Changed” – The Jones Boys
• “Don’t Stop ‘Til You Get Enough” – Michael Jackson
• “Fly Me To The Moon” – Frank Sinatra & Count Basie
• “Strawberry Letter 23” – The Brothers Johnson
• “The Streetbeater” – Quincy Jones
• “Just Once” – Quincy Jones & James Ingram
• “One Mint Julep” – Ray Charles
• “Beat It” – Michael Jackson
• “Smackwater Jack” – Quincy Jones
• “Caravan” – Dinah Washington
• “Bad” – Michael Jackson
• “It’s My Party” – Leslie Gore
• “Soul Bossa Nova” – Quincy Jones

Listen to Rob Reinhart’s Essential Music every Saturday from 2-4 p.m. ET on Detroit Public Radio 101.9 WDET and streaming on-demand at wdet.org.

A new “experiential entertainment” venue is coming to downtown Detroit.

Real estate firm Bedrock has partnered with Cosm to offer a “shared reality” venue to create a brand new way for Detroiters to experience sports, music and art.

The venue will feature an expansive 12K resolution dome screen — 87 feet in diameter — immersing fans in a shared virtual reality that simulates them being courtside, pitch-side, or in the front row of a concert at famous destinations.

Detroit will be the company’s fourth location, said Jeb Terry, president and CEO of Cosm.

“Detroit is a city with passionate, diverse fan bases,” he said. “When you experience the energy downtown, it’s clear that Detroit is the ideal location for our Midwest anchor.”

Cosm aims to provide a range of price points to make the venue accessible to all, ensuring it becomes a go-to destination for Detroiters. VIP experiences will be offered with amenities such as in-seat food service and exclusive views.

The new venue will be part of a multi-level market hall district by Bedrock, designed to bring 24/7 entertainment to Detroit. Cosm promises daily programming that spans live sports, music events, immersive art and more.

Cosm is expected to open in 2026.