We are more than halfway into our 2024 Fall Fundraiser, and a new day means new incentives to encourage WDET listeners to make an investment in Detroit Public Radio’s future.

Listeners who make a donation during In The Groove with Ryan Patrick Hooper from 12-4 p.m. on Wednesday will be automatically entered into a drawing for two VIP tickets to all events or performances at Spot Lite Detroit for a full year.

Missed Hooper’s show? Tune in to The Boulevard with Waajeed from 8-10 p.m. Wednesday and make a donation of any amount and you will be entered in the Spot Lite drawing.

Those who donate during The Boulevard on Wednesday could also win an unreleased Waajeed vinyl titled Get in the Zone LP — set for release this November — and an Underground Music Academy snapback hat.

Listeners will have one last opportunity to win the Spot Lite passes this Saturday, Sept. 21, by making a gift to WDET during The Progressive Underground with Chris Campbell from 6-8 p.m. or during The New Music Show with Shigeto from 8-10 p.m.

Tune in to WDET at 101.9 FM to hear the latest incentives being offered before our Fall Fundraiser ends Sept. 22.

RIO DE JANEIRO (AP) — Sergio Mendes, the celebrated Brazilian musician whose 1966 hit “Mas Que Nada” made him a global superstar and helped launched a long, Grammy-winning career, has died after months battling the effects of long COVID. He was 83.

The death Thursday of the Brazilian pianist, songwriter and arranger was confirmed in a statement by his family.

“His wife and musical partner for the past 54 years, Gracinha Leporace Mendes, was by his side, as were his loving children,” the statement Friday said. “Mendes last performed in November 2023 to sold out and wildly enthusiastic houses in Paris, London and Barcelona.”

Mendes was born in Niterói, Rio de Janeiro’s sister city, and studied classical music at a conservatory before joining jazz groups. In the late 1950s and early 1960s, he began playing Bossa Nova as the genre was heating up in Rio’s nightclub scene with Antonio Carlos Jobim, João Gilberto and others.

In 1962, they traveled to New York for a Bossa Nova festival at Carnegie Hall. During the trip, Cannonball Adderley invited Mendes to collaborate on the album “Cannonball Adderley and The Bossa Rio Sextet,” leading to his first American record, “The Swinger from Rio,” after signing with Atlantic Records.

Two years later, Mendes moved to California and formed Brazil ’64, which evolved into Brazil ’66 after he added two female vocalists. The group’s debut album, produced by Herb Alpert, featured “Mas Que Nada.” Sung entirely in Portuguese, “Mas Que Nada” was a mid-tempo Samba number originally released in 1963 by composer Jorge Ben Sor, and updated three years later by Mendes, who had been playing the song in clubs and gave it a jazzier, more hard-hitting feel.

“I put a band together called Brasil ’66,” he told The Guardian in 2019. “I’d always had instrumental groups, but when I added the two female singers – Lani Hall and Bibi Vogel – it made a different kind of sound. We recorded the song in Los Angeles, with me, the drums, bass and guitar all performing live.”

Mendes’ version was a worldwide hit that helped perpetuate the Brazilian music boom of the 1960s. In 2006, a modern version of the song topped U.S. charts, as performed by Black Eyed Peas. It was included in his album “Timeless,” produced by will.i.am and also featuring Stevie Wonder, Justin Timberlake and John Legend, among others.

“Sergio Mendes was my brother from another country,” trumpet player Alpert wrote on Facebook, along with a photo from decades ago, sitting next to Mendes at the piano. “He was a true friend and extremely gifted musician who brought Brazilian music in all its iterations to the entire world with elegance.”

Mendes’ other hits were an eclectic blend ranging from covers of the Beatles’ “The Fool on the Hill” and “With a Little Help from My Friends,” to his own Brazilian chant, “Magalenha.” Mendes also composed the soundtrack for the film “Pelé,” featuring saxophonist Gerry Mulligan, and even produced an album recorded by the great Brazilian soccer player.

Mendes won the 1992 Grammy Award for Best World Music Album for “Brasileiro” and two Latin Grammy Awards. He also received an Oscar nomination in 2012 for Best Original Song for “Real in Rio,” from the animated film “Rio.”

“Brazilian soul was there,” pianist, singer, and songwriter Marcos Valle told GloboNews about Mendes’ music. Valle also noted that it was Mendes who helped open doors for other Brazilian artists of his generation, including himself, to reach foreign audiences.

Mendes’ family said they will provide details regarding funeral and memorial services at a later date.

Story by David Biller and Gabriela Sá Pessoa, Associated Press.

Following in the footsteps of legends like Alice Coltrane and Dorothy Ashby, harpist Brandee Younger has transformed one of the world’s oldest instruments, bringing it into the modern era. By blending innovative techniques with jazz and beyond, Younger continues to push musical boundaries.

Listen: A conversation with harpist Brandee Younger

The following interview has been edited for clarity and length.

On how her music journey started long before she began playing the harp:

I’ve always been deeply involved in music. In high school, I was voted most musical—not for the harp, but for playing the trombone in the marching band. My first instrument was the flute, but we had too many flute players, so my teacher asked if I’d switch to trombone.

The harp came into my life through a woman at my dad’s job who played it as a hobby. My parents, knowing my musical interests, introduced me to her. We played some flute and harp duets, and she suggested I take lessons. She mentioned that with the right skills, I could even get a scholarship—and that’s how my journey with the harp began.

On how she got her start releasing music by acting on the advice of her mentor, saxophonist Ravi Coltrane, and recording her debut project, the analog-driven “The Prelude” EP:

I wanted to record music but wasn’t sure where to start. I told Ravi Coltrane that I didn’t feel ready to make an album. He reminded me that recordings capture where you are at that moment, and that helped me shift my perspective.

So, I went into the studio, wrote a song called “So Alive,” and recorded a few standards. I sent the demo to Casey Benjamin, who told me, “Don’t make demos, just make albums.” That advice stuck with me, so I decided to put the project on Bandcamp. Music blogs picked it up quickly, and I made my money back fast. That’s how “The Prelude” EP came to life.

On how blending contemporary styles with the timeless sound of the harp has made her an in-demand session musician:

I’ve always loved recording more than performing, so I focused on becoming a session musician. I wanted the harp to be part of the music I was listening to, which wasn’t the classical music I was studying. By recording with artists who were making the kind of music I loved, I created a space for the harp in contemporary genres. This approach laid the foundation for the music I create today.

On how Detroit artists like Alice Coltrane and Dorothy Ashby have influenced her approach to the harp and why she celebrates their legacies:

This has always been intentional for me. The harp is often seen as a classical instrument, and I felt it wasn’t getting the respect it deserved outside of the orchestra. Dorothy Ashby’s discography is incredible, and her level of playing was unmatched, yet she wasn’t recognized the way she should have been. The same goes for Alice Coltrane. Early on, I decided to honor their legacies by including their influence in everything I do — whether through playing their compositions or creating new works inspired by them.

On how she continues to honor the legacies of Alice Coltrane and Dorothy Ashby on her latest album, “Brand New Life”:

With “Brand New Life,” I wanted to pay homage to Alice and Dorothy, but without making it a straightforward tribute album. We recorded some of Dorothy’s compositions that had never been recorded before, literally giving them a “brand new life” (no pun intended as she laughs). It’s a way of continuing their legacy through my own lens.

On how she wants audiences to experience her music through her ongoing tour, newly reformatted trio, and meaningful connections with artists and fans:

I want the music community to feel the sincerity in my work, especially now with my trio. Downsizing from a larger group to just three of us has been incredible. We have such a strong dynamic, both on and off the stage. It’s been a rewarding experience, and I hope that connection comes through in our performances.

To stay updated on Brandee Younger’s tours, events and releases, visit brandeeyounger.com.

On this episode of the Detroit Evening Report, we cover the continued power outages across metro Detroit following this week’s severe storms; the upcoming Detroit Jazz Festival and more.

Subscribe to the Detroit Evening Report on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, NPR.org or wherever you get your podcasts.

Thousands still without power after storms

More than 60,000 metro Detroit residents are still without power on Thursday after severe storms hit the region Tuesday evening and continued into Wednesday. DTE Energy says crews are “continuing to work as quickly and safely as possible to restore power to everyone impacted by the extreme weather.”

The company says it has restored power to more than 80% of its customers and expects to have 90% of customers restored by end of day Thursday, with remaining customers expected to be restored Friday.

Detroit market offers up fridge space during outages

Neighborhood Grocery in Detroit’s Jefferson Chalmers neighborhood is offering refrigerator space to those who are still without power. The market posted on Facebook Wednesday offering up fridge space for medications or freezer space for perishables for those in need of temporary storage until power is restored. 

Corktown ranked top ‘up-and-coming’ neighborhood in US

Detroit’s historical Corktown neighborhood has been ranked a top “up-and-coming” neighborhood in the nation by Travel Mag. The magazine cited spots like Mercury Burger and Bar, Bobcat Bonnie’s and Brooklyn Street Local as hot spots to grab a bite, and also mentioned the reopening of Michigan Central as part of the neighborhood’s resurgence. The neighborhood was listed among 16 others in cities like Chicago, Los Angeles, New York and Miami. 

Freedom Arts Festival continues

Programming for the Detroit Parks Coalition’s annual Freedom Arts Festival will continue throughout the fall season. The free festival series kicked off in June and will run through November with a variety of events hosted across nine parks and public spaces in the city.  Supported by the Knight Foundation and the Community Foundation for Southeast Michigan, the festival features live performances of music, dance, storytelling and art reflecting Detroit’s rich multicultural history, weaving together narratives of freedom, racial justice, connections to place and more. For more information on future programming, visit detroitparkscoalition.com/freedom-arts-festival.

Detroit Jazz Festival returns

The Detroit Jazz Festival kicks off at 6:40 p.m. on Friday, Aug. 30 in Hart Plaza. with performances continuing in downtown Detroit through Labor Day weekend. Over 60 performances are scheduled to take place throughout the long weekend, including from The Bad Plus, Carmen Lundy, artist-in-residence Brian Blade and the Fellowship Band and more. The festival will have stages in Hart Plaza, Cadillac Square and after hour specials in Midtown at Wayne State’s Valade Jazz Center. For more information, visit detroitjazzfest.org.

Do you have a community story we should tell? Let us know in an email at detroiteveningreport@wdet.org.

It’s apple season in Michigan, and farmers across the state are ready for another good harvest.

The Michigan Apple Committee says growers expect to produce about 30.5 million bushels this year. This would be the third straight year that the apple crop has been above average.

Apples are early this year

Diane Smith, executive director of the Michigan Apple Committee, says this year’s crop is ahead of schedule.

“I don’t remember us ever really being 10 days early like this,” she said. “I think they’re starting on galas, which is unheard of. We usually start on galas after Labor Day.”

Smith says warmer than normal temperatures in late winter and early spring caused apple trees to bud earlier than usual. But that should not hurt the quality of the fruit.

“We should have some really good sugar content in the apples this year,” she said. “We had some really good warm days, and we’ve had some really cool nights, which lends to that flavor profile that you expect out of Michigan.

Smith says this year’s apples should also be larger than usual due to the early growth.

Apples are big business in Michigan

Michigan has almost 15 million apple trees and more than 700 family-run apple farms, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Smith says the state grows about a dozen kinds of apples commercially.

“We have, of course, the galas and honeycrisp,” she said. “But we also have some newer varieties that people might not know about, like ambrosia and evercrisp.”

Michigan is the second or third largest apple producing state, depending on the year.

“We kind of flip back and forth with New York state,” she said. Washington produces the most apples in the country.

Smith says consumers can buy Michigan apples at about 200 farm markets and cider mills across the state, and more than 12,000 retail groceries nationwide.

Detroit Month of Design is celebrating its 14th annual showcase of immersive design.  

In this case, the word “design” is meant to be used in the broadest sense — we’re talking fashion, mobility and technology. More than 100 events will take place across the city in September, which will include tours and workshops.  

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

The showcase will be hosted by Design Core Detroit, an organization that supports design-driven businesses to help grow Detroit’s economy. 

Kiana Wenzell, co-executive director of Design Core Detroit, and Detroit photographer Elonte Davis joined The Metro on Friday to discuss Detroit Month of Design and what attendees can expect.

“Design Core Detroit is about growth, growing the creatives that are here. We want to see Elonte and his business grow. We’re about attraction. We want to attract more talent, creative talent and visitors to our city using platforms like the festival to do that,” Wenzell said. “And we want to retain talent. We don’t want Elonte to move, we love him. We want to see him thrive and survive in our city. So the festival is about connecting creatives with each other, helping to introduce them to new audiences and opportunities, and highlighting the reason why Detroit was designated by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization.”

Use the media player above to listen to the full interview with Wenzell and Davis.

More headlines from The Metro on Aug. 23, 2024:

• Detroit’s North End neighborhood is filled with history and community — a lot of it due to the work of the Vanguard Community Development Corporation. The group is celebrating its 30th anniversary with a party on Sept. 7. at The Henry Ford Health Detroit Piston’s Performance Center. Vanguard Chairwoman Leslie Graham Andrews joined the show to discuss the organization’s work.
• A new report on children from the Michigan League for Public Policy revealed a mixed bag when it comes to measures of child well-being. To discuss the report’s findings, Michigan League for Public Policy President and CEO Monique Stanton joined the show.
• Outlier Media Civic Life Reporter Laura Herberg and Detroit Documenters Coordinator Noah Kincade joined the show as part of The Metro‘s Detroit Documenters public meetings roundup each Friday.

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

Communities across metro Detroit host a variety of events to engage residents throughout the year. Another one of those celebrations is happening this weekend with the Hazel Park Art Fair.

The work from over 100 artists will be on display and for sale.  

Like previous years, there will be a host of family-friendly activities, with a few stops for beer lovers in attendance as well.  

Lily Ristau, secretary of the Hazel Park Arts Council, joined The Metro on Monday to share more about this year’s Hazel Park Art Fair.

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

Ristau says the event is “truly a labor of love.”

“We’re all volunteers who put it on because we just love the community and want to see, you know, the artists in our community shine and also giving Hazel Parkers and the surrounding area, you know, just a fun, free, family-friendly event this weekend,” she said. “We have art in all of its forms, which I think is so fun.” 

The Hazel Park Art Fair is taking place from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 24, and from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 25, in Green Acres Park, Hazel Park. For more information visit hpart.org.

Use the media player above to hear the full interview with Ristau.

More headlines from The Metro on Aug. 19, 2024:

• The city of Detroit announced Friday efforts to improve public transit with construction underway at the Coolidge Terminal. To discuss the construction that’s happening and the city’s plan for that project, Interim Director of the Detroit Department of Transportation Michael Staley joined the show.
• Michigan does not have enough housing. In fact, 41% of Michigan local officials report a shortage of single-family homes in their communities – up by 23% since 2017, according to a University of Michigan report. And now some have been trying to solve the problem. On Mackinac Island this past summer, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer said she wanted to build or rehab 115,000 housing units by 2026. And in the spring, the Michigan State Housing Development Authority was granted the ability to use state funds to increase housing. On the latest episode of MichMash, Alethia Kasben and Zach Gorchow sat down with the agency’s director Amy Hovey to learn more.
• It’s a presidential election year and that means it’s another opportunity for candidates to stump for their positions and to make the case for what kind of society they want to create. The Metro has been talking with both liberals and conservatives from around the tri-county area to better understand the issues they feel are most pressing to residents. Producer Sam Corey sat down with Head of the Oakland County GOP Vance Patrick to discuss issues on voters’ minds.

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

A new project is combining sounds and storytelling – rooted in Detroit’s parks and neighborhoods. 

The Joyce Foundation, in collaboration with the Detroit Parks Coalition, gave Detroit saxophonist Marcus Elliot a grant to curate Sounds from the Park. It’s a project meant to use music to tell stories about Detroit’s parks and neighborhoods.  

Elliot — who is also an instructor of jazz saxophone at Wayne State University and the director of the Creative Arts Orchestra at the University of Michigan — joined The Metro on Tuesday to tell us more about his new initiative. We were also joined by Ian Solomon, community engagement manager from the Detroit Parks Coalition.

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

Elliot has been tasked with creating musical works that connect to physical spaces in the city. The goal is to have music composed with intentionality about the park, and then allow people to experience the music from within the park.   

Solomon says arts and culture plays an important role in thriving parks and communities.

“The Detroit Parks Coalition, we’re a diverse group of park leaders, community stewards, and we’re working towards supporting healthy, equitable and vibrant parks in the city. And so we understand the role of not only programming, but arts and culture in achieving that mission,” Solomon said. “And so having this money to have Marcus not only visit these parks, but engage with them deeply, and kind of get this creative snapshot of the parks where they are now, and then offer it to people so they can come to these parks and there’s this accessible, beautiful music.”

While many Detroit parks share common characteristics, Elliot says he seeks to find and highlight what makes each park unique through the music. 

“There’s five different parks that I’m going to be kind of focusing on. And the themes that I’m going to be celebrating are really things that we see in all parks, but that certain parks may highlight a little bit more than others,” Elliot said. “So, you know, ideas of like joy, or community, or beauty. These are all elements that all of our parks have. But as I get to know these parks, I’m going to see just kind of which one of those elements speak more to me in those places.”

Use the media player above to hear to the full interview with Elliot and Solomon.

More headlines from The Metro on Aug. 6, 2024:

• Is now a good time to buy or lease an electric vehicle? Deputy Editor of Technology and Innovation for Automotive News Hannah Lutz joined the show to discuss the pros, cons, and the electric vehicle market.  
• Also on the show, we spoke with Region 1 Director for the United Auto Workers LaShawn English. The UAW endorsed Kamala Harris and we’ll discuss what the union hopes is on her agenda if she’s elected in November.

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

The rich history of Chinatown in Detroit is often lost on those who aren’t old enough to remember.

The first Chinese immigrants began arriving in the late 1800s and by the 1930s, Detroit’s Chinatown was created just west of Downtown. Urban renewal forced the Chinatown to relocate to the corner of Peterboro and Cass. 

State Sen. Stephanie Chang (D-Detroit) held a press conference on Monday to praise the $1 million in funding allocated in the Fiscal Year 2025 state budget for the nonprofit, Midtown Detroit, Inc., to revitalize the old Chinatown neighborhood. 

Interim Executive Director of Midtown Detroit, Inc. Maureen Stapleton and Board Member of the Association of Chinese Americans Richard Mui joined The Metro to discuss the organization’s restoration efforts.

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

Stapleton said she has many memories of House of Chung’s, a restaurant and important institution in the community.  

“House of Chung’s was one of my favorite places to go. My family, we would get dressed up and we would go down and it was a vibrant area, even in the ’70s and the ’80s,” Stapleton said. “And so we at Midtown Detroit, Inc. – understanding the need to ensure culture, but to show a diverse culture, we’re very excited to work with some community developers, and others, and Senator Chang, to ensure that we could begin to replace or redo some of the things that have been taken away over the years to ensure that the Chinese heritage continues on in our city.”

Mui says preserving historic cultural spaces is important. 

“I’m standing outside of Chung’s restaurant right now. Just looking at the changes, it’s remarkable,” he said. “You know, driving up and down Cass you see it changing.  So yeah, definitely I can see that as [a] beacon, I can see that as an attraction. I was just in Philadelphia for our national conference and they’re working to preserve that Chinatown because they’re trying to build an arena on the edges there. And I think it’s, you know, I think there’s a demand for it and it’s just a matter of kind of getting the seeds going and growing it.”

Use the media player above to hear the full interview with Stapleton and Mui.

More headlines from The Metro on July 29, 2024:

• This month, the Milliken v. Bradley U.S. Supreme Court ruling turns 50 years old. It overturned a district judge’s ruling that would have desegregated Detroit’s schools by bussing students from the suburbs into the city and vice versa. Guest host Robyn Vincent reported on a story for Chalkbeat Detroit that looks back on that case and its impacts on us today. Detroit historian and journalist Ken Coleman joined the show to discuss the historical threads that led to the case. 
• On the latest episode of MichMash, host Cheyna Roth and Gongwer News Service’s Alethia Kasben sat down with former Democratic state Rep. Adam Zemke to discuss who Kamala Harris might pick for her vice president candidate.
• In 2023, Detroit opened a new office devoted to urban agriculture. The city believes gardeners are on the front lines of many things like rehabilitating soil often soaked in toxins from old auto plants, removing blight, or simply creating positive social interactions by rooting oneself in the food they grow. Patrice Brown recently became associate director for Detroit’s Office of Urban Agriculture. She joined the show to discuss how the office will continue to support green initiatives in the city.

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