Pulitzer Prize-winning author of historical Detroit book to speak at The Station on Saturday
Inside look: Michigan Central Station restoration
After a six-year restoration by Ford Motor Co., Michigan Central Station is reopening to the public on June 6, 2024. Here’s an inside look.
Detroit Free Press Staff
- Michigan Central Station in Detroit is launching a new monthly event series called “Fridays at the Station” starting April 18.
- The inaugural event featured a collaboration between jazz bassist Marion Hayden and DJ ameera haynes.
- The event aims to celebrate Detroit’s diverse music, food and culture scene.
- A separate event featuring Pulitzer Prize-winning author David Maraniss will take place on Saturday, April 19.
Detroit’s newest cultural hub just got a little more fun.
On Friday, April 18, The Station at Michigan Central will kick off its new monthly event series, Fridays at the Station. A celebration of Detroit’s vibrant music, food and cultural scene, the inaugural event will feature legendary jazz bassist Marion Hayden and her band in collaboration with local DJ ameera haynes, known for her eclectic, vinyl-based sets.
“When you think about Michigan Central and the development of an ecosystem, you think of all the players in that world, and I think Detroit has a unique opportunity to create these dynamic interactions between artists, engineers, technologies and investors,” said Catherine Kelly, Michigan Central Head of Communications and Editorial. “We’re really focused on building that idea, so we’ve developed this concept of unexpected collaborations. I’m from Detroit; I grew up in Detroit, I’ve been in journalism most of my career, and the cultural legacy in Detroit is so valuable. It’s an asset that we don’t lift up enough, so we really looked at this as an opportunity to explore and create that mashup, that tension, that energy that comes from collaboration.
“In this instance, we’re working with Marion Hayden, who was just named Kresge Eminent Artist, and she has a huge legacy in the city of Detroit. ameera is so fun, and we thought, here are two significant Detroit artists from two different generations, approaching the music and sound from two different perspectives, in an opportunity to explore their similarities and their differences.”
ameera said she’s excited about working with Hayden.
“The roots of the music that I really love are tied to jazz,” she said. “Most of the time, when you think of a DJ, you think of dance music and things like that, which I generally do play as well, but I’m more of an eclectic, open-format DJ. Jazz is a genre that’s really close to my heart, and the biggest part of jazz is being improvisational, creating new sounds, trying new things. That’s very much how I DJ, in philosophy.
“Tonight, you can expect a lot of songs that you may not have heard before, that may become your new favorites. You may hear some that are near and dear to your heart. It’s a collaboration between electronic music, using turntables and vinyl and mixing, and the freedom of jazz. There’ll be certain parts of the set where we’re playing together, almost melding and creating something new.”
She called her inclusion in the event “an honor.”
“I’m really excited about me and Marion being the first to kick off this event,” she said, “especially as two Black women musicians in the city of Detroit, creating a space and bringing together community so that we can reflect the true heart of the people who live here. I’m really honored and blessed to just be a part of the experience.”
Friday at the Station runs from 5 – 10 p.m. on Friday, April 18, at The Station at Michigan Central, 2001 15th St., Detroit. Tickets are $15; visit michigancentral.com/events.
David Maraniss author talk Saturday
Saturday, April 19, from noon-1 p.m., journalist Orlando Bailey will sit down with Pulitzer Prize-winning author David Maraniss for an intimate discussion about “Once in a Great City,” Maraniss’ acclaimed portrait of Detroit during a transformative era. This conversation marks the opening of The Study, a new gathering space within The Station dedicated to ideas, storytelling and community connection. Books will be available through Source Booksellers, with a signing following the discussion. Entry is free with online RSVP; visit michigancentral.com/events.
Contact Free Press arts and culture reporter Duante Beddingfield at [email protected].