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Jazz Festival over Labor Day was a Resounding Success

Written by Julian Konwinski

Tuesday, 02 October 2012

The Detroit International Jazz Festival over Labor Day was a resounding success both artistically and commercially. Anyone associated with the four day extravaganza can walk tall and smile wide. They deserve every accolade given for presenting one hell of a festival. Three groups deserve special mention.

Chrysler Town & Country Van - Photo by Julian Konwinski

First, there would be no festival if not for Gretchen Valade and her Carhart Foundation. Her profound love of jazz and complete support of artistic endeavor make her the largest festival underwriter. Her backing kept the annual event happening through the recent dark lean years. Now, along with other corporate and individual support, the festival has blossomed into the “finest” jazz festival in the world.

Second, there is a virtual army of helpful friendly volunteers doing every job imaginable to facilitate this enormous undertaking. Despite hot sticky weather they sported smiles and remained cool answering questions and guiding the eager audience to their destination. They helped set the tone for the weekend which was loaded with smiles, sharing, and sincere appreciation of America’s most important gift to world culture, “JAZZ”.

Third, and no less important, corporate sponsorship of the festival. It takes big bucks to run an event of this magnitude. There are many important corporations who step up. You can see their names on stages and splashed about on banners around the venue. This year one in particular stands out, CHRYSLER CORPORATION. When Fiat purchased a controlling interest in the Auburn Hills based manufacturer, many predicted it’s demise. The doom days of bankruptcy and bailout have melted into sunny days of exciting product redesign and company rebirth. The size of their underwriting allowed Chrysler to bring various new models in for consumer test rides. On the day I chose a test ride they had slick new 200’s, 300’s, and the deluxe version of their mini van, the Town and Country. Chrysler introduced the mini van to the auto market many years ago only to be copied by several followers. Some industry analysts felt they had been surpassed over the years by newer brands. This latest Town and Country offering clobbers the competition on many levels. Removable rear seats, hidden storage compartments, dual CD and DVD capacity, specific vehicle designed sound systems, beautiful heated and cooled leather seats, even a heated leather steering wheel and GPS are among the creature comforts featured in the deluxe model. It’s smooth, aerodynamic, and incredibly quiet, yet delivers a peppy plush ride. People have noticed and sales are surging. Chrysler has plans to release more new models this fall and add technological innovations on many current products. More importantly for the festival, Chrysler is committed for years to come. Detroit and Chrysler are on the rebound and it’s tremendous to be part of the rejuvenation.

Finally, the talent level at the festival is simply the best anywhere. Every single performer made sure to thank the festival management and the audience for allowing them to perform at what they called “the best jazz festival in the world”. They were thrilled with the lineup, the atmosphere, and amazed it was all “FREE”. Imagine Sonny Rollins, Terrance Blanchard, Wynton Marsalis, Pat Methany, Joe Lovano, Chic Corea, Gary Burton, Wayne Shorter, Kevin Ewbanks, and many many more all who felt honored to be part of the celebration. Get it on your calendar next year for all four days of the Labor Day holiday. It’s guaranteed to be another amazing celebration of America’s best

musical heritage, “JAZZ”.

2012 AUTOGLOW FEATURED HIGH-FLYING ACTS, DAZZLED GUESTS AND NETTED MORE THAN $220,000

Written by Hillary Mulka

Wednesday, 18 January 2012

· The Children’s Center AutoGlow, presented by Ford Motor Company, held at The Westin Book Cadillac, was Detroit’s exclusive afterglow event following the North American International Auto Show Charity Preview on January 13, 2012.

· This year’s event set a fundraising record, with over $220,000 raised and 950 guests in attendance.

DETROIT – January 17, 2012 – This year’s sold out AutoGlow: Under the Big Top, presented by Ford Motor Company, featured an elegant, vintage circus theme and was a fundraising success, with proceeds benefitting The Children’s Center.

Building upon more than 80 years of support for The Children’s Center, Ford Motor Company returned as the presenting sponsor of AutoGlow, with hosts Lisa & Bill Ford and Nicki & Alan Mulally.

This year’s event netted over $220,000 in fundraising dollars for The Children’s Center, with over 950 guests in attendance. Funds raised will go towards The Children’s Center programs that address the mental and physical health of children in need in Wayne County.

Guests were treated to an array of delicious food, desserts and a signature cocktail, as well as a live band, circus tent-like draping and other unique décor. Stilt walkers, jugglers, knife throwers and other circus performers from Detroit Flyhouse entertained guests throughout the evening. AutoGlow attendees had a chance to play carnival games and snack on cotton candy and popcorn.

A Ford Focus, North American “Car of the Year” finalist, was on display for the evening.

About Ford Motor Company

Ford Motor Company, a global automotive industry leader based in Dearborn, Mich., manufactures or distributes automobiles across six continents. With about 164,000 employees and about 70 plants worldwide, the company’s automotive brands include Ford and Lincoln. The company provides financial services through Ford Motor Credit Company. For more information regarding Ford’s products, please visit www.ford.com.

About The Children’s Center

The Children’s Center is one of the largest, most diverse and comprehensive frontline child-serving agencies in Michigan, addressing the needs and problems of some of the most troubled children in the United States. For more information, please visit The Children’s Center web site at www.thechildrenscenter.com

BIG CELEBRITIES, BIG BRANDS APPEARING IN VEGAS!

Friday, 04 February 2011

JOIN MIKE "THE SITUATION" SORRENTINO AND MANY OTHERS!

Jersey Shore's Mike "The Situation" Sorrentino and Devotion Vodka Head to the NCB Show!

Producers of SpikeTV's new reality series, Bar Rescue featuring NCB's own Jon Taffer, will be taping and on show floor!

BEAM to showcase Cruzan 9 Spiced Rum and a host of other Beam Global brands and new product launches!

RED BULL gives wings to the NCB Nightly Events!

Rising country star Ashley Ray performing at NCB's featured party at Pure Tuesday night!

Celebrity Red Carpet Appearances! Mike "The Situation" Sorrentino from Jersey Shore, Former Pussycat Doll Kaya Jones, Miss Mexico 2008 Elisa Najera, Lea from Bad Girls Club, and Josie from Married to Rock and more!

MILLER-COORS has huge show floor presence & sponsors Tuesday's party at PURE!

ABSOLUT showing up big with booths and is a Triple Theme party sponsor!

MALIBU RUM brings new destination to show floor and sponsors PURE nightclub party!

HENNESSY ARTISTRY 2010 BRINGS THE HOTTEST TICKET IN MUSIC TO DETROIT WITH CURATORS THE ROOTS & Q-TIP

Friday, 01 October 2010
Exclusive Concert Series Offers Blend of Musical Talent and Art Including Special Guests Jay Electronica, Big Krit, Marsha Ambrosius, Travie McCoy, D-Nice and Surprise Performance from a Music Icon Hennessy Artistry 2010 will be making a stop in Detroit this Saturday, October 2nd from 9PM - 1AM as part of its five-city tour of exclusive events featuring an eclectic mix of musical acts. Now in its fifth year, Hennessy Artistry 2010 promises to be an innovative musical platform that blends art, culture and music from emerging performers and the most popular music artists of today, giving fans a once in a lifetime experience all under one roof. For the first time ever, Hennessy is introducing a new component to the series called Artistry GIVES. This charitable partnership with Americans for the Arts (AFTA) recognizes and fosters arts education. It also supports local emerging artists and art organizations, and in Detroit, will create an opportunity for local artists Alonzo Edwards, Christopher Batten and Mario Moore to display their work. Hennessy has also blended in an interactive element for consumers in the Artistry program with DJ Mixer, the top selling music mixing application on the iPhone. The Hennessy Artistry Music Mixer is a full blown DJ mixing station, packaged with hot, new music from some of today’s most promising hip-hop and R&B artists. The app will be offered as a free download on Apple’s App Store.
Last Updated ( Friday, 01 October 2010 )
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PIRANHA 3D producer Mark Canton responds to James Cameron

Thursday, 02 September 2010

As a producer in the entertainment industry, Jim Cameron's comments on VanityFair.com are very disappointing to me and the team that made Piranha 3D. Mr. Cameron, who singles himself out to be a visionary of movie-making, seems to have a small vision regarding any motion pictures that are not his own. It is amazing that in the movie-making process - which is certainly a team sport - that Cameron consistently celebrates himself out as though he is a team of one. His comments are ridiculous, self-serving and insulting to those of us who are not caught up in serving his ego and his rhetoric.

Jim, are you kidding or what? First of all, let’s start by you accepting the fact that you were the original director of PIRANHA 2 and you were fired. Shame on you for thinking that genre movies and the real maestros like Roger Corman and his collaborators are any less auteur or impactful in the history of cinema than you. Martin Scorcese made Boxcar Bertha at the beginning of his career. And Francis Ford Coppola made Dimentia 13 back in 1963. And those are just a few examples of the talented and successful filmmakers whose roots are in genre films. Who are you to impugn any genre film or its creators?

Having been deeply involved, as either an executive or as a producer, on Tim Burton’s original BATMAN and the first MEN IN BLACK, as well as 300, and now IMMORTALS, one of the things that has been consistent about all of the filmmakers involved in these landscape-changing global films is that, in each and every case, all of the directors were humbled by their predecessors, their colleagues and by their awareness of the great history of film that came before them.