The Metro: Detroit saxophonist composing songs inspired by city parks

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.

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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.