Ropeadope

Picture, if you will, a modern day superhero called Detroit dude. He is suave like a shaft, rough like homeboy Eminem and exudes cool like Michigan’s techno gods Derrick Carter or Juan Atkins. The Detroit experiment, an album that fuses the new and old musical elements of the motor city would be the perfect soundtrack for a day in the life of the dapper Detroit dude. The funky and spaced out "Think Twice" would find our hero cruising down the city streets feeling free and easy. The free form and melancholy violin-filled tracks like "Revelation" and "There Is a God" might find him contemplating life while sitting in the park. Of course there are songs for seducing the ladies like the out-there cover of Stevie Wonder's classic "Too High" and the late night party underground anthem "The Way We Make Music" featuring rapper Invincible's fierce lyrics.

The record brings together a diverse group of Detroit jazz legends including Marcus Belgrave, Regina Carter and Geri Allen. Also present are sax genius Bennie Maupin who played with Herbie Hancock and Miles Davis, and Jaribu Shahid, formerly with Sun Ra. techno visionary Carl Craig and hip-hop guru Karriem Riggins, known for his work with the roots, common and slum village, share production and mixing duties. This album has many moods since the artists fused their individual sounds to create a tapestry of rhythms, perfect for our hero's adventures.

Aaron Levinson
Aaron Luis Levinson became a record producer, despite his late grandfather's express wishes. He is also a songwriter like his famous cousin in Hollywood, film composer David Raksin. Aaron has performed/recorded as a musician with, the P-Funk horns, Jimmy Bosch, Jef Lee Johnson, Jamaaladeen Tacuma, Gerald Veasley, Ahmir Thompson and the persuasions, among many others. Aaron is a life-long resident of Philadelphia. He likes food, shelter sex and water, but necessarily in that order.

Karriem Riggins
As both an accomplished jazz drummer and a groundbreaking hip-hop producer, Karriem brings his musical gifts to two different worlds. Born and raised in Detroit, Karriem got his start with jazz vocalist Betty Carter shortly after moving to New York. He went on to play in groups led by trumpeter Roy Hargrove, pianist Mulgrew Miller, and bassist Ray Brown. Common, who met Karriem at a performance with Roy Hargrove, was responsible for inspiring him to venture into hip-hop production. Karriem has since produced tracks for Common, Jay Dee, The Roots, Dwele, Erykah Badu, and Slum Village.

Geri Allen
A singular and inventive pianist, Geri grew up in Detroit and studied at the jazz development workshop with mentors like trumpeter Marcus Belgrave, drummer Roy Brooks, and pianist Harold McKinney. Geri has played and recorded with virtually everyone in modern jazz, including Dewey Redman, Betty Carter, Charlie Haden, Paul Motian, Ron Carter, Tony Williams, Vernon Reid, Ornette Coleman, Buster Williams, Lenny White, and Wallace Roney. Geri recently put out an album of her own music on verve records entitled the gathering.

Allan Barnes
Best known for his work as a founding member of the Blackbyrds, Allan wrote many of the group's signature compositions, including "Blackbyrds Theme", "Summer Love", and "April Showers". He has recorded extensively, including work with Nina Simone, Carl Craig’s Innerzone Orchestra, Fred Wesley, Bootsy Collins, Wilson Pickett, and Prince. Allan also hosts a television show about jazz on WFUM-University of Michigan public television called Jazzland.

Marcus Belgrave
After some early studies with Clifford Brown, Marcus got a gig touring with Ray Charles. He has since played and recorded with so many greats, including Charles Mingus, McCoy Tyner, Marvin Gaye, B.B. King, Joe Henderson, and the Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra. Marcus was also a founder of the based-based tribe records, a highly influential jazz-funk collective that released the album Gemini II, among others. A resident of Detroit since 1963, Marcus is nothing less than a godfather of jazz for the city, having mentored just about every player to come of the city in the past few decades, including Kenny Garrett, James Carter, and many of the musicians on this album.

Regina Carter
Quite possibly the most prominent jazz violinist of her generation, Regina has played and recorded with jazz standouts like Wynton Marsalis and Cassandra, r&b divas Patti Labell and Aretha Franklin, and hip-hop artists Mary J. Blige and Lauryn Hill. Regina has also performed internationally with her own quintet, including recent performances with several prominent orchestras in the U.S. and the honor of playing Paganini’s violin in a performance in Genoa, Italy. Regina’s duo album freefall, recorded in 2001 with pianist Kenny Barron, was nominated for a Grammy.

Francisco Mora Catlett
Born in Washington, D.C., Francisco lived in Mexico and Boston before doing a long tenure with Sun Ra's Arkestra. After establishing himself in Detroit, Francisco founded Pa'lante Productions, bringing concerts, tours, workshops, and lecture/demonstrations about the presence of African music and culture in Latin American countries. He has been awarded with several prestigious grants, worked with Max Roach's M'boom Ensemble, and headed a cultural exchange program with Mexico that has been awarded by the United Nations and earned him the key to the city of Detroit. In 1999, Francisco recorded an album of his own music, world trade music, for Planet E's community projects imprint. Francisco keeps a busy schedule as a performer, composer, arranger, and university educator.

Jeremy Ellis
Born and raised in Detroit by a family of musicians, Jeremy has been playing piano and keyboards since he was very young. His experience playing with a funk band at the age of 18 opened up a new world of music for him. Since that time, he has been a member of the Detroit group Jazzhead; played keyboards on tracks for Detroit producers like Alton Miller, Mike "Agent X" Clark, and Carl Craig; toured with Aril Brika and time-space; and played alongside Jazzanova and Koop.

Amp Fiddler
Having studied jazz in school and with Harold McKinney while growing up in Detroit, amp began his career in popular music when he went on tour with the group Enchantment. Later, after joining George Clinton and Parliament/Funkadelic, he toured all over the U.S., Europe, and Japan with the group. he has also performed and recorded with Jamiroquai, the Brand New Heavies, Prince, Seal, and Maxwell. amp produced his own album, Mr. fiddler - with respect on Elektra, and has released a single on the UK label genuine entitled "Basementality".

Bennie Maupin
A Detroit native, Bennie came up in the New York jazz scene of the sixties and seventies. he cut his teeth in bands led by Horace Silver, McCoy Tyner, Roy Haynes, and Lee Morgan. A multi-reed player equally adept on tenor saxophone, bass clarinet, and other instruments, Bennie gained international recognition as the bass clarinetist on several Miles Davis albums, including Bitches Brew. Bennie went on to become an integral collaborator with Herbie Hancock as part of the Headhunters, recording several highly influential albums with the group, including Headhunters, thrust, and sextant. Bennie currently teaches and lives in Altadena, California, and tours and records internationally with his own groups.

Ron Otis
One of Detroit’s most experienced and prolific session drummers, Ron has recorded with Aretha Franklin, Earl Klugh, Nancy Wilson, Tyrese, and many others. He has also played on countless national commercial jingle sessions.

Jaribu Shahid
Born in Detroit, Jaribu got his start playing with area greats such as Wendell Harrison, Kenny Cox, and Martha Reeves and The Vandellas. After playing as part of the sci-fi band Griot Galaxy, Jaribu went on to live and play with Sun Ra in 1978. Since then, Jaribu has served as the "house bassist" for the creative arts collective, enjoyed a longstanding collaboration with Tani Tabbal, and performed and recorded with musicians and composers such as Henry Threadgill, The Art Ensemble of Chicago, James Carter, David Murray, and Roscoe Mitchell's Note Factory.

Al turner
Growing up in Detroit, Al learned the bass by absorbing the sounds he heard on Motown recordings. After high school, Al played with the group free spirit, featuring Anita Baker. Since then, Al has recorded for Aretha Franklin, Nancy Wilson, Oleta Adams, Gladys Knight, Bob James, Randy Crawford and many major radio and television commercials. He has toured with Bob James, David Benoit, Oleta Adams, and Everette Harp, as well as serving as a member of Earl Klugh's group since 1994.