"We decided that we would put together an anthology of Detroit music. We're going to rehearse in a recording studio and record songs and release it in an album that's a benefit for Focus: Hope. So, hopefully, this whole thing will draw some international attention to local music and economic conditions for some of the folks living in Detroit and hope."

For the guy who was excited just to hold Blue Note releases 40-plus years ago, there's the excitement of going into the Blue Note vaults and hearing the original tapes of those sessions. Serious fans would hope for more unreleased discoveries, but there's no luck there. "That's been pretty much mined," he said, although there are new digital-release initiatives, including a program for remastered, high-definition digital downloads that aim for "the best representation of the music and also the closest to the artists' intention."

That program will begin offering six records a month over the Internet.  

But while he wants to make those old sessions come alive, he reiterated, he doesn't want today's artists to go into the studio to sound like those sessions again. "It would be a mistake to keep remaking 1960s jazz," he said.

Music fans around the world have their ears cocked waiting to hear how he makes the label's sound anew in 2012 and beyond.

W. Kim Heron is Metro Times editor. Thanks to MT intern Paul Kitti for interview transcription. Send comments to wkheron@metrotimes.com.

20th Concert of Colors Schedule

Thursday, July 12
Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History, 315 E. Warren Ave., Detroit. Doors 6:30 p.m. Free museum + exhibition admission. Music: Cultures Collide: Mike-E & AfroFlow + Friend.

Friday, July 13
Detroit Institute of Arts, 5200 Woodward Ave., Detroit. Doors 4 p.m. Free museum + exhibition admission. 7 & 8:30 p.m. De Temps Antan (two sets). 8 p.m. PuppetSlam Detroit!

Saturday, July 14
Max M. Fisher Music Center, 3711 Woodward Ave., Detroit. Doors 2 p.m. (Food trucks, Detroit-themed lounge, merch vendors, kids crafts, etc.)
Meijer Main Stage, Orchestra Hall
8:15 p.m. Fifth Don Was Detroit All-Star Revue — Detroit Jazz City Edition, 6 p.m. Tito Puente Jr. Orchestra (Latin jazz), 4 p.m. Malika Zarra (Algerian folk, rock).
Comerica Diversity Stage, The Music Box
9:15 p.m. Universal Xpression (Caribbean), 7 p.m. Black Mahal (Indian funk), 5 p.m. The Bell Beat (Indie rock), 3 p.m. Harper & Midwest Kind (Australian blues).
UM — Detroit Center/MSU Community Music School Outdoor Stage Hosted by D Brown
8 p.m. DJ Captn20 (dance, electronica), 7 p.m. BombaRica (jazz, folk), 6 p.m. Remnant (gospel), 5 p.m. Tim Ellerbe Project (Christian, gospel, jazz), 4 p.m. Keir Jackson (spoken word, eclectic), 3 p.m. Arts League Jazz Ensemble (jazz), 2 p.m. Community Records Battle of the Bands Winner: MSB. Atrium. 2 p.m. Detroit Fire Guild Belly Dancers.

Sunday, July 15
Max M. Fisher Music Center. Doors 2 p.m. (Food trucks, Detroit-themed lounge, merch vendors, kids crafts, etc.).
Meijer Main Stage, Orchestra Hall
8:30 p.m. George Clinton & Parliament Funkadelic (funk), 6 p.m. Oliver Mtukudzi and the Black Spirits (African traditional, pop), 3:30 p.m. Detroit Symphony Orchestra wsg Wu Man and Eric Jacobsen (classical, Silk Road).
Comerica Diversity Stage, The Music Box
9 p.m. M.A.K.U. Sound System (Latin ska, funk), 7 p.m. Joe Reilly and the Community Gardeners (Native American fusion), 5 p.m. Musique Noire (classical fusion), 3 p.m. The Kreellers (Irish rock), 2 p.m. La'Ron Williams (storyteller).
UM — Detroit Center/MSU Community Music School Outdoor Stage
Hosted by B Def: 8 p.m. Ben Sharkey (jazz, swing), 7 p.m. L'Renee (R&B, soul). 6 p.m. DJ Christos (dance, electronica), 5 p.m. Chris Canas Band (blues). 4 p.m. Umojah International (Caribbean), 3 p.m. JO! (African dance), 2 p.m. A.C.T.I.N. U.P. (youth arts).

See concertofcolors.com for more details.

> Email W. Kim Heron