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Art & Music

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By David Wesley
Photo by Bernie Laframboise

Seven Reaume is a Detroit photographer and essayist producing top-flight work since the late 1990s. Now his artistic output has brought him local attention to the point where many Detroit-based photographers know his work as a staple of the photography scene. His photography is being exhibited at galleries and other outlets across the city and he even has a new calendar of his work out, called “The Detroit I See,” featuring stellar snapshots of the city as only Steve can produce.

Reaume sat down with Ferndale Friends for an exclusive interview about his life and career.
When did you start photographing and what perked your interest in photography?
Although my grandmother gave me my first camera when I was in grade school, I became really passionate about photography while in high school. A friend of the family gave me my first serious SRL camera for my 15th birthday, and I was hooked. I took classes on dark room techniques, composition, and art. My art eventually moved toward graphic design. Photography is a medium that I’ve always dabbled in, but didn’t get back to it again until the past few years. With the quality of phone cameras advancing, along with the advent of Instagram, I felt the desire to capture and share my surroundings.

Who are some of your influences as a photographer?
Detroit photographer Robert Guzman has inspired me the most. His photos are true works of art. He has an amazing ability to capture culture as well as structure.

What makes Detroit such a great subjectto photograph and what have you gleaned from the city since photographing it?
I’ve lived in the same area of Detroit for over two decades. Walked the same streets. I realized that I wasn’t noticing the beauty of my city, and specifically the areas that I frequent most, like I used to. It was all becoming very familiar. So, last summer I challenged myself to look at the city from different angles and perspectives. My recent show, ‘The Detroit I See’ is a selection of photographs from this project.

I’ve also spent a lot of time photographing nightlife, and specifically clubs and DJs. The music scene in Detroit, particularly the electronic music scene, is one of the most admired in the world. I feel fortunate to be a part of it, and capture the artists, people, and clubs that make it so unique and inspiring.

What are you aims with your work and artform?
I am now experimenting with combining the two mediums that I have worked in all my life, design and photography. They have always been separated in my work. One influences the other, but I have rarely created pieces that join them together.

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Story By Kevin Alan Lamb
Photo credit: Bernie Laframboise

His first public performance came in 1989, when he showcased his fancy feet to “Billy Jean” in a school talent show. He wrote his first song at 13, and over 50 since. His friends claim he’s a vampire, while his dog Lugar knows he s not. He’s produced five albums, mastered his ego, and is the first in his family to pursue and create music as a profession. His name is Kent Koller, his mentor is a Lyon, he prays at night to share a stage with Jesus, and he takes great pride in being a part of a hard-working, resilient, and diverse art and music culture built on soul and substance, over image and conformity.

What’s the last song you want to hear before you die?
Tchaikovsky – Waltz of the Flowers.

Do you believe music is medicine?
Music could be considered medicine, surely, but I would say it’s more of a therapist than a surgeon. I’ve always said that happiness is healthiness. Music and art possess the power to alter or magnify our emotions. Music that might relieve stress could certainly be used as a form of therapy. I’ve always been fascinated by the cognitive neuroscience of music, how it physically and mentally affects us. Goosebumps are an undeniable physical reaction to music, for example. Why? Mait’s best left unsolved, for the next pop-song hit would just be three minutes of auto-tuned goose-bumps.

If you could share a stage with anyone, living or dead, who would it be and why?
Jesus Christ. I’m not a religious person, but what a resume builder that would be! Also, to learn about marketing and promotion.

You’ve written that your music is your soul, can you elaborate?
My music is the expression of my existence. It is my truest form of subconscious. When I write, it’s spontaneous, and how I write is largely unexplainable. I hear things in my head, I feel things through emotion, and I guess as to what needs to happen next. Somehow from this jumbled combination of esoteric descriptors comes a song, a piece of me.

What was the first song you learned to play?
First song on guitar was Nirvana’s cover of “The Man Who Sold The World.” I didn’t know it was originally a David Bowie song.

Who played the greatest role in your development as a musician?
Undoubtedly Scott Lyon, my guitar instructor and friend. He taught me as much as possible about the guitar, without telling me how to use it. That sounds bad, but I think it’s genius. He’s great at explaining musical concepts through analogies, explaining theory without forming rules, and sharing new music with enthusiasm. I always called him a musical preacher, always excited to explore and talk about music and life. We became good friends after I formally stopped lessons, just around the age I started to play live shows and record music. He helped a lot in that stage of my career as well, recording my first two albums in his studio. One of the most intellectual and philosophical people I know.

Who are three bands you listen to frequently?
The Platters, B. B. King, Prince.

What’s your favorite album of all time?
Pink Floyd – Wish You Were Here.

Why is it special to be a musician living in a place like Detroit?
Detroit’s music scene is special because it is largely untapped. Detroit’s music scene is as blue-collar as the city’s history. We often have to create our own opportunities because there is nobody here to give it to us. We don’t have a true music industry, or some glamorous “Main-Street” known for its music venues. This creates a hard-working, resilient, and diverse art and music culture not based on image and conformity. I’m proud to be a part of it.

Koller makes his home north of Detroit, lives a nocturnal life, has played the guitar for over 20 years, regularly hosts an open mic, decided that brunettes not blondes have more fun, and he’s never died.

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Photo by Bernie LaFramboise

Oak Park resident and author Soraya Biela discovered and occupied a neglected perspective in the vampire fantasy genre. Where most often the stories are overflowing with Twilight’s precocious young girls and Anne Rice’s charismatic older men, Biela’s storytelling focused on the voice of an older woman. Enter Joey Roxy; a charming woman, a radio talk show host, and a vampire.

Biela has released the first two books in the trilogy, the first entitled Velvet Heaven and the second, Velvet Hammer. The narrative is both relatable and addictive. Seductive situations and bloodthirsty intimacy can be very intriguing for readers who wanted more out of the run-of-the-mill vampire epics. Readers can feel the rush Biela gets out of peering through the consciousness of her characters, and she fashions a personal fantasy that is as enjoyable to the reader as it is to her.

Joey Roxy is completely inspired by a real-life mentor of Biela’s: a talk show host named Rollye, who spins records of obscure soul music. Biela began reaching out to Rollye first as an adoring fan, and was soon enamored by Rollye’s depth of compassion and magnetic personality.

The support Rollye gave Biela during trying times, and the admiration she felt through this relationship, nurtured the creative devotion necessary to model a character that honors their connection.

“As a thank you I wanted to write her into the novel I had going at the time,” Biela said. “But as I began to write I had 50 pages in only a month, and that were way more compelling than what I had been writing.”

As the relationship blossomed, Biela began researching her mentor’s career history. She came across an online forum where a truck driver had accused Rollye of being a vampire because her radio show employed very late hours, and her enduring youthful appearance seemed impossible without some supernatural explanation. This notion excited Biela, and after writing Rollye’s character into a story she was working on at the time, the inspiration snow-balled into the vampire character in Velvet Heaven.

“Here was this intelligent, witty, sexy woman over 60. She seemed timeless,” Biela said. “She was a perfect fit. I started to write my version of her from our conversations both on and off air. I would send her what I wrote for her approval since so much of it was her likeness.”

Biela’s interest in storytelling began as a child with wildly vivid dreams, an abundant imagination, and the drive to be a writer and a creator. As she grew into a lover of gothic literature, her trajectory into this genre seems as natural as a vampire’s thirst for blood.

“Who doesn’t want to be immortal? I’ve always been drawn to [vampires]. I never feel like we have enough time to do all we want in one lifetime. “

Biela’s books are now self-published, which gives her the freedom to maintain the storyline she is interested in telling without compromising her vision. However, Biela has big dreams. She envisions her original creation someday becoming as influential as JK Rowling’s. But for now, Biela is simply thrilled at the future prospect of the realization of her finished trilogy. Perhaps with such adult themes in the same way the wizarding world did for kids, the challenges Joey Roxy faces as an older female vampire, women of the same age can live out the fantasy.

“In book one we see Joey struggling with a human husband, continuing her already dwindling career, and just adapting to life as one of the undead at her age,” Biela said. “In book two we see more of the vampire history, as well as the lineage her husband has which is causing all kinds of problems in their marriage. We see her letting go of her human ways and really embracing the sensual monster she has become.”

Velvet Heaven and Velvet Hammer are now available on Amazon, and the third and final installment of the series still hasn’t seen the light of day. Let’s hope it doesn’t burst into flames when it does!

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By Rose Carver

Charlotte Fisher’s newest book is a reminder that we all struggle, and in that reality, we are all the same.

Detroit author Charlotte Fisher is a natural-born writer. In her newest work, she pours a series of her personal experiences into a collection of short stories that reach directly into the human heart of the reader in an attempt to stimulate a powerful empathy for all people.

Hope, healing, connection and inclusion are some of the overarching themes in the book, Take a Lesbian to Lunch. The belief that we all have worth is an important point for Fisher to communicate to all of her readers.

“Through my writing, I am hoping that people begin to see the similarities among us instead of focusing on the differences,” Fisher said.

A survivor of addiction and a masters student at the University of Michigan, Fisher  downplays her projected identity in the world that makes her appear different. Her writing exemplifies what she’s learned in her 50-plus years on Earth, and she attempts to remind everyone that we all struggle in our lives, and through that connection we can realize what makes us the same.

“The fact that I am gay doesn’t make me unique,” Fisher said. “The larger part of me—my pain, my challenges, my fears—connect me to every other person on the planet who has felt the same way. Sharing our emotions connects us with each other. It’s what brings us together to heal and move forward.”

Sharing her story is her contribution to the emotional ether, and her vulnerability is potent. She is unapologetic about her past, and reminds us through her writing that compassion is the highest form of consciousness. She hopes her writing gives others the courage to claim their own truth.
“In some way, we’ve all been the lesbian, or the fat girl, or the weakling or the guy who can’t read or the guy who cheated on his wife, or the wife who’s been cheated on,” Fisher said. “It’s almost impossible to judge others when you see yourself in them. I’ve been judged, and I’ve also judged others harshly. Today I try to see ‘me’ in everyone I meet, and offer them compassion. When how we look at the world changes, what we see changes as well.”

Writing is a natural process for Fisher, as she’s been doing it since she was in the seventh grade. She exudes devotion for the process of moving thoughts and feelings into words and stories. Not only does she try to reach others through her writing, but she also finds the outlet she needs to work through the issues that she struggles with in her own life.

“If I kept all of my pain and self-hatred and shame inside of me, I would have likely killed myself with my addiction,” Fisher said (she’s been sober since 2004). “Because I’ve shared my stories, I’ve learned two important things: Most of what I thought about myself wasn’t true. I actually do have value. I do have purpose. I am loveable and strong and important. [And second] I’m not alone. Other people have had the thoughts and experiences. Through my writing, I believe I’m helping others to recognize that they are also not alone, that there’s hope, and that we all have the courage to make our lives fabulous.“

To learn more about Fisher, get in contact with her, or to order her newest book, go to lesbianlunch.com.

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By Sherrad Glosson
Photos by Bernie Laframboise

Christine Kole, now one year into retirement from the Ferndale School District, is living her days in the bliss of enjoying her four grandchildren, and caring for her husband and family. She moved to Ferndale at age 19, and has spent her entire adult life here, enjoying the diversity, the friendly residents and the quaint old home. Christine stated, “The city of Ferndale was very different in a way. The architecture, and the way the community is involved with each other is very appealing.”

Her daughter attended the FACE Preschool in the old St. James school building, and Christine was so impressed that she applied for a job there. Her college courses were concentrated in child development and she loved children, so it was a good fit. Christine made her transition from school to school, including evening child care at Ferndale High, Clinton Center, Roosevelt, Wilson, Coolidge Intermediate, and JFK Academy.

During those years, Christine had her third child late in life, just when her husband was diagnosed with a serious illness, so she took a break from teaching. Later, she returned to what she had been doing for years, in the school system. It didn’t stop there! She wanted to be more involved in the city she adored so much so she became a community activist and a big Ferndale supporter. She reached out and volunteered with the senior program at the Senior Nutrition Site, taught Stretch & Tone classes through Ferndale Adult Education for ten years, got involved in local cable TV, doing commercials. She also ran the “Kiddie Kapers” at the Ferndale Recreation Department (writing and narration), produced a commercial for the Ferndale Concert
series, co-produced, wrote and narrated an award-winning cable overview of the Ferndale preschool program in the mid- ‘90s. A parishioner at St. James for many years, she wrote bulletin articles, sang solo (professionally) and in choirs, did publicity and led home based “Renew” Bible study.

Throughout her professional singing career, she’s had opportunities to perform in coffee houses as a teen, sung in bands, in duos, weddings, parties, for the Ferndale seniors, at the 75th Anniversary celebration and at many metro Detroit area churches.

What a pleasant circumstance to have such a motivated and willing person with so much passion and joy being a helping help and community activist in the city of Ferndale. Christine McCabe Kole is our friendly neighbor of Ferndale.

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Story by Andrea Grimaldi
Photography by Bernie Laframboise

What do you get when you combine a life-long obsession with yarn and an endearing sense of humor? The Happy Hooker Detroit shop. Owner and operator Christina Larson has arguably the coziest corner of the Rust Belt, as well as an eclectic online shop. She takes comfortable crocheted items and gives them her own spin. The website explains her work as “Inspired by your grandma and taken to the streets, Happy Hookers Detroit provides comfortable knitwear with an attitude.”

Each product in the Happy Hookers shop is created from patterns written by Christina. The clothing section of the shop is extensive. “Armies” are fingerless gloves and feature unique designs, like swirls and a snakeskin print. “Butt Sweaters” are beautiful skirts that are as warm as they are unique (because what are skirts, but butt sweaters?). “Cloaking Hoods” are neck scarves with a unique shape that can be worn several different ways. “Scarf Sleeves” can also be paired with the cloaking hoods, or purchased in contrasting colors for a one of a kind look. The scarf sleeves can also be worn in any number of ways and are a stand out on their own.

The Happy Hooker shop also has bowties, gorgeous hats, and scarves, all made with integrity and make layering up for winter weather less depressing. No two items at Happy Hooker Detroit are alike, making each piece a work of art.

In addition to clothing items, the Happy Hooker Detroit shop now features pillows with unique designs. Personalized wedding pillows feature stick figure portraits of the couple, the wedding date, and optional initials. The wedding pillows are a great gift for the couple who has it all.  Other pillows include whales or a robot fighting a dinosaur.

The pillows are made with a knitting machine that can take two-color images and put them in yarn. While the images are simplistic, they are very entertaining. The machine that creates the pillows is aptly-named “Mr. Fancy Pants,” because of the fancy image technology. Christina has another machine named
“Workhorse,” who makes a lot of the hats and sleeves for the shop. Christina’s third machine is a Brother 270 named “Greased Lightning” for its efficiency.

It is hard to say if Christina’s biggest talent lies with yarn or with naming inanimate objects.

While Christina learned to crochet as a child, she picked up knitting from a coworker during her time as a director at Channel 7. She worked in broadcast for 17 years, before the job changed into something she wasn’t enjoying. She realized she had a business ready to go in her craft room, and has been running Happy Hooker full time for the last two years. In addition to the year-old Rust Belt shop, Christina takes her hooking on the road with booths at various music festivals.

Christina’s newest project is a group effort called Fuzzy Tripod (another Christina name). Created alongside photographer Evans Tasiopoulos and artist Dave Messy, Fuzzy Tripod is a new group aiming to bring Detroit-area artists together. The group put on a Summer Art and Beer Garden earlier this summer, and plan on creating more venues to showcase local talent. Another event in the works will pair poets with painters for an extended period to see what they can inspire each other to make. Follow the Fuzzy Tripod page on Facebook to see what is coming next.

While Christina will tell you that her true love in life is yarn, creating things that make people happy is her true passion. The pride in seeing someone wearing her clothing or making the perfect gift for her customers is what keeps Christina hooking. Visit her at the Rust Belt to see her wears in person, or check out her website at www.hhdclothing.com to place an order.

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One of the longest-running and most popular winter events in Southeast Michigan is the Ferndale Blues & Music Festival. The annual festival is set for January 27 thru February 4, and includes live bands and music from blues and jazz to rock–n-roll and every-thing in between. The festival, held in downtown Ferndale and neighboring communities, showcases a large array of local and regional musicians and bands playing dozens of concerts in a variety of venues over the course of nine days. Volunteers work the events and help raise thousands of dollars for Ferndale Youth Assistance.

The Music Festival began in 2002 and has gained in prestige and popularity each year. Expenses are kept low, and all proceeds go to FYA, a not-for-profit 501c(3) organization. Venues include bars, nightclubs, restaurants, coffeehouses, churches, schools and community centers. Thousands of people will attend the events and more than 500,000 people will see the advertisements, website, Facebook pages, news stories, posters and programs.

All contributions, donations, and sponsorships are tax deductible. The Annual Blues & Music Festival is supported by the City of Ferndale, the Ferndale DDA, Ferndale Area Chamber of Commerce, Ferndale Public Schools, elected officials, and numerous businesses, churches, and media outlets.

Event Co-chair Alyssa Atkinson; 248-259-0058
Event Co-chair Craig Covey, 248-721-6434

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Story By Sara Teller

The Detroit Together Men’s Chorus (DTMC for short) is a Detroit-based, all male chorus founded in 1982. The chorus, now in its 33rd season, serves the communities of southeastern Michigan, northern Ohio and Windsor, Ontario. Over the years, its members have come from all over the world–from local communities in metro Detroit, those in the extended area, such as Ann Arbor and Toledo, and as far away as Australia! The premiere gay and gay-supportive men’s chorus currently contains 35 active members from all backgrounds and orientations, and includes a strong volunteer membership and steady support from area donors. It was formed with the primary purpose of advocating for and promoting a positive image of the metro Detroit LGBT community.

DTMC’s volunteers are a much-needed component of the group, and donations are always appreciated. “Our ff15674_dtmc_1volunteer membership gives tirelessly of themselves. Without our donors and volunteers, DTMC wouldn’t be able to sing as proudly as we do and we are forever grateful,” says Vince Houle, board member and chorus singer. “We are currently looking for volunteers in so many areas that are needed,” he adds, including aid with various new advertising, printing, fundraising and photography initiatives. “We are looking for a graphic artist to help with playbills and advertising media, a printing company, help in planning and executing fundraising and concert events, people to record us and help us make a CD, and a photographer to capture moments at concerts and events and help with community outreach. We are in the process of trying to organize a volunteer guild,” he explains, which is still in the works. Donations can be made on the group’s web page, and donors receive recognition and free concert tickets.

The chorus is currently restructuring, and some of the group’s immediate goals include expanding the group, increasing its presence and creating partnerships with non-profits and other local area organizations. It continues to look for new male singers interested in utilizing their vocal skills to contribute to its overall mission of providing support for the LGBT community. “We are always looking for men with singing abilities to join our chorus from all background and orientations,” Vince says, and he is excited for the many changes to come. “We are always mindful of our beginning and accept the challenges that lie ahead. It is an exciting time for the Metro Detroit area and its LGBT community. As DTMC breaks new ground and achieves new heights, we do so in the fellowship and joy of making music together!”

DTMC’s upcoming Christmas holiday concert will be held at the Ferndale High School on Saturday, December 17, 2016, at 7:30 PM. As always, proceeds from concert ticket sales will help with the annual budget, and ff15674_dtmc_3local residents are encouraged to check out what the group is all about. Those who donate $50 or more in advance will receive free admission to the event. Those interested in advertising can choose to have their ads placed at the concert and can reserve ad space ahead of time on the chorus’s website.

More information about the Detroit Together Men’s Chorus, including how to donate and volunteer, can be found on its webpage at DTMC.org. The group can also be found on Facebook.
Those interested in volunteering can contact Vince at 313-690-3559 or schauhoule@gmail.com, or Artistic Director, Brian Londrow, at 313-320-9792 or blmusicmcc@yahoo.com.

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By H.G. Laurence

Jill Jack and The American Songbook Band has come out with a CD of American standards and, as a Ferndale resident of 20 years, she wishes to share the release of the CD, ALL OF ME, first with the residents of her hometown. The CD covers American classic singers from Billy Holiday to Sinatra, and her band will be performing these songs for your enjoyment at Local Kitchen & Bar on November 10.

A winner of 38 Detroit Music Awards, Jack has played a variety of music covering everything from pop to rock. ff15620_jilljack_chairBefore ALL OF ME, she and her band had already released ten CDs. Her taste in music is quite diverse, but the desire to play standards has always been something she carried with her. As a child, Jack’s parents often brought her to a piano bar they liked to frequent, to foster her musical growth. Learning to play songs by Nat King Cole, Frank Sinatra, and Billy Holiday, Jack was taught by an 80-year-old lifelong musician. Her early experiences in the piano bar taught her the appreciation of some of America’s greatest classics.

While playing the Detroit Institute of Arts concert series, Jack and her band-mates discussed the idea of ff15620_jilljack_selfiecovering American standards, to fulfill her long time desire. They put their vision to work and, over four days in the studio, they recorded nine songs for this new CD.

On November 10, Jill Jack and the American Songbook Band will bring their CD release party to Ferndale’s Local Kitchen. She and her band-mates chose this location to bring business to the town they love, and to support small businesses within the community.

The Event Room doors will open at 7:00 P.M., with the concert starting at 7:30 P.M. & ending at 10:00 P.M. Tickets are available at eventbrite.com for $20-$50. Further information on this special concert and the Jill Jack and the American Songbook Band can be found through jilljack.com. They look forward to sharing this celebration with you.

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By Nicholas Ray
Photos by Bernie LaFramboise

I met Carol Teegardin at the Rustbelt Market on 9 Mile this past weekend at the annual Funky Ferndale Art Fair to discuss the play she has written, “Strawberry: What Party.” She’d written a book of the same title, published three years rior, chronicling the tragic and mysterious murder of Tamara Greene in 2003. The murder eventually became a major news story, and led to investigations that brought down a political dynasty and changed the course of Detroit history.

“Strawberry: What Party” tells the story of a party that allegedly happened the year before at the Manoogian ff15644_dd_bookMansion, the City-owned residence of the mayor of Detroit at the time, Kwame Kilpatrick. According to press accounts, Ms. Greene was one of several women working as exotic dancers at the private party hosted by the mayor, with several of the mayor’s friends in the house. And, we’d never ave likely heard about it except for the mayor’s wife allegedly assaulting Ms. Greene and the other exotic dancers at that party.

There are few unsolved murders in the history or Detroit more infamous or pivotal as the tragic death of Tamara Greene in the spring of 2003. The 27-year-old exotic dancer and entrepreneur was shot to death by a drive-by shooter that April and the case remains unsolved to this day. Ms. Teegardin spent years as a successful columnist for The Detroit News, but she remained committed to her goal of being an investigative journalist. “I’d always wanted to do the Bernstein/Woodward thing.”

And in Strawberry, she has certainly achieved just that, working as hard in retirement as she ever did for the Detroit News. Over a five-year period, she interviewed dozens of primary sources involved in all areas of the case, many of them more than once. She spoke with friends and family of Ms. Greene, her church pastor, and even attended a number of family events.

When it comes to identifying who actually murdered Tamara Greene, Teegardin doesn’t come to a definite conclusion. This might disappoint some readers, especially those who have their own theories (and there are plenty of those). What she does, however, is infinitely more nuanced and arguably far more interesting. Ms. Teegardin walks her readers through the intricate twists and turns, the seemingly contradicting evidence of the case, and describes how Greene’s murder became such a huge story, and how it led to the series of circumstances that would eventually bring down the Kilpatrick administration and end a political dynasty in Detroit.

No one should be fooled by Ms. Teegardin’s small stature. The book was a monstrous effort on her part, requiring an immense amount of commitment that seems so typical of “old-school journalists” like Teegardin. Not only did she edit the book herself, she also self-financed its publication in a number of unorthodox ways.

“It was the most fun thing I’ve ever done,” she smiled and nodded. “It was a dream come true.”
The Tamara Greene and Kwame Kilpratrick story never seems to go away completely. In fact,  Teegardin sold every book she had on the day I met her. Maybe her dream is coming true.

The stage production will debut at Marlene Boll Theatre on January 20, 2017, and will be about 90 minutes in duration. The production will be directed by award-winning director Mary Bremer-Beer.

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