AUGUST 11 • 2022 | 55
The programming begins
at 3 and 4:45 p.m. Sunday,
Aug. 14, at the Congregation
for Humanistic Judaism of
Metro Detroit (formerly
Birmingham Temple) in
Farmington Hills, where he
and his wife, Susan, a retired
English teacher, are members.
Joining Lipson as he plays
percussion will be Marion
Hayden (bass), Nate Winn
(drums), Alberto Nacif
(percussion), Michael Malis
(piano), Terry Kimura (trom-
bone) and Rafael Leafar
(woodwinds).
What’s more, Lipson also
is preparing to lead a concert
of members belonging to the
Detroit Composers Collective
in the annual Detroit Jazz
Festival 2-3 p.m. Saturday,
Sept. 3, at the Carhartt
Amphitheater Stage in Hart
Plaza. He last performed in
the free festival in 1983.
MUSIC AS A
CULTURAL GLUE
Excitement is gearing Lipson
as he focuses on a return to
his devotion to music.
“I see music as a cultural
glue that brings communities
together,” said Lipson, who
retired from social work in
2010, took arranging and
composing classes at Oakland
Community College and
Wayne State University and
resumed his musical interests
without school responsibil-
ities.
“Music provides a connec-
tion between the present and
past generations of our teach-
ers, mentors and ancestors.
I want to approach jazz in a
really meaningful way. There
is a rich legacy of Detroit jazz
that we can spotlight.”
Realism features music
of Kenn Cox, Brad Felt
and Lipson as played by
the Detroit Composers
Collective. It was recorded
in two sessions, first with
a quintet and second with
a septet. Springwells, fin-
ished in May, features seven
Collective members with
the title track written by
Detroit trombonist Vincent
Chandler.
The music on both instru-
mental albums as arranged
by Lipson, features technical
and administrative work
completed during the pan-
demic times of isolation.
“I was very lucky to have
wonderful and generous
teachers in Detroit who were
jazz masters before social
work and after I retired,”
Lipson said. “I believe these
albums are carrying on that
Detroit tradition from one
generation to the next. The
albums also are an education-
al exercise because the young
players are becoming more
aware of the tradition.”
Lipson, who has a music
studio in his home, had illus-
trious performance oppor-
tunities before he decided
on the steadiness of a social
work career.
His performances have
been with Dizzy Gillespie,
Wendell Harrison and Mark
Murphy. His local appear-
ances have included slots at
the Ann Arbor Blues and
Jazz Festival, Detroit Institute
of Arts, Baker’s Keyboard
Lounge and Cliff Bell’s, in
addition to radio program-
ming.
During the pandemic,
Lipson had two outdoor con-
certs at his home, where lis-
teners could distance them-
selves from one another.
“The drums have just
hooked me as a fun instru-
ment,” said Lipson, who also
has studied piano.
“During school, I couldn’t
wait to get home and hop on
that drum set. My parents
were very liberal, and they
were glad to have music in
the house.”
Lipson founded the Detroit
Composers Collective in
2015 with the mission of
archiving, performing and
recording Detroit jazz.
“After I retired from social
work, I was hitting as many
jam sessions as I could,” he
explained. “Around Detroit,
I just knew how much unre-
corded performed music
there was by my friends who
were composers. I was think-
ing of getting my albums
together, and it turned out
to be a good thing to elevate
Detroit music.
“I go to the piano and
write music, and that gives
me structure and a way to
express my feelings and expe-
riences.
“I can’t imagine not having
music in my life, especially in
regard to the people I’ve met
and studied with and been
mentored by.”
COURTESY OF MARK LIPSON
Mark Lipson plays at
Cliff Bell’s.
Details
The Realism and Springwells concert starts at 3 and 4:45 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 14, at the
Congregation for Humanistic Judaism of Metro Detroit (formerly Birmingham Temple), 28611 W. 12
Mile, Farmington Hills. Pay what you can. Voluntary donation suggested at $25. chj-detroit.org/
donations-and-payments.