What?

Do you think Chrissette Michelle and T.I just pop up here out of thin air? No. It takes the hard work of people such as Sulaiman Mausi to bring them here.

For the past five years, Mausi, through his family-owned and operated promotions company The Right Productions, Inc. has brought some of the biggest names in R&B, hip-hop and soul music to the crowds of music lovers at Chene Park via its Classic Soul Fridays and The Return of the Legends concert series. 

The season kicked off on June 4 with Chrissette Michelle and Raheem DeVaughn and will conclude with the legendary Teena Marie on August 15. Chene Park is the place to be on Wednesday and Friday nights (along with a few Saturdays splashed in). Bobby Brown, Musiq Soulchild and Jill Scott are some of the artists expected to perform during this year’s series.

Mausi, 34, who is also the assistant general manager of Chene Park, said the Soul Fridays and Legends concerts began as an offshoot to the park’s Wednesday Night Summer Jazz Series. Once his production company became responsible for the operations of the park and amphitheatre, a decision was made to “add and expand” to the number of concerts and shows. On average, more than 3,500 people come to each summer performance.

“It was designed to have inexpensive entertainment for the citizens of Detroit,” Mausi said. Typically prices range from as low as $15 to as high as $65 depending on the artists. Fans have the option of sitting closer to the stage or bringing a blanket or lawn chair to sit in the grass.

MMX had an opportunity to sit down with Mausi to discuss the 2008 concerts from a promoter’s perspective:

What makes Chene Park a great place for a concert?
Chene has one of the best backdrops for any venue! The Detroit River adds incredible flavor to the venue. A state-of-the-art sound system and intimate setting makes watching concerts at Chene enjoyable to all patrons.

You have some heavy hitters coming to Detroit this summer. How do you identify the talent you want to perform here? How long have you been working on the 2008 schedule?
We begin working on the summer schedule in November of the previous year. Guests can look forward to seeing Jill Scott, The Gap Band, Chuck Brown, Bell Biv Devoe, Johnny Gill, and Bobby Brown just to name a few.

What is the performance day like for you? Do you have time to enjoy the concerts or are you busy working behind the scenes?
A typical day starts around 9 a.m. for an 8 p.m. show. It takes so much time and energy to produce a show I hardly ever get to relax and enjoy it.

What are some things that happen behind the scenes?
Behind the scenes -- any given show is very comical! (Laughs) It truly varies from show to show. We are thinking about producing a reality show!

Some artists are known for asking for specific foods or items before a performance. What's the most unusual request you've been asked?
Artists are good for putting crazy things on their riders. However, we cross them out before the contract is signed. Most of the requests are not cost effective so we don’t pay for them.

Who is the artist that hasn't appeared in the concert series who you want to perform?
Limp Bizkit or Kid Rock.

What is your most fond memory of the concert series? What makes it special?
It’s always great to see the people of Detroit come down and enjoy themselves at Chene. The energy and excitement from the crowd is always a pleasurable experience.