Assemble Sound in Detroit

Garrett Koehler, right, was the guest speaker at the Nov. 16 luncheon meeting of Rotary Grosse Pointe. He was introduced by Bernadette Banko, center, of the Programs Committee, along with President Fred Ollison III, left. Koehler is founder of Assemble Sound, a collaborative effort to bring Detroit musicians together to produce and perform music. Assemble Sound recently purchased a 19th century church building in Corktown, near the Michigan Central train station, to make into a meeting and recording space for Detroit musicians. The church was a natural choice, Koehler told the Grosse Pointe Rotarians present, since it is a place where people with shared beliefs traditionally get together. Named among Crain's Detroit Business's "20 in their 20s," Koehler and his partner, Kevin Krease, raised some $30 million in pledges, including support from Dan Gilbert, in an effort to get ESPN's "X Games" moved to Detroit. Although Detroit was among the finalists, ESPN chose Austin, Texas, as home for "X Games." A native of Chicago, Koehler moved to Detroit three years ago after hearing about the exciting things going on in Detroit. "There's something in Detroit, maybe it's in the water, that has given rise to great music in Detroit," Koehler said. Photo by John Minnis