Ashley Zlatopolsky

Special to the Detroit Free Press

Kevin Reynolds’ love for sound runs deep. Back in high school, he helped design his school’s first-ever music technology class.

But it wasn't until the mid-1990s that his foray into Detroit techno began. Recruited to work as an audio engineer at Derrick May’s seminal label, Transmat Records, the fresh-out-of-college Reynolds immersed himself in the sounds of the Detroit underground. Later, the self-taught DJ-producer went on to create his own label, Todhchai, which means “future” or “things to come” in Gaelic.

Inspired by the otherworldly Detroit radio maverick the Electrifying Mojo, German electronic group Kraftwerk and jazz saxophonist John Coltrane, Reynolds’ style traverses a wide variety of genres. His sound, underlined by lush synths and steady drumbeats, is warm and soulful.

On Friday, Reynolds will be playing a live set at TV Lounge during Detroit House & Techno All Stars in Support of Flint. The fund-raising show — aimed at assisting the Flint Child Health and Development Fund and at collecting bottled water — includes more than two dozen performances. On the roster are Moodymann, Detroit Techno Militia and 2 AMFM, among others. Detroit techno pioneer Kevin Saunderson will be guest-bartending.

Ahead of the event, Reynolds discussed the evolution of Detroit techno and its global impact.



QUESTION: When did your interest in music begin?

ANSWER: Through my parents when I was a little kid. My dad collected a lot of records like Earth, Wind & Fire, Stevie Wonder and gospel. When I got older, I started getting into hip-hop because that was the main thing when I was a teenager. Coupled with (the Electrifying) Mojo and the Wizard (Jeff Mills) on the radio, I was making cassette recordings and studying music.



Q: You’ve been a part of Detroit’s techno culture since the '90s. What has changed over the years?

A: In the mid-'90s, (Detroit techno) was extremely underground. To find out about this music, you had to really dig deep and know somebody. You had to spend time researching it, and you had to spend time in record shops. It was really difficult to find music back then, and it was really difficult to hear it. I was living in East Lansing at the time, and 89X had this “Mechanical Pulse” show with underground techno and house music.

The difference between back then and now is that now, you’ve got the democratization of the Internet, and anybody can be 16 years old and find out the entire history of Detroit techno or electronic music by spending a couple hours online. It’s made it easier for a wider variety of people to have access to the music.



Q: How is Detroit’s techno culture received internationally?

A: The No. 1 thing is that there’s a large amount of respect that people give to the history of Detroit techno internationally. It’s revered; it’s the holy grail of this kind of music. People overseas tend to have this awe and wonder … like, why does all this great music come from this postindustrial town? I love being an ambassador of Detroit.



Q: You’ll be playing live at TV Lounge. What does a typical live set of yours entail?

A: I’m creating music on the spot. I use machines — drum machines, synthesizers — and I use computer software to make the music I’ll be performing for the next two hours. And the music is nonstop. My favorite is the Roland TR-808 (rhythm composer).



Q: Because there are natural differences within each music scene, it’s a big move for a large group of artists to join forces for a better cause. What makes unity like this important?

A: Artists can feel like they don’t have an opportunity to help out for a greater cause, but this is an opportunity to donate our art, our performance, to help out our fellow people. One of our tools to raise money (is our music). The whole thing with Flint is that it’s very close to us because it’s an hour away, and we have a lot of family and friends there; some people who are playing are originally from there, too. It’s important to have this kind of unity to fight this situation, which could very easily happen here in Detroit. If we can come together for a better cause and leave all these differences at the door, it’s a great thing.



Detroit Techno & House All Stars in Support of Flint

With Moodymann, Detroit Techno Militia, Kevin Reynolds, 2 AMFM and others

8 p.m. Fri.

TV Lounge

2548 Grand River, Detroit

313-965-4789

$10. Ages 21 and up.