Don Was and the Pan-Detroit Ensemble @ Wildey Theatre
FIRST TIME AT THE WILDEY!
Six-time Grammy winner Don Was has had an illustrious career. As a producer, he won Album of the Year in 1989 with Bonnie Raitt; he has worked with mega stars including The Rolling Stones, Bob Dylan, Carly Simon, Willie Nelson, Elton John, and Brian Wilson just to name a few. He also has a British Academy Award and a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Americana Music Association. Was is also currently the president of Blue Note Records, probably the most revered jazz label of all time, and has spent the past seven years as part of Bob Weir’s trio Bobby Weir & Wolf Bros.
Launched in 2024, the nine-piece soul jazz band draws inspiration from Motor City’s wide-ranging musical history, citing influences ranging from John Lee Hooker, Donald Byrd, and Joe Henderson to George Clinton, Mitch Ryder, The Stooges, and Electrifying Mojo. Led by Was with Dave McMurray on sax, Luis Resto on keys, Vincent Chandler on trombone, John Douglas on trumpet, Jeff Canaday on drums, Mahindi Masai on percussion, Wayne Gerard on guitar, and Steffanie Christi’an on vocals, the band debuted last spring, performing a mix of originals and songs by Yusef Lateef, Olu Dara, Henry Threadgill, and more during a short run spanning intimate clubs, historic concert halls, and major festival stages.
“There’s a unique sound and feel to Detroit that permeates the music in a way that resonates all over the globe,” said Was. “There is a rawness, a lack of pretension and an unmistakable, underlying groove that reflects the people and culture of the entire city.” Was characterized the band’s sound as “jazzy and improvisational but also glued together with a sinewy R&B groove.” “It’s not slick or smooth — it’s a very raw, honest, Detroit kind of thing,” he explained.
He went on to describe how his experiences touring with Bob Weir and working with artists on the Blue Note roster “have pointed the way towards realizing that sound,” adding, “The Pan Detroit Ensemble finally manifests that ‘thing’ I’ve been pursuing. The intention is to make communicative music that gets under the listener’s skin and brings them some joy, comfort and understanding in deeply troubled times. It’s all connected.”
The band’s debut album “Groove In The Face of Adversity” was released in October 2025. This show will feature tracks from this debut album, and the band is also celebrating the 50th anniversary of the Grateful Dead’s “Blues For Allah” by playing the album in its entirety.