Don Was and the Pan-Detroit Ensemble announces new tour dates

Six-time GRAMMY-winning musician, producer, and composer, Don Was announced new tour dates for his latest group Don Was and the Pan-Detroit Ensemble. Drawing on the wide-ranging influences of his five-decade career, the Ensemble’s new album Groove in the Face of Adversity (out now via Mack Avenue Records) channels the soul of the Motor City through a blend of steamy jazz, juke-joint blues, and loose-limbed funk—a sound both timeless and deeply personal. In concert, Don and the band will feature music from Groove in the Face of Adversity alongside a live rendition of The Grateful Dead’s Blues for Allah, honoring the album’s 50th anniversary. Full list of tour dates is below.

Listen to Groove in the Face of Adversity

The Pan-Detroit Ensemble features top-tier jazz musicians from Don’s hometown, including longtime collaborator Dave McMurray on saxophone, and Eminem’s Oscar-winning collaborator, keyboardist Luis Resto. Additional members include trombonist Vincent Chandler, trumpeter John Douglas, drummer Jeff Canaday, percussionist Mahindi Masai, guitarist Wayne Gerard, and vocalist Steffanie Christi’an. “There’s a unique sound and feel to Detroit that permeates the music in a way that resonates all over the globe,” says Was. “There’s a rawness, a lack of pretension, and an unmistakable underlying groove that reflects the people and culture of the entire city.”

Over the past five decades, Don Was has become one of music’s most respected figures—as a producer, bassist, composer, and longtime head of Blue Note Records. His production credits span The Rolling Stones, Bonnie Raitt, Bob Dylan, John Mayer, Willie Nelson, and many others, with combined sales exceeding 100 million albums. His honors include a BAFTA Award (Backbeat), an Emmy (The Beatles: The Night That Changed America), and a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Americana Music Association.

In addition to leading the Don Was Detroit All-Star Revue for more than 15 years, he co-hosts The Don Was Motor City Playlist on Detroit’s WDET-FM and Dinner with Don Was on SiriusXM. Since 2018, he has toured worldwide with Bobby Weir & Wolf Bros, the group he co-founded with Grateful Dead guitarist Bob Weir.

Don Was and the Pan-Detroit Ensemble Tour Dates:
Jan 9 – Ann Arbor, MI – Blue Llama (Early/Late Shows)
Jan 10 – Ann Arbor, MI – Blue Llama (Early/Late Shows)
Jan 12 – New York, NY – Blue Note (Early/Late Shows)
Jan 14 – Ardmore, PA – Ardmore Music Hall
Jan 15 – Washington, DC – Atlantis
Jan 16 – Pittsburgh, PA – Thunderbird Café & Music Hall
Jan 17 – Cleveland, OH – Beachland Ballroom & Tavern
Jan 18 – Morgantown, WV – Mountain Stage (NPR)
Jan 20 – Indianapolis, IN – The Vogue
Jan 22 – Decatur, AL – Princess Theater
Jan 23 – Germantown, TN – Highland Performance Hall (GPAC)
Jan 24 – Edwardsville, IL – Wildey Theatre
Jan 25 – Chicago, IL – Garcia’s
Jan 29 – Denver, CO – Newman Center for the Performing Arts
Jan 30 – Aspen, CO – Wheeler Opera House
Feb 1 – Aliso Viejo, CA – Soka University
Feb 4 – Nashville, TN – Basement East
Feb 5 – Atlanta, GA – Variety Playhouse
Feb 6 – Birmingham, AL – Alys Robinson Stephens PAC
Feb 7 – Savannah, GA – District Live at Plant Riverside District
Feb 10 – Sarasota, FL – The Venue at Harvest House
Feb 11 – Ft. Lauderdale, FL – Parker Playhouse
Feb 12 – Clearwater, FL – The Capitol
Feb 13 – Orlando, FL – Phillips Center PAC at Judson’s Hall
Feb 14 – St. Augustine, FL – Fort Mose Historic State Park
Feb 15 – Stuart, FL – Lyric Theatre
Mar 26 – Winston-Salem, NC – The Ramkat
Mar 28 – Knoxville, TN – Big Ears Festival

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