Don Was And The Pan-Detroit Ensemble Unveil First Leg Of Tour

Six-time Grammy winner and Blue Note Records president Don Was will hit the road this fall on the first leg of a tour with The Pan-Detroit Ensemble, which Was formed and describes as a “nine-piece soul jazz group from Detroit.”

The tour will feature songs from the band’s debut album, which will be released this fall via Mack Avenue Records, alongside a full performance of The Grateful Dead’s Blues For Allah, in celebration of that album’s 50^th Anniversary.

Kicking off Oct. 8 in Traverse City, MI, the run includes stops in Detroit, Louisville, Lansing and more, plus a special appearance at the Golden Road Festival in Buford, GA. The Traverse City and Evanston dates will include two performances. Tickets are on sale now and additional dates will be announced soon.

A Motor City native, Was has spent five decades as a producer, bassist, composer and the longtime head of Blue Note Records. He has produced landmark albums for The Rolling Stones, Bonnie Raitt, Bob Dylan, John Mayer, Willie Nelson and more, with combined sales approaching 100 million records. His accolades include a BAFTA Award for Best Original Score (Backbeat), an Emmy for Music Direction (The Beatles: The Night That Changed America), and a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Americana Music Association.

Was has led the Don Was Detroit All-Star Revue for more than 15 years, co-hosts “The Don Was Motor City Playlist” on Detroit NPR station WDET and hosts “Dinner with Don Was” on SiriusXM. Since 2018, he has toured extensively with Bobby Weir & Wolf Bros, a group he co-founded with Grateful Dead guitarist Bob Weir.

The Pan-Detroit Ensemble unites some of Detroit’s most accomplished jazz musicians including Jeff Canaday (drums), Vincent Chandler (trombone), Steffanie Christi’an (vocals) John Douglas (trumpet), Wayne Gerard (guitar), Mahindi Masai (percussion), Dave McMurray (saxophone) and Luis Resto (keyboards).

Don Was and The Pan-Detroit Ensemble Tour Dates:

Oct. 8 – Traverse City, MA, The Alluvion (two shows)

Oct. 9 – Lansing, MI, Grewal Hall at 224

Oct. 10 – Evanston, IL, Space (two shows)

Oct. 11 – Detroit, MI, The Majestic Theatre

Oct. 15 – Louisville, KY, Headliners Music Hall

Oct. 16 – Charlottesville, VA, Jefferson Theatre

Oct. 17 – Saxaphahaw, NC, Haw River Ballroom

Oct. 18 – Buford, GA, Lanier Islands