If you’re familiar with Don Was at all, it’s more likely as a producer than a musician. Yes, there are some of us old enough to still remember when “Walk the Dinosaur” brought funk to late ’80s modern rock radio—some of us even still pull out our Was (Not Was) records on occasion. But he’s better known as the man whose production on Nick of Time helped buoy Bonnie Raitt’s career, or maybe even as the guy who recorded the late-model Rolling Stones at their best (A Bigger Bang) and their worst (Hackney Diamonds). Toss in work with Dylan, Willie, and Wayne Shorter, and you’ve got a solid resume there. (A personal fave Was production credit is the Algerian rai artist Khaled’s 1994 crossover bid, N’ssi N’ssi). The guy’s also spent more than a decade heading up Blue Note Records, and now he’s getting to live his jazz bandleader dreams with the Pan-Detroit Ensemble. The all-Motor City lineup includes Eminem collaborator Dave McMurray on sax, keyboardist Luis Resto, trombonist Vincent Chandler, trumpeter John Douglas, drummer Jeff Canaday, percussionist Mahindi, guitarist Wayne Gerard, and vocalist Steffanie Christi’ann. Expect something soulful but not slick.
MAY 21 • 6:30 + 8:30PM
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