Yow! I had to admit that I was aware of Don Was and the Pan-Detroit Ensemble; the new combo put together by Don Was featuring Jazz players from his hometown of Detroit. Full disclosure: I am a Was (Not Was) collector manfully tracking down all of those often foreign-only 12″ singles for every lovely mix [with commensurately high postage costs]. And I do it because it’s all potent art! Some of the best 12″ mixes I’ve ever heard were radical re-recorded 12″ mixes by the group. And hopefully, before I die, I will assemble it into a boxed set of god! [memo to self: get crackin‘]

It’s a bitter chapter in my musical story that I missed seeing Was (Not Was) on the two times that they touched down in Central Florida. The first was a gig at J.J. Whispers when I couldn’t scare up anyone to go with me. The second was when the group were definitely slumming in the Club MTV Dance Party package tour a year later, along with acts like Paula Abdul and Milli Vanilli! Though looking back, Sweet Pea Atkinson would have still been worth it!

I was also aware that Don Was had been making these new moves in the last year. Don has been the President of Blue Note Records since 2011! He’s now Mr. Go-To for the world of Jazz. Having him put together a new band drawing from the talent pool in his home town makes all of the sense in the world. Last September they released their debut album with the highly cogent title, “Groove In The Face Of Adversity.” Surely, words for our times?

A little later last year I was following the next Big Ears Festival and saw, to my great chagrin, that Don Was and the Pan-Detroit Ensemble were on the roster and that was as close as they were getting. Don’t get me wrong, I love Big Ears Festival and have had amazing, powerful experiences there, pre-pandemic. But that was when four day passes were under $500. And let me just state for the record that Harold Budd all weekend long – with his final public performances, was more than worth it. But when adding lodging, the money just wasn’t there this year following huge household renovation projects. Not even a single day pass. Even to see Don Was! Now if Sweet Pea were still alive…we would be talking tickets.

So I had put it out of my head until last week when my loved one and I were discussing our upcoming trip to Akron to visit family next week. She asked if I had looked into any concert to go to while up there. This, after scoring big-time with ABC★★★ two years ago. I had not, but it didn’t take me more than five minutes to strike paydirt. Don Was And The Pan-Detroit Ensemble were in Cleveland at Beachland Ballroom the night we arrived! This changed everything.

Within 15 minutes, I had my ticket and was looking into the new band. The ticket price was a mere $42 and change – surely rock bottom for nine people onstage! They looked and sounded fantastic! A Jazz-Funk hydra capable of of going anywhere they want to. I saw that keyboard player Luis Resto and sax player Dave McMurray were holdovers from Was (Not Was) as well as the Orquestra Was project! Setlists online revealed that the band were not adverse to dipping into the Was (Not Was) canon from time to time. And I also saw that it looked like last year’s tour would have them playing the “Blues For Allah” album by The Grateful Dead on its 50th anniversary. [Editor’s Note: Don Was has been in the band The Wolf Brothers along with Bob Weir playing a largely Grateful Dead setlist]

Now I’m largely immune to the pleasures of The Grateful Dead. If I had to pick a favorite it would be the divisive title track to “Shakedown Street,” but if Don Was serves up any Deadhead jams this year, I will be there happily. This large ensemble are capable, and I expect them to transform any covers that creep into their set with the Jazz DNA they share. I am pleased to see that they have a conga player in their lineup and woman as the lead singer. Congas are, in fact, the secret weapon of the very best dance music I’ve ever heard live. So I’m expecting great things next week!

Yesterday I called up my local emporium to special order a copy of “Groove In the Face Of Adversity” on the silver disc, and the helpful person on the phone revealed that they had already re-ordered stock that would be in the store for pickup today. I told him that I love it when they psychically anticipate my musical needs! So as of tomorrow, I will be grooving in the face of adversity myself!

As for anyone else, your chance begins tonight! With two sets in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Here are those dates!

DON WAS & THE PAN DETROIT ENSEMBLE | US TOUR 2026

• 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 (Early/Late Shows)
• 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

I see some great venues on the itinerary here and had I not been arriving in Cleveland the morning of the show, I probably would have figured a trip to The Ramkat or maybe Variety Playhouse at some point in my near future. But this tour was a new addition. Last year when I last visited the Don Was website this year’s tour had not been announced yet, and I was out of luck. Join us in about a fortnight for the full skinny on the event.

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