Don Was and the Pan-Detroit Ensemble

Drawing on the wide-ranging influences of his five-decade career, Don Was and the Pan-Detroit Ensemble’s Groove in the Face of Adversity 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’sBlues for Allah, honoring the album’s 50th anniversary.

Don Was’ latest group, The Pan-Detroit Ensemble, features top-tier jazz musicians from his hometown. “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.”

The band includes longtime collaborators such as Blue Note artist 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.

“When the opportunity came to put together a new band, the message was clear: go back to Detroit where I came from, be who I am, play like who I am, and team up with like-minded individuals,” says Was.

The Pan-Detroit Ensemble debuted in 2024 and 2025 and will continue touring the U.S. and select international markets in support of their forthcoming debut album, Groove in the Face of Adversity, to be released October 10 on Mack Avenue Music.