Six-time GRAMMY-winning musician, producer, and composer, Don Was announced fall 2026 tour dates for 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 and Don’s long musical association with Bobby Weir. The Ensemble also embarks on headlining shows next month, followed by dates on the Outlaw Music Festival Tour throughout August (full list of tour dates below).
The Pan-Detroit Ensemble features top-tier jazz musicians from Don’s hometown, including longtime collaborator Dave McMurray on saxophone, and additional members include trombonist Vincent Chandler, trumpeter John Douglas, drummer Jeff Canady, 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: |
| Aug 3 – Phoenix, AZ – MIM Aug 5 – Tucson, AZ – La Rosa Aug 6 – Santa Fe, NM – The Bridge at Santa Fe Brewing Aug 7 – Telluride, CO – Telluride Jazz Festival Aug 8 – Fort Collins, CO – The Gardens on Spring Creek Aug 9 – Boulder, CO – Boulder Theater Aug 10 – Beaver Creek, CO – Vilar Performing Arts Center Aug 18 – Maryland Heights, MO – Hollywood Casino Amphitheater (Outlaw Music Festival Tour) Aug 19 – Shakopee, MN – Mystic Lake Amphitheater (Outlaw Music Festival Tour) Aug 21 – East Troy, WI – Alpine Valley Music Theatre (Outlaw Music Festival Tour) Aug 22 – Clarkston, MI – Pine Knob Music Theatre (Outlaw Music Festival Tour) Aug 23 – Noblesville, IN – Ruoff Music Center (Outlaw Music Festival Tour) Aug 25 – Chicago, IL – Huntington Bank Pavilion at Northerly Island (Outlaw Music Festival Tour) Aug 26 – Cincinnati, OH – The Ludlow Garage Aug 28 – Wantagh, NY – Northwell at Jones Beach Theater (Outlaw Music Festival Tour) Aug 29 – Bethel, NY – Bethel Woods Center for the Arts (Outlaw Music Festival Tour) Aug 30 – Saratoga Springs, NY – Albany Med Health System at SPAC (Outlaw Music Festival Tour) Sep 29 – Austin, TX – Antone’s Nightclub Sep 30 – Austin, TX – Antone’s Nightclub Oct 1 – Houston, TX – The Heights Theater Oct 2 – Dallas, TX – The Kessler Theater Oct 3 – Kansas City, MO – Knuckleheads Oct 4 – Minneapolis, MN – Dakota (Early Show) Oct 4 – Minneapolis, MN – Dakota (Late Show) Oct 6 – Traverse City, MI – The Alluvion (Early Show) Oct 6 – Traverse City, MI – The Alluvion (Late Show) Oct 7 – Lansing, MI – Grewal Hall at 224 Oct 9 – Kent, OH – The Kent Stage Oct 10 – Nelsonville, OH – Stuart’s Opera House Oct 11 – Buffalo, NY – Asbury Hall Oct 13 – Homer, NY – Center for the Arts of Homer Oct 14 – New York, NY – Le Poisson Rouge Oct 15 – Fairfield, CT – The Warehouse at FTC Oct 16 – Boston, MA – The Sinclair Oct 17 – Groton, MA – Groton Hill Music Center Oct 18 – Bar Harbor, ME – Criterion Theatre |
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By: Bass Magazine