Schedule
Friday, August 7 at 5:15 - 6:30 pm (Main Stage)
Friday, August 7 AT 10:00 PM (Sheridan Opera House)
When bassist, composer and producer Don Was walks on stage, Detroit will officially be in the house. The acclaimed musician has put together an ensemble that brings Motor City’s sounds into one simmering kettle of jazz, blues and funk in an utterly unique manner. Beyond the Detroit groove, this massively talented outfit will be paying homage to the Grateful Dead’s Blues for Allah, a record as fresh and timeless today as it was when it was released – gulp – more than 50 years ago. It makes sense Was and company will take on this record. His association with the Dead universe is long-standing. With the late Bobby Weir, he founded Wolf Brothers, with whom he toured since 2018.
Blues for Allah was considered a musical departure for the Dead, fusing its psychedelic sensibilities with jazz and Middle Eastern influences. Songs like Franklin’s Tower and The Music Never Stopped became live staples and the record earned praise for its willingness to push boundaries.
We’ll also be hearing from the Ensemble’s new album, Groove in the Face of Adversity, a record that Don says reflects an unvarnished, authentic sound that can only come from Detroit.
“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.”
Don picked a who’s who of Detroit musicians for this project including: Dave McMurray on saxophone, Luis Resto on keyboards, trombonist Vincent Chandler, trumpeter John Douglas, drummer Jeff Canaday, percussionist Mahindi Masai, guitarist Wayne Gerard, and vocalist Steffanie Christi’an.
May the music never stop.
