Jazz Articles about Don Was

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Don Was and the Pan-Detroit Ensemble at the Newman Center

by Geoff Anderson
February 11, 2026

Don Was and the Pan-Detroit Ensemble Newman Center Denver, CO January 29, 2026 What to make of Don Was? He was co-leader of the band Was (Not Was), a band known for Frank Zappa-esque irreverent, off-beat humor that drew musical inspiration from rock, funk, soul, r&b, dance music, jazz, pop, world music, country, fusion, reggae and more. How does someone like that end up as president of Blue Note Records, one of the most storied ...

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Don Was & the Pan-Detroit Ensemble: Nubian Lady

by Ludovico Granvassu
November 12, 2025

Don Was' Groove in the Face of Adversity (Mack Avenue Records) is both a celebration of friendship and positivity in challenging times, and a heartfelt love letter to his hometown. Sneaking out from behind the Blue Note presidential desk for a moment, Was slips back behind the upright bass to shine a light on Detroit's vibrant--yet too often under-recognized--jazz scene, as embodied by the circle of long-time friends and collaborators performing under the banner of the Pan-Detroit Ensemble.

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Don Was, A Strata East Memory, Khruangbin, and introducing Juan Chiavassa with George Garzone, Leo Genovese and John Patitucci

by Hobart Taylor
November 12, 2025

Getting funky and abstract with a picante twist: New Music from Don Was, Khruangbin, SML, and introducing drummer Juan Chiavassa with his pals, George Garzone, John Pattitucci and Leo Genovese Playlist Host Speaks 00:00 Michael League/ Pedrito Martinez/Antonio Sánchez “Suuru)" from Elipsi (Groundup) 00:21 Lauren Henderson “Vida" from Sonidos (Brontosaurus) 7:01 Antonio Farao “Gospello)" from Kind of... (Notes Around AG) 11:19 Host Speaks 15:38 Amanda Gardier “Let's Hope its Got a Happy Ending." from Auteur (Self-Produced) 16:54 Yukumi ...

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Don Was, Mike Clark, Grant Stewart, Sacha Boutros and more

by Benjamin Boddie
October 15, 2025

Today's Music--Right Now! Fantastic music by Don Was, Mike Clark, Grant Stewart, Sacha Boutros, Stevie Holland, Margherita Fava, Tom Cohen, Al Muirhead, Rick Keller, James Danderfer, Ryan Keberle, Markus Rutz, Charlie Porter, Michael Mayo, Rin Seo, Snorre Kirk, Michael Dease, Jen Allen, Roger Glenn, Eric Byrd, Nick Finzer, JD Allen, Johnathan Blake, Mike LeDonne, Kate Wyatt, and more. Playlist Don Was And The Pan-Detroit Ensemble “Nubian Lady" from Groove In The Face Of Adversity (Mack Avenue) 00:00 Mike ...

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SFJAZZ Gala 2025 Honoring Don Was

by Ronald Davis
June 28, 2025

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At Monterey Jazz Festival 67, Jazz Gospel According to a New Head

by Josef Woodard
October 11, 2024

Monterey Jazz Festival Monterey, CA September 27-29, 2024 Getting a semblance of a summarizing angle on a densely-programmed jazz festival, which the 67th Monterey Jazz Festival most certainly was, can be tricky business. The equation gets more complex with a festival geared towards covering many genre and sub-genre bases within the rubric of jazz. But to these ears, one of the strongest memories came near the very end of the weekend-long feast on the ...

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Don Was, divr, Roberto Gatto, Lucy Woodward, Peter Erskine & More

by Ludovico Granvassu
April 25, 2024

The return of Don Was behind the bass, tributes to Tony Williams and Leonard Bernstein and much more in another energizing edition of Mondo Jazz.Happy listening!Playlist Ben Allison “Mondo Jazz Theme (feat. Ted Nash & Pyeng Threadgill)" 0:00 The Jazz Defenders “Snakebite Playfight" Memory in Motion (Haggis) 0:16 Host talks 4:56 Lucy Woodward “Fray" Stories from the Dust (I Love Desi) 6:17 Host talks 11:16 Don Was and the Pan-Detroit Ensemble “Neighboorhoods" [Unreleased--Live at Rust Belt ...