Civic Jazz Orchestra gives an opening performance in The Cube prior to the concert
Tickets on sale now at dso.org/jazz
Detroit, (May 9, 2024) – The Detroit Symphony Orchestra (DSO) will continue its Paradise Jazz Series with a one-night-only performance by bassist Don Was and The Pan-Detroit Ensemble on Friday, May 24 at 8 p.m. at Orchestra Hall.
Born and raised in Detroit, Don Was is a six-time Grammy Award-winning bassist, record producer, and president of the legendary jazz label, Blue Note Records. As a co-founder of the group Was (Not Was), he has long sought to weave the city’s rich legacy of jazz, R&B and rock n' roll into a new, exotic strain of music. Was has worked with a wide array of artists ranging from Bob Dylan, The Rolling Stones, Bonnie Raitt, John Mayer, and Willie Nelson to Wayne Shorter, Charles Lloyd, Dr. Lonnie Smith, and Robert Glasper.
The band includes long-time collaborators like Blue Note Records artist Dave McMurray on saxophone and Eminem’s Oscar-winning collaborator, keyboardist Luis Resto. Additional musicians include trombonist Vincent Chandler, trumpeter John Douglas, drummer Jeff Canady, percussionist Mahindi, guitarist Wayne Gerard, and vocalist Steffanie Christi’an.
Prior to the performance, the Civic Jazz Orchestra, part of the DSO’s Civic Youth Ensembles, will give an opening performance in the Peter D. and Julie F. Cummings Cube (The Cube) directed by Vincent Chandler.
Please note: the DSO does not appear on these performances.
Don Was & The Pan-Detroit Ensemble will take place on Friday, May 24 at 8 p.m. in Orchestra Hall. Tickets for this performance start at $19. Tickets can be purchased at dso.org or by calling the Box Office at 313.576.5111, open Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Subscriptions for the 2023–2024 Paradise Jazz Series can be purchased at dso.org/jazz.
Currently in its 24th season, the Paradise Jazz Series is named for and honors the legacy of the Paradise Theatre, the historic Detroit jazz venue that was on the site of Orchestra Hall from 1941–1951. The DSO is one of few major American orchestras to present regular jazz programming on its main stage. Acclaimed trumpeter, bandleader, composer, and educator Terence Blanchard has served as the DSO’s Fred A. Erb Jazz Creative Director Chair since 2012. Learn more about the series at dso.org/jazz.
The Paradise Jazz Series is supported by the Fred A. and Barbara M. Erb Family Foundation, MGM Grand Detroit, and DownBeat magazine.
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DON WAS & THE PAN-DETROIT ENSEMBLE
Paradise Jazz Series
Friday, May 24 at 8 p.m.
Orchestra Hall
Don Was, bass
Music has always loomed large in the life of Don Was. Legendary producer and Detroit native, Don Was brings his rich musical legacy to life with a band of exceptional jazz talents from his hometown. Experience the essence of Detroit— with its unmistakable and underlying groove—through Don Was and The Pan-Detroit Ensemble.
The band includes long-time collaborators like Blue Note Records artist Dave McMurray on sax and Eminem’s Oscar-winning collaborator, keyboardist Luis Resto. Additional musicians include trombonist Vincent Chandler, trumpeter John Douglas, drummer Jeff Canady, percussionist Mahindi, guitarist Wayne Gerard and vocalist Steffanie Christi’an.
Please note: the DSO does not appear on this performance.
Related Events:
CIVIC JAZZ LIVE!
Friday, May 24 at 7 p.m.
The Peter D. and Julie F. Cummings Cube
Civic Jazz Orchestra, ensemble
Vincent Chandler, director
Civic Jazz Live! is the opening act for the DSO’s Paradise Jazz Series, featuring student musicians from the Civic Youth Ensembles’ Civic Jazz Orchestra, directed by Vincent Chandler. Join us in The Cube before the show!
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About Don Was
Born in Detroit, Michigan, Don Was grew up listening to Detroit blues, jazz music, and The Rolling Stones. He went on to form the group Was (Not Was) with school friend David Weiss (David Was), noted for their success in the 1980s. Now widely recognized as a record producer, Don Was has worked with artists including Bob Dylan, The Rolling Stones, Bonnie Raitt, Iggy Pop, Ziggy Marley, the B-52s, Elton John, Garth Brooks, Lucinda Williams, Old Crow Medicine Show, John Mayer, Ringo Starr, Willie Nelson, Brian Wilson, Kris Kristofferson, and Aaron Neville. He has earned multiple Grammy Awards including Producer of the Year in 1995. Was has served as musical director or consultant on several motion pictures including Thelma and Louise, The Rainmaker, Hope Floats, Phenomenon, Tin Cup, Honeymoon in Vegas, 8 Seconds, Switch, The Freshman, Days of Thunder, Boys on the Side, and Toy Story. He earned a British Academy Film Award (BAFTA) for Best Original Score in recognition of his compositions for the film Backbeat. In 1997, he directed and produced the documentary I Just Wasn't Made for These Times, about former Beach Boy Brian Wilson. The film debuted at the Sundance Film Festival and won the San Francisco Film Festival's Golden Gate Award. He has served as President of the legendary jazz label Blue Note Records since January 2012.
About the DSO
The acclaimed Detroit Symphony Orchestra is known for trailblazing performances, collaborations with the world’s foremost musical artists, and a deep connection to its city. Led by Music Director Jader Bignamini since 2020, the DSO makes its home at historic Orchestra Hall within the Max M. and Marjorie S. Fisher Music Center, offering a performance schedule that features the PVS Classical, PNC Pops, Paradise Jazz, and Young People’s Family Concert series. In addition, the DSO presents the William Davidson Neighborhood Concert Series in metro area venues, as well as eclectic multi-genre performances in its mid-size venue The Cube, constructed and curated with support from Peter D. & Julie F. Cummings. A dedication to broadcast innovation began in 1922, when the DSO became the first orchestra in the world to present a live radio broadcast of a concert and continues today with the groundbreaking Live from Orchestra Hall series of free webcasts.
Since its first school concerts a century ago, and particularly since the founding of the Civic Youth Ensembles in 1970, the DSO has been a national leader in bringing the benefits of music education to students, teachers, and families in Detroit and surrounding communities. The DSO remains committed to expanding its participation in the growth and well-being of Detroit through programs like its Detroit Neighborhood Initiative—cultural events co-created with community partners and residents—and Detroit Harmony, a promise to provide an instrument and instruction to any student in the city who wants to learn. With unwavering support from the people of Detroit, the DSO actively pursues a mission to impact lives through the power of unforgettable musical experiences.