If Don Was retired today, his contributions to music would already put him in a pretty exclusive league. In the 1980s, he co-founded the band Was (Not Was). He’s won six Grammy Awards and produced albums for the Rolling Stones, Bonnie Raitt, Elton John, John Mayer and Willie Nelson, among many others. He’s been at the helm of Blue Note Records since 2011, is an accomplished documentary filmmaker, and in 2018 joined Bob Weir’s band Wolf Bros. The group toured the Grateful Dead and Bob Weir songbook until earlier this year, when Weir passed away.
His latest project is Don Was and the Pan-Detroit Ensemble, a group of in-demand jazz musicians from the Motor City who draw on the rich musical traditions of Detroit. The lineup includes singer Steffanie Christi’an, saxophonist Dave McMurray, who has released two albums of jazz interpretations of Grateful Dead songs, keyboardist Luis Resto, an Oscar winner for his work with Eminem, trombonist Vincent Chandler, trumpeter John Douglas, drummer Jeff Canaday, percussionist Mahindi Masai and guitarist Wayne Gerard.
Earlier this year, the group brought its sound to NPR’s Tiny Desk.
While touring with Bob Weir, Was became enamored with the Grateful Dead Songbook. He says that the songs eventually became less like chord charts and lyrics, and more like friends he got to spend time with night after night.
Later this month, Was and company are releasing Live Dispatch Vol 1: Blues for Allah – a live album featuring songs from the Grateful Dead classic Blues For Allah. From the two singles released so far, it’s clear the band approaches the original material with deep respect.
Crazy Fingers was originally a psychedelic, reggae song with a slow jazz groove. The band does a great job capturing the complex beat. The added horns give it a new dimension. What really stands out though, and I may lose friends over this, is Steffanie Christ’ians’ vocals, adding soul and dynamics far beyond what Jerry Garcia did on the original.
The Music Never Stopped, has a funky disco beat that seems ready-made for a band from Detroit. Once again, Christi’an shines on lead vocals, while the horn section takes over the backing parts and joins the instrumental improvisation toward the end. My only criticism is that I wish the band had let the jam run a little longer, giving these musicians more room to stretch out.
One of the highlights of Blues for Allah is the three-part medley Help on the Way / Slipknot! / Franklin’s Tower, a longtime favorite among Deadheads. John Mayer, who spent nearly a decade exploring the Grateful Dead catalog with Dead & Company, once described learning the transition from Help on the Way into Slipknot! as the hardest thing he’d ever had to master. The passage involves several time-signature changes and a tricky syncopated rhythm that requires serious preparation and must be committed to memory.
I haven't yet heard the Ensemble's take on the medley, particularly the intricate instrumental interplay of Slipknot!. But judging from the two tracks they've released so far, we're in for a treat.
Next year, Don Was and the Pan-Detroit Ensemble will take on another Grateful Dead classic, touring in support of Terrapin Station. The group is scheduled to perform at Medford's Holly Theatre on May 4th.
We'll be spinning tracks from Live Dispatch Vol. 1: Blues for Allah in the coming weeks on Open Air, weekdays from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on JPR's Rhythm and News Service.
