Don Was and the Pan-Detroit Ensemble Announce Fall Tour

Six-time Grammy-winning musician, producer and composer Don Was has 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 landmark album and Don’s long musical association with Bob Weir.

The Ensemble will also embark on a series of headlining shows in August, followed by dates on the Outlaw Music Festival Tour throughout the month.

Listen to Groove in the Face of Adversity

The Pan-Detroit Ensemble features top-tier jazz musicians from Don’s hometown, including longtime collaborator Dave McMurray on saxophone. 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 for Backbeat, an Emmy for 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:

August 3 – Phoenix, AZ – MIM
August 5 – Tucson, AZ – La Rosa
August 6 – Santa Fe, NM – The Bridge at Santa Fe Brewing
August 7 – Telluride, CO – Telluride Jazz Festival
August 8 – Fort Collins, CO – The Gardens on Spring Creek
August 9 – Boulder, CO – Boulder Theater
August 10 – Beaver Creek, CO – Vilar Performing Arts Center
August 18 – Maryland Heights, MO – Hollywood Casino Amphitheater – Outlaw Music Festival Tour
August 19 – Shakopee, MN – Mystic Lake Amphitheater – Outlaw Music Festival Tour
August 21 – East Troy, WI – Alpine Valley Music Theatre – Outlaw Music Festival Tour
August 22 – Clarkston, MI – Pine Knob Music Theatre – Outlaw Music Festival Tour
August 23 – Noblesville, IN – Ruoff Music Center – Outlaw Music Festival Tour
August 25 – Chicago, IL – Huntington Bank Pavilion at Northerly Island – Outlaw Music Festival Tour
August 26 – Cincinnati, OH – The Ludlow Garage
August 28 – Wantagh, NY – Northwell at Jones Beach Theater – Outlaw Music Festival Tour
August 29 – Bethel, NY – Bethel Woods Center for the Arts – Outlaw Music Festival Tour
August 30 – Saratoga Springs, NY – Albany Med Health System at SPAC – Outlaw Music Festival Tour

September 29 – Austin, TX – Antone’s Nightclub
September 30 – Austin, TX – Antone’s Nightclub

October 1 – Houston, TX – The Heights Theater
October 2 – Dallas, TX – The Kessler Theater
October 3 – Kansas City, MO – Knuckleheads
October 4 – Minneapolis, MN – Dakota – Early Show
October 4 – Minneapolis, MN – Dakota – Late Show
October 6 – Traverse City, MI – The Alluvion – Early Show
October 6 – Traverse City, MI – The Alluvion – Late Show
October 7 – Lansing, MI – Grewal Hall at 224
October 9 – Kent, OH – The Kent Stage
October 10 – Nelsonville, OH – Stuart’s Opera House
October 11 – Buffalo, NY – Asbury Hall
October 13 – Homer, NY – Center for the Arts of Homer
October 14 – New York, NY – Le Poisson Rouge
October 15 – Fairfield, CT – The Warehouse at FTC
October 16 – Boston, MA – The Sinclair
October 17 – Groton, MA – Groton Hill Music Center
October 18 – Bar Harbor, ME – Criterion Theatre