Get ready for an up-close look at some of Detroit’s finest! Don Was, the Grammy-winning producer/bassist and WDET host, steps out from behind the scenes with a killer band that carries his name — a big move for someone who’s spent years making others shine.

In this session, Don talks with Essential Music host Ann Delisi about what it took to put his name on a project and pull together some of Detroit’s best musicians. They dive into how the band instantly clicked, how they’ve been repping Detroit on their recent 11-city tour and the album making process.

The Pan-Detroit Ensemble brings serious talent: Jeff Canady on drums, Luis Resto on keys, Wayne Gerard on guitar, Vincent Chandler on trombone, Dave McMurray on sax, John Douglas on trumpet, Mahindi Masai on percussion and Steffanie Christi’an on vocals. This video captures the raw energy of Detroit’s top talent, with unforgettable performances and real talk that’ll make you feel like you’re right there in the room. Don’t miss this WDET Rustbelt Session.

BLKBOK is a Detroit-born classical piano prodigy who’s made a name for himself touring with pop superstars like John Mayer, Rihanna, Justin Timberlake and even Michael Jackson.

More recently, he’s stepped into the spotlight as a solo artist, fully embracing his classical roots while still incorporating modern influences.

Read more: BLKBOK shares inspiration behind his new album ‘9’

In this video, BLKBOK sits down with us to talk about the contrast between playing for huge pop acts and carving out his own voice as a solo performer. This beautifully shot video captures the energy in the room as BLKBOK performs three of his original compositions. It’s an up-close-and-personal look at his journey, both musically and personally.

You’ll feel like you’re right there with him at Rustbelt Studios, watching him redefine what’s possible on the piano.

Listen to Ann Delisi’s Essential Music every Saturday and Sunday starting at 11 a.m. ET on Detroit Public Radio 101.9 WDET and streaming on-demand at wdet.org.

Star Trek star William Shatner will be at the Fisher Theatre on Wednesday to present a special screening of “Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan.”

The award-winning actor — known to Trekkies as James T. Kirk — will be taking the stage after the film to share behind-the-scenes insights and answer audience questions, moderated by WDET’s own Ryan Patrick Hooper.

I spoke with Shatner ahead of his Detroit appearance to discuss his connection and introduction to the iconic series and its important place in film and TV history.

Listen: William Shatner shares Star Trek insights ahead of ‘Wrath of Khan’ screening

This interview has been edited for clarity and length.

Ann Delisi: What did you think the first time you saw the first script for Star Trek?

William Shatner: I was in New York. The phone rang, and it was [Star Trek creator] Gene Roddenberry, who said, “We’ve made a pilot, an hour show called Star Trek, with an actor called Jeffrey Hunter — who was a well known and very good looking guy — and we presented it to NBC, and NBC said, ‘We don’t like it but we like this idea.’ And they said we’d like to make another pilot, and spend millions of dollars on it. They want me to recast it and do a whole new pilot.” So they called me and said, “Would you be interested in playing the captain?” And I went back to Los Angeles to look at the pilot that they had made with Jeffrey Hunter. And I thought, my gosh, it’s really interesting. It’s a little pedantic, a little serious; maybe they could lighten it up a little — I made that suggestion — and we made this pilot, and it sold.

AD: So there was not necessarily a playbook for you to go by, because you were creating a character from the future. So what was your thought process when creating that character based on just this pilot that you saw in the script, and nobody really knew what the future of Star Trek was going to be at that time?

WS: The influential factor in Star Trek was a series of books called “Captain Horatio Hornblower.” The writer had written this group of people on a sailing ship going around the coast of America, which wasn’t plotted, so it was unknown. And so here was this captain and his crew sailing the unknown who just happened to be on Earth, but what was over the horizon was unknown. So this character was brave, loved his men, but was so curious about what was coming up that it overcame fear. And I thought that’s a great way to play this character, because you’re in the middle of finding these weird creatures who may or may not be friendly, but isn’t this interesting? Isn’t it curious? Isn’t it actually amazing? And that’s the way I played Kirk, mostly. A source of wow, awe and wonder.

AD: The series, of course, didn’t last very long, but the staying power of its message and its characters did. And then along come the films. Were you surprised that these films came along? Did you, in your mind, sort of write Star Trek off in terms of something that you would work on again?

WS: Well, we were canceled after three years. So there’s 79 hours of Star Trek that I did, and then it was canceled, and that was it, that was the end of the job and everybody went on to other things. Six years later, they decide, for a number of reasons, to make a film, and the film was not that successful — especially at first. It subsequently has made money, but not the kind of money the people at Paramount were anticipating. So they decided. They went through a lot of decisions about making another film, and then they made another film much more cheaply, and harkening back to what Star Trek used to be. And that’s the film I’m going to be showing at the Fisher Theatre. This iconic film, “Star Trek II The Wrath of Khan” and its importance in our film history is that if it hadn’t been as successful as it became, there’d be no Star Trek.

AD: When you see old episodes pop up or you see the film, the films get they get shown, especially the ones that you were in. Do you stop and watch them?

WS: Not at all, exactly the opposite. When a 50-year younger you is on the screen, you’re looking at it thinking my I disparaged the way I looked, I look pretty good there. I wish I felt about myself then the way I feel about that now.

AD: It was so apropos and so poetic that you would end up in space yourself back in 2021. What was it like to be in space?

WS: It was awesome. For me, it became overwhelmingly sad. I’ve been an ecologist for the longest time, pontificating on global warming 50-60 years ago. And now that it’s upon us, while I was up there I saw more acutely than ever the sadness of what we’re doing, and how little time we have left to correct. And that was my overwhelming feeling.

Use the media player above to hear the full interview with William Shatner. For more information about the event or to purchase tickets, visit broadwayindetroit.com/events.

Listen to Ann Delisi’s Essential Music Saturdays from 11 a.m. – 2 p.m. ET and Sundays 11 a.m. – 1 p.m. ET on 101.9 WDET and streaming on-demand.

Get ready for Ghost-Note, the dynamic ensemble led by Snarky Puppy’s multi-Grammy-winning percussion duo Robert “Sput” Searight and Nate Werth.

The group takes over WDET’s airwaves in an exclusive live performance at Rustbelt Studios. Hosted by Ann Delisi, this session features the band in full force, delivering a powerful blend of funk, Afrobeat, hip-hop and psychedelia. With an impressive roster of musicians, Ghost-Note is pushing the boundaries of modern funk music.

In this special segment, you’ll not only witness Ghost-Note’s explosive live performances, but also dive into an insightful interview with Searight and Werth. The duo shares the story behind the band’s formation, their wide-ranging influences — from the iconic sounds of James Brown and Prince to the deep grooves of Detroit — and how they’re revolutionizing the future of funk.

The conversation is interwoven with stellar performances by the entire band, featuring Robert “Sput” Searight on drums, Nate Werth on percussion, Dominique Xavier Taplin on keyboards, Jonathan Mones on alto sax and flute, Daniel Wytanis on trombone, Jam McK on bass, Xavier Lynn on guitar, and Mackenzie on vocals.

Don’t miss this must-see performance as Ghost-Note gears up for their set at the Detroit Jazz Festival, happening Sunday at Hart Plaza.