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.

Following in the footsteps of legends like Alice Coltrane and Dorothy Ashby, harpist Brandee Younger has transformed one of the world’s oldest instruments, bringing it into the modern era. By blending innovative techniques with jazz and beyond, Younger continues to push musical boundaries.

Listen: A conversation with harpist Brandee Younger

The following interview has been edited for clarity and length.

On how her music journey started long before she began playing the harp:

I’ve always been deeply involved in music. In high school, I was voted most musical—not for the harp, but for playing the trombone in the marching band. My first instrument was the flute, but we had too many flute players, so my teacher asked if I’d switch to trombone.

The harp came into my life through a woman at my dad’s job who played it as a hobby. My parents, knowing my musical interests, introduced me to her. We played some flute and harp duets, and she suggested I take lessons. She mentioned that with the right skills, I could even get a scholarship—and that’s how my journey with the harp began.

On how she got her start releasing music by acting on the advice of her mentor, saxophonist Ravi Coltrane, and recording her debut project, the analog-driven “The Prelude” EP:

I wanted to record music but wasn’t sure where to start. I told Ravi Coltrane that I didn’t feel ready to make an album. He reminded me that recordings capture where you are at that moment, and that helped me shift my perspective.

So, I went into the studio, wrote a song called “So Alive,” and recorded a few standards. I sent the demo to Casey Benjamin, who told me, “Don’t make demos, just make albums.” That advice stuck with me, so I decided to put the project on Bandcamp. Music blogs picked it up quickly, and I made my money back fast. That’s how “The Prelude” EP came to life.

On how blending contemporary styles with the timeless sound of the harp has made her an in-demand session musician:

I’ve always loved recording more than performing, so I focused on becoming a session musician. I wanted the harp to be part of the music I was listening to, which wasn’t the classical music I was studying. By recording with artists who were making the kind of music I loved, I created a space for the harp in contemporary genres. This approach laid the foundation for the music I create today.

On how Detroit artists like Alice Coltrane and Dorothy Ashby have influenced her approach to the harp and why she celebrates their legacies:

This has always been intentional for me. The harp is often seen as a classical instrument, and I felt it wasn’t getting the respect it deserved outside of the orchestra. Dorothy Ashby’s discography is incredible, and her level of playing was unmatched, yet she wasn’t recognized the way she should have been. The same goes for Alice Coltrane. Early on, I decided to honor their legacies by including their influence in everything I do — whether through playing their compositions or creating new works inspired by them.

On how she continues to honor the legacies of Alice Coltrane and Dorothy Ashby on her latest album, “Brand New Life”:

With “Brand New Life,” I wanted to pay homage to Alice and Dorothy, but without making it a straightforward tribute album. We recorded some of Dorothy’s compositions that had never been recorded before, literally giving them a “brand new life” (no pun intended as she laughs). It’s a way of continuing their legacy through my own lens.

On how she wants audiences to experience her music through her ongoing tour, newly reformatted trio, and meaningful connections with artists and fans:

I want the music community to feel the sincerity in my work, especially now with my trio. Downsizing from a larger group to just three of us has been incredible. We have such a strong dynamic, both on and off the stage. It’s been a rewarding experience, and I hope that connection comes through in our performances.

To stay updated on Brandee Younger’s tours, events and releases, visit brandeeyounger.com.

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.

This year marks a special celebration at the Coltrane Home in New York, honoring The Year of Alice. The tribute shines a spotlight on the extraordinary legacy of Alice Coltrane, a pioneering force in jazz, whose spiritual and musical journey continues to inspire generations. As part of this celebration, WDET’s Liz Warner dove into Alice Coltrane’s transcendent work last week on Alternate Take.

This episode features a curated selection of Alice Coltrane’s catalog, where Liz Warner explores her role as a bandleader and highlights key collaborations that defined her career. The show also features music from Alice’s final studio recording, “Translinear Light,” brought to life by her son, saxophonist Ravi Coltrane, and the remarkable harpist Brandee Younger.

Adding depth to this musical journey, Liz Warner shares excerpts from a rare interview she conducted with Alice Coltrane, alongside jazz legends Charlie Haden and Roy Haynes. This intimate glimpse into Alice’s thoughts, combined with the powerful music of Ravi Coltrane and Brandee Younger, promises to be a moving tribute to one of jazz’s most revered figures.

See the playlist below and listen to the episode on-demand for two weeks after it airs using the media player above.

Alternate Take Playlist for Aug. 22, 2024:

• “Somewhere In Time” – Rich Ruth
• “Clear Cut” – Lali Puna
• “Expander” – Bonobo
• “Free” – Soweto Gospel Choir x Groove Terminator
• “Garmonbozia” – Flying Lotus

Alice Coltrane segment:

• “Sita Ram” – Alice Coltrane
• “Part 1 – Acknowledgement” – John Coltrane
• “For Turiya” – Charlie Haden & Alice Coltrane
• “Om Shanti” – Alice Coltrane
• “Seraphic Light” – John Coltrane
• “Journey In Satchidananda” – Alice Coltrane
• “A Still Life” – Ravi Coltrane
• “Moving Target” – Brandee Younger
• “Patterns” – Bobby Hutcherson
• “Om Rama” – Alice Coltrane

Labor Day Weekend in Detroit means the return of some of our favorite annual festivals, including Jazz Fest, the Hamtramck Labor Day Festival and Arts, Beats & Eats.

Plus, more local music performances and a chance to check in on your health. Read on to learn more.

Festivals

The Detroit Jazz Festival returns to the city Friday, Aug. 30 through Monday, Sept. 2, and WDET is teaming up with Paxahau as an official media partner to bring you special coverage and programming all week. Featuring over 60 performances as remarkable and diverse as the genre itself, as well as spontaneous late-night jam sessions, this free festival offers something for everyone. To see the full lineup and learn more, visit our events page.

Related: Wendell Harrison performs live on WDET ahead of 2024 Detroit Jazz Festival

Another beloved tradition returning to the area this weekend is the Hamtramck Labor Day Festival, featuring live music, carnival rides and yacht races down Jos. Campau. The festival goes from Saturday, Aug. 31 through Monday, Sep. 2, and admission is free and open to the public. For more information, visit hamtownfest.com.

And finally, there’s Arts, Beats & Eats in Royal Oak, Oakland County’s annual Labor Day weekend celebration of art, music, food and community. Festivities kick off on Friday, Aug. 30 and go through Monday, Sep. 2. The kids zone is free, and general admission is $12. For more information, visit artsbeatseats.com.

Music

On Saturday, Aug. 31, WDET’s own Shigeto (host of The New Music Show on Saturdays 8-10 p.m.) will honor the late, great Kraig Kilby by performing his timeless record Satori at Spot Lite Detroit in full over Jazz Fest weekend. His all-star ensemble will include Detroit legends like Dez Andrés, Ian Fink, JRGotTheHiTS and more. Bill Spencer and WDET’s own Kaleigh Wilder (host of Visions on Mondays 8-10 p.m.) will also be DJing inside, and Portage Garage Sounds will be on the patio all night. Doors open at 9 p.m., tickets start at $22 and the event is 21+. For more information, visit their Facebook event.

On Sunday, Sep. 1, Detroit’s Urban Art Orchestra presents All Things Detroit at Spot Lite, featuring Asaka The Renegade, Natasia, 3DXT, Shardy, The Monalyse, Courtney Bell, 313 The Live Experience, Chris the Barber, House of Hit Queen Gabby, DJ Fingers, Nick Speed, Jungle, Detroit Zeus and Phat Kat. Doors open at 9 p.m., tickets start at $22 and the event is 21+. For more information, visit their Facebook event. 

Related: Hear Urban Art Orchestra perform live on WDET

Wellness

The first annual Long Live Health event debuts at Eastern Market’s Shed 3 on Friday, Aug. 30. This family-friendly, festival-style event aims to promote healthy lifestyles with free health checks, LGBTQ+ support services, sexual health education, diabetes screenings, vision checkups, mental health support and more. This event is free with registration and goes from 10 a.m. to 11 p.m. For more information, visit their Eventbrite page.

Gearing up for 2024 Detroit Jazz Fest — my favorite festival in all of Detroit — with a live in-studio performance from legendary saxophonist Wendell Harrison and Tribe, his band that takes the name from the record label and collective Harrison started in Detroit decades ago. His band included Louis Jones on drums, Jacob Schwandt on guitar, Damon Warmack on bass and Pamela Harrison on piano.

Over the course of his distinguished career, he has played with some of the biggest names in the business, including Marvin Gaye, Aretha Franklin, Sun Ra and Grant Green (played some of his stuff on the show today).

Harrison is also a founder of the legendary Detroit jazz label and ensemble, Tribe. He has released numerous albums as a solo artist and bandleader, showcasing his unique blend of bebop, soul and funk.

Wendell Harrison and Tribe will perform at 1:15 p.m on the JPMorgan Chase Main Stage at Cadillac Square/Campus Martius on Saturday. You can check out the full 2024 Detroit Jazz Festival schedule here.

Check the playlist below and listen to the episode for two weeks after it airs using the player above.

In The Groove with Ryan Patrick Hooper playlist for Aug. 29, 2024

• “FromHere (feat. Snoop Dogg & October London)” – NxWorries
• “That’s the Way of the World” – Earth, Wind & Fire
• “Run To My Mother and Father” – Tall Black Guy x Nate Smith x Marvin Gaye
• “Strange World” – La Luz
• “Sad Cowboy” – Goat Girl
• “Beyond The Sun” – Beth Gibbons
• “Light” – Michael Kiwanuka
• “Don’t You Want to Stay?” – Bill Withers
• “Tanto Arriba Como Abajo” – Chicano Batman
• “Favourite” – Fontaines D.C.
• “Love Will Tear Us Apart” – Joy Division
• “Shout You Down” – Galaxie 500
• “Livin’ For The City” – Dirtbombs
• “You Can’t Blame Me” – Johnson, Hawkins, Tatum & Durr
• “Lost Without You (feat. Dames Brown)” – Will Sessions & Amp FIddler
• “Ain’t Gonna Cry” – Universal Togetherness Band
• “Melliflous Manner” – Setwun
• “Through Your Soul (feat. Bubz Fiddler & J Dilla)” – Amp Fiddler
• “I’m Doing Fine (feat. Amp Dog Knight)” – Moodymann
• “Altitude (feat. Joel Ross & Michael Mayo)” – Nate Smith
• “What’s Up (Live On WDET)” – Wendell Harrison & Tribe
• “Woo In Tribute (Live On WDET)” – Wendell Harrison & Tribe
• “Lord Not Another Lover (Love On WDET)” – Wendell Harrison & Tribe
• “Walk In The Night” – Grant Green

Listen to In the Groove with host Ryan Patrick Hooper weekdays from noon-3 p.m. ET on Detroit Public Radio 101.9 WDET or stream on-demand at wdet.org.

On this episode of the Detroit Evening Report, we cover the continued power outages across metro Detroit following this week’s severe storms; the upcoming Detroit Jazz Festival and more.

Subscribe to the Detroit Evening Report on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, NPR.org or wherever you get your podcasts.

Thousands still without power after storms

More than 60,000 metro Detroit residents are still without power on Thursday after severe storms hit the region Tuesday evening and continued into Wednesday. DTE Energy says crews are “continuing to work as quickly and safely as possible to restore power to everyone impacted by the extreme weather.”

The company says it has restored power to more than 80% of its customers and expects to have 90% of customers restored by end of day Thursday, with remaining customers expected to be restored Friday.

Detroit market offers up fridge space during outages

Neighborhood Grocery in Detroit’s Jefferson Chalmers neighborhood is offering refrigerator space to those who are still without power. The market posted on Facebook Wednesday offering up fridge space for medications or freezer space for perishables for those in need of temporary storage until power is restored. 

Corktown ranked top ‘up-and-coming’ neighborhood in US

Detroit’s historical Corktown neighborhood has been ranked a top “up-and-coming” neighborhood in the nation by Travel Mag. The magazine cited spots like Mercury Burger and Bar, Bobcat Bonnie’s and Brooklyn Street Local as hot spots to grab a bite, and also mentioned the reopening of Michigan Central as part of the neighborhood’s resurgence. The neighborhood was listed among 16 others in cities like Chicago, Los Angeles, New York and Miami. 

Freedom Arts Festival continues

Programming for the Detroit Parks Coalition’s annual Freedom Arts Festival will continue throughout the fall season. The free festival series kicked off in June and will run through November with a variety of events hosted across nine parks and public spaces in the city.  Supported by the Knight Foundation and the Community Foundation for Southeast Michigan, the festival features live performances of music, dance, storytelling and art reflecting Detroit’s rich multicultural history, weaving together narratives of freedom, racial justice, connections to place and more. For more information on future programming, visit detroitparkscoalition.com/freedom-arts-festival.

Detroit Jazz Festival returns

The Detroit Jazz Festival kicks off at 6:40 p.m. on Friday, Aug. 30 in Hart Plaza. with performances continuing in downtown Detroit through Labor Day weekend. Over 60 performances are scheduled to take place throughout the long weekend, including from The Bad Plus, Carmen Lundy, artist-in-residence Brian Blade and the Fellowship Band and more. The festival will have stages in Hart Plaza, Cadillac Square and after hour specials in Midtown at Wayne State’s Valade Jazz Center. For more information, visit detroitjazzfest.org.

Do you have a community story we should tell? Let us know in an email at detroiteveningreport@wdet.org.

Gearing up for 2024 Detroit Jazz Fest — my favorite festival in all of Detroit — with a live in-studio performance from saxophonist Kasan Belgrave and his band (Michael Abbo on bass, Jordan Anderson on piano, Kaleb Robinson on drums). Kasan is the son of Marcus Belgrave, one of the most iconic jazz musicians and educators to come out of Detroit and an internationally recognized talent. 

There’s some really powerful legacy there for sure, but Kasan is stepping out and doing his own thing on his debut album, Dual Citizen, due out later this year. During his session on In The Groove, he performed two songs from the upcoming record. Kasan’s session was absolutely incredible — I’m still buzzing from it!

You can experience it for yourself when Kasan and his band will perform on Monday at 2 p.m. ET on the Carhartt Stage at the Detroit Jazz Festival. Check out the full schedule here.

Check the playlist below and listen to the episode for two weeks after it airs using the player above.

In The Groove with Ryan Patrick Hooper playlist for Aug. 28, 2024

• “Kodama” – Kikagaku Moyo
• “Sleeping Ute” – Grizzly Bear
• “Do I Move You?” – Nina Simone
• “Whatever Happened To My Rock ‘N’ Roll (Punk Song)” – Black Rebel Motorcycle Club
• “Firesuite” – Doves
• “Tile By Tile” – Alvvays
• “Far Away” – Eddie Chacon
• “Loso Na Madesu (feat. Natanya) [Lewis OfMan Remix]” – Brian Nasty
• “You Are Mine” – Jay Robinson
• “Golden Lady” – Stevie Wonder
• “Livin’ And Lovin’ In My Own Way (feat. Pete Rock)” – Brandee Younger
• “Dreamin’” – Common & Pete Rock
• “Futile Devices (Shigeto Remix)” – Sufjan Stevens
• “Connaissais de Face (Tiger?)” – Khruangbin & Ginger Root
• “Mission Statement” – Julius Rodriguez
• “Dream Of You” – Lionlimb & Angel Olsen
• “Brown Paper Bag” – DIIV
• “Talk For Hours” – High Vis
• “Ruby My Dear (Radio Edit)” – Geri Allen & Kurt Rosenwinkel
• “Turiya and Ramakrishna” – Alice Coltrane
• “Hold Up (Live On WDET)” – Kasan Belgrave
• “Switch Lanes (Live On WDET)” – Kasan Belgrave
• “Number Three (Live On WDET)” – Kasan Belgrave
• “African Rumble” – Timo Lassy
• “Choy Soda (Waajeed’s Hi-Tech Jazz Remix)” – Takuya Kuroda

Listen to In the Groove with host Ryan Patrick Hooper weekdays from noon-3 p.m. ET on Detroit Public Radio 101.9 WDET or stream on-demand at wdet.org.

On this episode of Visions, I do my fifth and final preview of artists coming to the 45th annual Detroit Jazz Festival. I play three selections from Artist-in-Residence Brian Blade, plus music from Carmen Lundy, The Bad Plus and Nate Smith.

I piece things together with music from John Lee Hooker, Alice Coltrane (both of which have birthdays right around the time of this episode), Nadje Noordhuis, Helen Sung, Lionel Loueke, Cécile McLorin Salvant, Joni Mitchell, and Brandford Marsalis. I also play the late, great Wayne Shorter — who would have turned 91 last Sunday.

Check out the playlist below and listen to the episode on-demand for two weeks after it airs using the media player above.

Visions Playlist for Aug. 26, 2024

• “Ghana Nila” – Alice Coltrane
• “Bumble Bee Blues” – John Lee Hooker
• “The Robots” – The Bad Plus
• “Le Fin” – Nadje Noordhuis
• “Duality” – Brian Blade & The Fellowship Band
• “The Island, The Sea and You (feat. Patrice Rushen, Ben Williams, Kendrick Scott & Jeff Parker)” – Carmen Lundy
• “Feed the Fire (with Harlem Quartet)” – Helen Sung
• “Moon Song” – Cécile McLorin Salvant
• “Evinrude-Fifty (Trembling)” – Brian Blade & The Fellowship Band
• “Hejira” – Joni Mitchell
• “Footprints” – Lionel Loueke, Reuben Rogers & Eric Harland
• “Return of the Prodigal Son” – Brian Blade & The Fellowship Band
• “Spinning Down” – Nate Smith
• “Wild Flower” – Wayne Shorter
• “Friday the 13Th” – Branford Marsalis