Arts & Entertainment

Embracing Diversity

Oak Park-bred musician/producer Don Was comes home to participate in annual
Concert of Colors.

Suzanne Chessler
Special to the Jewish News

M

usical diversity fits right
in with the outlook of Don
Was, stage and recording
artist and producer who developed
his rock talents while growing up in
Oak Park.
Was, who changed his surname
from Fagenson as he established his
internationally celebrated group Was
(Not Was), returns to the area to par-
ticipate in the 16th annual Concert of
Colors, which he helped format to cel-
ebrate the ethnic and cultural groups
that make up the Metro Detroit area.
The free event, running July 17-20
at the Max M. Fisher Music Center in
Detroit, calls upon local and distant
performers and includes Pharaoh's
Daughter, a band started by formerly
Orthodox New Yorker Basya Schechter
to punctuate Jewish themes using
world music.
"A number of different artists, who
span 40-some years of Detroit's popu-
lar music heritage, each will perform
one number during the Detroit Super
Session on Sunday," says Was, 57, now
based in California.
"It's going to be a very fast-paced
revue with people ranging in age from Don Was: "The thing that makes Detroit music stand out is that it draws from an environ-
ment that embraces differences."
pre-teens to their 60s. I'll be hosting
and playing bass for the performers
"I'm thrilled to be part of a diversity
Musicians of Jajouka, polka purveyors
who ask!"
program
organized by an Arab organiza-
Brave
Combo
and
the
Senegalese
hip
hop
The Detroit Super Session, which starts
tion. Most of the diversity programs I've
of Gokh Bi System.
at 7:30 p.m., will spotlight John Sinclair,
been part of have been sponsored by
Pharaoh's Daughter will be among
Lola Morales, Black Bottom Collective,
Jewish groups. Diversity sponsored by
Saturday's stars, as diverse as Grammy-
Dirtbombs, Sisters Lucas and Detroit
diverse groups multiplies the effects!'
winning vocalist Rickie Lee Jones, the
Cobras among many others.
Was will be joined by Was (Not Was)
Machito Orchestra and performers from
"I've never been part of anything like
guitarist-songwriter Randy Jacobs, key-
Sudan, who will draw global attention to
this:' says Was, who planned the program
the plight of their countrymen. Schechter's boardist-songwriter and Was (Not Was)
with Ismael Ahmed, co-founder of the
founding member Luis Resto and Sun
group will begin at 8:45 p.m.
Arab Community Center for Economic
Messengers drummer Terry Thunder.
"We'll be doing some new songs from
and Social Services (ACCESS), a producer
"The thing that makes Detroit music
an upcoming project exploring themes of
of the annual event.
stand out is that it draws from an environ-
love from Song of Songs," says Schechter,
"Ismael Ahmed and I share a love of
ment that embraces differences," Was says.
who has performed in the area and also
Detroit music. He's my age and hung out
"In the 1960s, the period when I grew up,
at the Grande Ballroom, where I also hung will present selections from her earlier
every song played on the radio sounded
CDs, Haran and Out of the Reeds.
out years age
different. It was an insult to tell perform-
"We are coming more as a rock version
International activist and pop star Buffy
ers that their music sounded like some-
of Pharaoh's Daughter. I will be on oud,
Sainte-Marie joins the Detroit Symphony
thing else."
guitar, percussion and vocals, with Uri
Orchestra for the Thursday night opening
Was looks back on multicultural inter-
Sharlin on keyboard and accordion, Ben
session. Friday night's show stars gospel
ests in Oak Park, where he had his bar
Zwerin on bass and Yuval Lion on drums.
and soul legend Mavis Staples, the Master

mitzvah at Temple Emanu-El. He
describes his friends and neighbors
as being at the forefront of the civil
rights movement.
Was, whose most recent project has
been producing and playing bass on
a recording with alternative country
artist Todd Snider, has produced
recordings for many stars, such as
Bob Dylan, Randy Newman and Elton
John.
The former Oak Parker and
Grammy winner has served as music
director and/or consultant for a list
of films that takes in Thelma and
Louise, The Rainmaker and Toy Story.
He directed the documentary I Just
Wasn't Made for These Times about
former Beach Boy Brian Wilson.
Married and the father of three,
including drummer Anthony
Fagenson of Eve 6, Was says the song
that best describes his perspective
is "Across the Borderline which he
recorded with Willie Nelson in 1993.
"It's about being greedy and always
wanting something else he explains.
"I've been very fortunate, doing really
cool things and meeting incredible
people. If I didn't stop to savor the
moment, it would pass, and I would
miss it!"
Was is glad to be part of a musical
event that offers free public work-
shops, ethnic food booths, multi-
cultural arts and crafts vendors and
children's activities.
"It means so much to me to perform
in Detroit because I lived in the area for
32 years:' says the entertainer, a strong
Pistons fan. "I recently was at the Majestic
Theater, and people I knew from high
school came to see me.
"It was emotional, and at one point, I
had to hide on the band's bus because it
was so overwhelming. I love anything that
has soul in it!" 0

The free Concert of Colors runs
Thursday-Sunday, July 17-20, at the
Max M. Fisher Music Center, 3711
Woodward, in Detroit. (313) 624-
0215. www.concertofcolors.com.

July 10 • 2008

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