48 | AUGUST 5 • 2021

ARTS&LIFE
MUSIC

D

on Was, famed
music performer and
producer, brings two
noteworthy twists to this
year’s Concert of Colors as
he once again presents his
Detroit All-Star Revue.
Preparing for a salute
to R&B Superstar George
Clinton, Was
can recall his
introduction to
the legendary
composer-
performer. In
the ninth grade
at Oak Park’s
Clinton — that’s right,
Clinton — Junior High, Was
became a fan by watching
George Clinton in a special
school performance hosted
by a local DJ to promote a
Clinton recording.
Putting together an
eight-member band for
his upcoming show to be
broadcast at 9 and 10 p.m.
Saturday, Aug. 7, on WTVS,
Was invited percussionist
Larry Fratangelo, who
played on Clinton records
and toured with Clinton’s
Parliament Funkadelic.
Fratangelo also played on the
records of the popular Was
group Was (Not Was).
The many performance
and discussion sessions of
the 29th annual free Concert
of Colors run Aug. 2-9 with
live, broadcast, streamed
and hybrid presentations at
various venues to celebrate

diversity.
“George Clinton made
some of the most significant
R&B records ever right
in Detroit using a lot of
musicians from this area,”
Was explained about his
choice for this year’s theme.
“Everything that he recorded
made his influence pervasive
across the board. He changed
the face of music a couple of
times.

WAS’ TESTIMONIAL
“George was born in Detroit
and did a great body of
work here. I consider him
to be among the greatest
contributions to Detroit
music. My very favorite
Clinton song to perform is ‘I
Just Want to Testify.’”
That song was introduced
to Was at that junior high
program. It was lip-synched
and featured dance steps
performed in ways similar to
the Temptations but in hippie
dress instead of tuxedos.
“No one had ever seen that
in R&B before,” Was said. “I
think George even preceded
Jimi Hendrix. There was
a blending of psychedelic
culture and rhythm and
blues. It blew my mind
[combined with] uplifting
lyrics.”
Was, based in California,
has been spending more
time in Michigan since April,
when he began a weekly
WDET radio program, The

Don Was Motor City
Playlist, co-hosted with
Ann Delisi, WDET
music host. It runs on
Detroit’s NPR station,
101.9 WDET-FM, and
streams worldwide.
The show, with
broadcasts starting at 10
p.m. Fridays, builds on
Was’ experiences as a multi-
Grammy winner who has
been recognized as a bassist,
producer and president of
Blue Note Records.
“The radio program is
my favorite thing to do on
earth,” Was said. “It’s been at
the top of my bucket list. In
the late ’60s, when I was in
high school, I used to listen
to a show on WDET called
Jazz Today hosted by Bud
Spangler, a local drummer
who played with the coolest
bands. It was always my
dream to have that show.
“I mentioned that to Ann,
the queen of Detroit radio,
and she arranged for us to
do that together. We have
so much fun. I love picking
the songs and preparing
something to say about each
one of them.”
As Was presents the radio
show, he is often appearing
remotely because of other
commitments. Maintaining
an interest in his Jewish
heritage, Was (family name
Fagenson) produced a
religious recording.
The album was for a

progressive rabbi out of Los
Angeles, Naomi Levy, who
has a congregation called
Neshuva. Attended by Was
family members appreciating
the music orientation,
the programming was
communicated to Was, who
oversaw the studio progress.
This will be the 14th
year Was has been slotted
into the Concert of Colors.
During his first year, he
appreciated the diverse music
representations but noted
Detroit music was missing
and wanted to add that
element in future years.
“The beautiful thing about
the Detroit that I grew up in
during the ’50s and ’60s was
that the people came from
all over the country and all
over the world to work in the
factories here and brought
their cultures with them,” he
said.
“I think that makes Detroit
a great place to celebrate all
those different cultures, and
I think Concert of Colors is a
beautiful festival that’s being
held in exactly the right
spot.”

Don Was celebrates music of legendary
George Clinton in Concert of Colors program.
Funkadelic!

Details

Don Was can be seen at 9
and 10 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 7,
on WTVS, Channel 56. For a
lineup of Concert of Colors
programming, Aug. 2-9, go to
concertofcolors.com.

SUZANNE CHESSLER CONTRIBUTING WRITER

COURTESY OF MARX LAYNE

Don Was