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

