NEW RELEASE!

Planet D Nonet - "Blues to Be There: A Salute to Duke Ellington"

May 2023

Blues to be There is exactly how this made me feel. I wanted to be there listening to this band. Even more so than when I first heard Ellington's original recording of the title tune on Duke's legendary Newport 56 recording - the one where Gonsalves gets a bit long-winded! This is magical and the soloists know when to take the mouthpiece out of their gob!

-Lance Liddle, Bebop Spoken Here

APR, 2023

2023 Detroit Music Awards

Our TENTH Detroit music award win! Best Traditional Jazz Artist/Group - Planet D Nonet and for our Buddy Johnson recording.

Planet D Nonet

Detroit's Down and Dirty Swing Band

Detroit Music Award 2023 Winner - Outstanding Traditional Jazz Artist/Group & Outstanding Jazz Recording (Tribute to Buddy Johnson)

The PD9 performs Harlem Jive by Fats Waller, swing era tunes by Duke Ellington, Benny Moten, Count Basie and Fletcher Henderson as well as the jumpin' jive of Louis Jordan. Cofounded by RJ Spangler & James O'Donnell in 2007, this band is about to celebrate 15 years of bringing swing music to SE Michigan listeners and swing dancers. In that time the band has performed in 10 states including some memorable gigs in New Orleans. In addition to the vocals of trumpeter James O'Donnell, the band also features the vocals of trombonist John "Tbone" Paxton and often featured artist Camille Price.

saxophones: Alex Colista, Christopher Tabaczynski & Goode Wyche III, brass: James O'Donnell, Charlie Miller & Tbone Paxton, rhythm: Michael Zaporski, Trevor Lamb, Sean Perlmutter & RJ Spangler

PD9
Photo by Chuck Andersen

Blues to be There is exactly how this made me feel. I wanted to be there listening to this band. Even more so than when I first heard Ellington's original recording of the title tune on Duke's legendary Newport 56 recording - the one where Gonsalves gets a bit long-winded! This is magical and the soloists know when to take the mouthpiece out of their gob!

-Lance Liddle, Bebop Spoken Here, UK

Detroit's RJ Spangler and band have done it again. Fresh off a Louis Jordan tribute album in its Live at the Scarab Club series, the band digs even deeper for fans of 1940s-era proto-R&B with a tribute to Buddy Johnson. Planet D Nonet's tribute is so impeccably played, and so crisply recorded, it's a surprise to hear the crowd cheer and remember this is a live set – especially as Johnson's music walks the chalk line between jazz's classy airs and pre-rock raunch. This lovingly curated series is a service to pre-existing hepcats, but, more importantly, to those cats who have yet to be hepped. If you're "crazy 'bout a saxophone," this is for you.

– Stephen Koch, author of Louis Jordan: Son of Arkansas, Father of R&B and host of "Arkansongs," syndicated on public radio stations.

"Knocked out by your consistently brilliant musicianship. Buddy Johnson tribute album is a strong move, and I'm spreading the word."

arwulf arwulf, WCBN, Ann Arbor, MI

Planet D Nonet - Video

Live @ The Dirty Dog - Planet D Nonet - Such Sweet Thunder


Live Stream from the Dirty Dog - Planet D Nonet

Live Stream from the Dirty Dog - Planet D Nonet

Live Stream from the Dirty Dog - Planet D Nonet

 


Live Stream from the Dirty Dog - Planet D Nonet

Don't Let the Sun Catch Your Cryin' - Planet D Nonet

Live Stream from the Dirty Dog (Feb 4, 2022) - Planet D Nonet

 

Planet D Nonet - Discography

  • Planet D Nonet - Blues To Be There: A Salute to Duke Ellington - Eastlawn 2023
  • Planet D Nonet - Tribute to Buddy Johnson - Eastlawn 2022
  • John Sinclair/Planet D Nonet Monk's Dream Eastlawn 2020
  • Planet D Nonet Kings of Kansas City Swing: Bennie Moten & Count Basie Eastlawn 2019
  • "A Salute to Strayhorn" (Detroit Music Factory, 2016)
  • "PD9 Township Jazz Project" (Eastlawn, 2015)
  • "PD9 Township Jazz Project - Duderstadt Session" (Eastlawn, 2015)
  • "Just A Sittin & A Rockin' w/ T-Bone Paxton" (Eastlawn, 2014)
  • "Rays Of The Sun" (Eastlawn, 2013)
  • "Swingin' The D (Detroit Music Factory, 2013)
  • "Old School" (Eastlawn, 2012)
  • "Blowin' Away The Blues, Vol 2" (Eastlawn 2011)
  • "We Travel The Space-ways" (Eastlawn, 2010)
  • "Viper Madness Suite w/ John Sinclair" (No Cover, 2010)
  • "Blues, Ballads & Beyond" (Eastlawn, 2010)
  • "Blowin' Away The Blues" (Eastlawn, 2010)
  • "Country Girl b/w Honey Dripper (45 rpm, Eastlawn, 2009)
PD9

Gigs/Calendar - Planet D Nonet

Untitled Document

Spangler Jazz & Blues Productions represents:  Airey B & her Blues Boys & T-Bone Paxton.

To book the Planet D Nonet contact Amanda Stanger-Read at Great Lakes Performing Artist Associates: glpaaoffice@gmail.com greatlakespaa.org

Featured Video

Planet D Nonet

Planet D plays swing-alicious jazz, booty-shaking big band, funk-atrocious fusion and some tribal-y tunes. And everything served Detroit-flavored.

Photo Gallery

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Meet the Band

Alex Colista / alto sax & cl, Christopher Tabaczynski, tenor saxophone, clarinet, Goode Wyche III / baritone sax, clarinet James O'Donnell / trumpet, vox & co-leader, Charlie Miller / trumpet, flugelhorn, John "Tbone" Paxton / trombone & vox, Michael Zaporski / piano, Trevor Lamb / string bass, RJ Spangler / percussion & leader, Sean Perlmutter, drums.

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