The PLANET D NONET “a down & dirty little swing band from Detroit” was founded by drummer RJ Spangler & trumpeter James O’Donnell, two eastside Detroit based musicians who’ve been playing together for over 30 years. The Nonet features players from such venerated groups as the Sun Messengers, Bon Ton Roule’ and Johnnie Bassett & the Blues Insurgents as well as some talented young veterans. We play the classic swing music of Ellington & Strayhorn, Fletcher Henderson, Count Basie & Benny Carter as well as more modern jazz by Sun Ra and Pharoah Saunders, and always with a Detroit twist.
The Planet D Nonet is about swing, blues, space-age jazz and classic American songs all served with plenty of good humor with an eye toward turning people onto this kind of music.