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Ethnic Heritage Ensemble

Founded in Chicago in the 1970s by Kahil El’Zabar, the Ethnic Heritage ensemble brings together three talented musicians. Kahil El’Zabar, founder of the Ethnic Heritage ensemble, is an internationally celebrated percussionist and composer and is considered one of the most prolific jazz innovators of his generation. His music has been featured in several films and theatrical productions. Being a renaissance man, El’Zabar has also held positions as associate professor of inter/disciplinary arts at the University of Nebraska/Lincoln (1987-99), and the University of Illinois/Chicago (2000-04). Some of the many other awards and accomplishments El’Zabar has received includes being named “Chicagoan of the year” in 2004 by the Chicago Tribune, percussionist of the year award from the Jazz Journalists Association in 2002, 2003 and 2005, Outstanding Career in Music Award from the African American Arts Alliance in 2001, received a Ph.D. in 2006 from Lake Forest College/Lake Forest, Illinois and in 2010, the U.S. bassy awarded El’Zabar the Cultural Diplomacy Award. El’Zabar is accompanied by fellow musicians Ernest Khabeer Dawkins and Corey Wilkes. Dawkins is one of Chicago’s premier jazz saxophonists whose music reflects his extraordinary talent not just as a musician but as a composer as well. He holds a Masters in Music Education from Governors State University in University Park, Illinois, and has studied music at the Vandercook School of Music as well as the AACM School of Music. Dawkins has since performed in Maputo, Mozambique, and appeared on local radio and television programs. Of his many accomplishments, he has composed music for the documentary film Malcolm in 1995 under the direction of Alan Siegal. Corey Wilkes is a young lion with a roaR&Being heard in several music genres. His talent as a trumpeter began at the age of 10. He made the Illinois All State Honors Jazz Combo in high school and honed his talent at Berklee College of Music. He has since performed with many music greats, including playing with the Art ensemble of Chicago. In addition, he holds a post as an Artist in Residence and Board member with the Jazz Institute of Chicago and a member of the Association for the Advancent of Creative Musicians; this young lion has a roar to listen for. 


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12
Album Review

Kahil El'Zabar's Ethnic Heritage Ensemble: Spirit Gatherer

Read "Spirit Gatherer" reviewed by Chris May


Anyone who was chair of the Association for the Advancement of Creative Musicians for a decade knows a thing or two about keeping a group of independently minded artists focused on a common goal. Drummer and percussionist Kahil El'Zabar continues to demonstrate that with his Ethnic Heritage Ensemble, an acoustic, improvising trio with an African foundation that has been recording since 1981. Most of the musicians who have passed through the group have been longtime members. The 2023 lineup comprises ...

211
Film Review

Hot 'n' Heavy: Live At The Ascension Loft

Read "Hot 'n' Heavy: Live At The Ascension Loft" reviewed by Nic Jones


Ethnic Heritage Ensemble Hot 'n' Heavy: Live at the Ascension Loft Delmark Records 2007

The spirit of the loft is alive and well and more than safe in the hands of Mr. Kahil El' Zabar and his cohorts, and he reveals as much in the commentary track on this DVD. This line-up of his aptly named Ethnic Heritage Ensemble is supremely well-equipped to deliver a program of his deep music, deep in the sense ...

250
Film Review

Hot 'n' Heavy: Live at the Ascension Loft

Read "Hot 'n' Heavy: Live at the Ascension Loft" reviewed by Jim Santella


Ethnic Heritage Ensemble Hot 'n' Heavy: Live at the Ascension Loft Delmark Records 2007

The Ethnic Heritage Ensemble delivers pure jazz with spirit. In this live concert, they interpret five of Kahil El'Zabar's compositions with an emphasis on the teamwork that exists between two horns, Fareed Haque's guitar, and El'Zabar's large hand drums. From their collaboration, you can feel the spirit moving through the room as a selected audience looks on. Band ...

177
Film Review

Ethnic Heritage Ensemble: Hot 'N' Heavy--Live at the Ascension Loft

Read "Ethnic Heritage Ensemble: Hot 'N' Heavy--Live at the Ascension Loft" reviewed by Mark F. Turner


Ethnic Heritage Ensemble Hot 'N' Heavy--Live at the Ascension Loft Delmark 2006 Delmark Records continues to produce some memorable jazz DVDs and Ethnic Heritage Ensemble's Hot'N'Heavy--Live at the Ascension Loft is no exception. From the first few sounds and frames of the video, one dynamic image absorbs the viewer: the group's leader, percussionist Kahil El'Zabar, has more energy in his fingertips than most of us have in our entire bodies.

224
Album Review

Ethnic Heritage Ensemble: Hot 'N' Heavy: Live At The Ascension Loft

Read "Hot 'N' Heavy: Live At The Ascension Loft" reviewed by Mark Corroto


For more than thirty years, the Ethnic Heritage Ensemble has carried the American tradition of percussive jazz onward from a distinctly African-Chicago-American perspective. This live session, recorded in percussionist Kahil El'Zabar's loft, continues the long line of stellar recordings, but with a new and seemingly ever changing lineup.

The EHE has included, among others, saxophonists Edward Wilkerson, Jr., Light Henry Huff and Kalaparusha Maurice McIntyre, trombonist Joseph Bowie and percussionist Harold Atu Murray. Besides El'Zabar's Ritual Trio, it ...

416
Film Review

Ethnic Heritage Ensemble: Hot 'N' Heavy--Live at the Ascension Loft

Read "Ethnic Heritage Ensemble: Hot 'N' Heavy--Live at the Ascension Loft" reviewed by Mark Corroto


Ethnic Heritage Ensemble Hot 'N' Heavy--Live at the Ascension Loft Delmark 2006

For more than thirty years, the Ethnic Heritage Ensemble has carried on the African-American tradition of percussive jazz from a distinctly Midwest-Chicago perspective. This live session, recorded in percussionist Kahil El'Zabar's loft, continues their long line of stellar recordings, but with a new and seemingly ever-changing lineup.

The EHE has included, among others, Edward Wilkerson, Jr., Kalaparusha Maurice McIntyre, Joseph ...

307
Film Review

Ethnic Heritage Ensemble: Hot 'N' Heavy--Live at the Ascension Loft

Read "Ethnic Heritage Ensemble: Hot 'N' Heavy--Live at the Ascension Loft" reviewed by Jerry D'Souza


Ethnic Heritage Ensemble Hot 'N' Heavy--Live at the Ascension Loft Delmark 2006

The Ethnic Heritage Ensemble has been a potent force in music and in particular on the constantly fermenting Chicago scene. The Ensemble revolves around leader Kahil El'Zabar, an articulate man who composes with an eye on the open horizon. Over the years the Ensemble has had some of the foremost improvisers in its fold, including Henry Huff, Joseph Bowie and ...

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2

Event

Ethnic Heritage Ensemble, Led By Dr. Kahil El’zabar, Caps 50th Anniversary World Tour With Rare Live Performance Of John Coltrane’s Masterpiece 'A Love Supreme' Presented By Jacaranda

Ethnic Heritage Ensemble,  Led By Dr. Kahil El’zabar, Caps 50th Anniversary World Tour  With Rare Live Performance Of  John Coltrane’s Masterpiece  'A Love Supreme'  Presented By Jacaranda

Source: Patrick Scott

Saxophonist David Murray Is the Featured Soloist on Original Arrangement of the Work by Miguel de la Cerna and El’Zabar Sunday, February 25, 2024, 4 pm, First Presbyterian Church of Santa Monica Ethnic Heritage Ensemble, led by founder Kahil El’Zabar, caps its 50th Anniversary world tour with a rare live performance of John Coltrane’s masterwork, A Love Supreme, arranged by Miguel de la Cerna and El’Zabar, on Sunday, February 25, 2024, 4 pm, at First Presbyterian Church of Santa Monica, ...

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Performance / Tour

Ethnic Heritage Ensemble - Annual February Black History Month Tour!

Ethnic Heritage Ensemble - Annual February Black History Month Tour!

Source: Kevin Johnson

February 2011: Ethnic Heritage Ensemble's annual tour for Black History Month

Kahil El'Zabar, Corey Wilkes and Ernest Dawkins

February 4, JAZZ BAKERY, 9pm, 1655 N. McCadden Place, Hollywood, CA February 7, Kuumbwa Jazz, Santa Cruz, CA 8pm, 320-2 Cedar Street February 9, The ND, Austin, TX, 501 N. I-H 35, Austin, TX February 10, 8-11PM The Eldorado Ballroom, 2310 Elgin St., Houston, TX February 14, Field Museum, Chicago, ALL NEED LOVE Festival February 15, Mercury Lounge, Ottawa, CANADA, 8pm February ...

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Performance / Tour

Ethnic Heritage Ensemble in Concert: Chicago Jazz Legends at the Erie Art Museum on March 3

Ethnic Heritage Ensemble in Concert: Chicago Jazz Legends at the Erie Art Museum on March 3

Source: Michael Ricci

The Erie Art Museum Contemporary Music Series presents a special concert of the Ethnic Heritage Ensemble on Wednesday March 3, 2010 at 8 p.m. at the Erie Art Museum in the second floor annex. After 35 years, the Ethnic Heritage Ensemble is still serving their special brand of 21st century Griot music to people worldwide. The Chicago Tribune writes the trio is “harmonically provocative and rhythmically seductive," and they consistently deliver jazz that combines ancestral wisdom, exploratory improvisation, and crack ...

137

Performance / Tour

Ethnic Heritage Ensemble’s 25th Anniversary Tour: Kahil El'Zabar --- Ernest "Khabeer" Dawkins --- Joseph Bowie

Ethnic Heritage Ensemble’s 25th Anniversary Tour: Kahil El'Zabar --- Ernest "Khabeer" Dawkins --- Joseph Bowie

Source: All About Jazz

"Tradition Meets Contemporary Innovation"

The EHE has been about two horns and a drum for 25 years. Kahil has been active in usurping the artificially ingrained construct which dictates that the tuba or bass represent the basic harmonic structure, the horn, piano or guitar represent melody with harmony and the drummer remains the timekeeper. This has been an AACM mandate ever since the organization's inception: getting all participants to develop their own conceptual approach to music.

“Serenely centered one moment, ...

Photos

Music

Recordings: As Leader | As Sideperson

Spirit Gatherer:...

Self Produced
2023

buy

Be Known...

Self Produced
2019

buy

Mama's House

Delmark Records
2009

buy

Hot 'N' Heavy: Live...

Delmark Records
2007

buy

Ka-Real

Delmark Records
2000

buy

Papa's Bounce

CIMP Records
2000

buy

Videos

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