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Ethnic Heritage Ensemble - The Ethnic Heritage Ensemble was formed shortly after percussionist Kahil El'Zabar graduated from the school of the Association for the Advancement of Creative Musicians in 1976. He teamed up with tenor saxophonist Edward Wilkerson, Jr. to play music that combined contemporary African American musical styles, like jazz, with more traditional African instrumentation and rhythms. The duo would frequently grow to a trio in these first years, adding musicians like saxophonist Light Henry Huff and Kalaparusha Maurice McIntyre. In 1988, they added trombonist and conga player Joseph Bowie, who is the leader of the jazz-funk group Defunkt. In 1997, Wilkerson was replaced by Ernest "Khabeer" Dawkins who is the leader of New Horizons Ensemble. |
| Ritual Trio - Kahil El'Zabar's Ritual Trio is not about the return of the fire-breathing brigades of the '60's, come back to reclaim musical space inhabited by a young generation of buttoned-down post-bop clones. It is, rather, a very current version of progressive improvisational music - eclectic in mood and influence, willing and able to look back and reach forward; post-modern in a sense but lacking, thankfully, that overdone post-modern taint, irony. The Ritual Trio does music not just as a function, a gig, but actually a celebration, a ceremony or ritual that codifies their purpose as human beings through the gift of music. | |
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Tri-Factor - El'Zabar, Bluiett and Bang are three decidedly different personalities with different approaches to any given situation. Combined, they present broad ranges of knowledge and pedagogy. One might say they are all department heads; remove the doors and things can get intense. It's an intensity that, when properly placed , translates very nicely in the music. Tri-Factor blends their musical strengths into an inspiring whole and exploits the common strength. |
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JUBA Collective - Juba Collective is an all-star aggregation combining veteran musicians out of Chicago's avant-garde music and house music communities as well as newcomers from the City's underground poetry and rap/hip hop culture. Led by percussionist/composer Kahil El'Zabar, the band explores a mind-blowingly original blend of dance, jazz, r&b, rap, and spoken word. The band's name comes for the acronym for its philosophy of life: Joined Universal Breath Ascending. |
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Deeper Soul - Deeper Soul Recordings is an active effort to combine the many soulful sounds created around the world, with the rich and diverse roots of Chicago's music history. With a social and musical consciousness, Deeper Soul reaches out to the willing and open ears of the soulful human beings in the world community. We reach into our ancestral past of music and life and realize the lessons and truth available. We, as children, can learn from the lessons of our elders to create the future through a positive presence. These concepts are applied deepest in our approach to the music, combining elements of jazz, soul, house, hip-hop, and the ancient use of the drum. Deeper Soul is original songs by Kahil El'Zabar, remixed by the world's hottest DJ's, including: Charles Webster, Osunlade, Kemit Sources, IG Culture and Djinji Brown. |
| Other Groups - Duets, trios and more, Kahil El'Zabar teaming up in various amalgamations with the finest jazz musicians around, including: David Murray, Fred Hopkins, Billy Bang, Joseph Jarman, Kalaparusha Maurice McIntyre and many more. | |
| Orchestra Infinity - | |
| Experimental Band - |