Ethnic Heritage Ensemble

Biography

The Ethnic Heritage Ensemble was formed in 1976 by Edward Wilkerson Jnr. (27 July 1955, Terre Haute, Indiana, USA; reeds) and Kahil El’Zabar (b. Clifton Blackburn, 11 November 1953, Chicago, Illinois, USA; percussion). Wilkerson, one of the most versatile of the new Chicago saxophonists, also leads the octet 8 Bold Souls and a big band, Shadow Vignettes. El’Zabar studied at the Malcolm X School of Music and worked with Donny Hathaway and Paul Simon as well as playing in the AACM with Lester Bowie, Chico Freeman and Muhal Richard Abrams: he has also served as the organization’s chairman. He also leads his own groups, including the Ritual Trio (in association with Malachi Favors).

A typical second-generation AACM group, the Ethnic Heritage Ensemble owe much to the example of the Art Ensemble Of Chicago, particularly in their use of ‘little instruments’, and even more to the general AACM emphasis on space,...

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