Kahil El’Zabar has been leading his Ethnic Heritage Ensemble in various configurations for over 40 years and they are still in forward motion! This year, his “EHE, Be Free” 2017 tour includes longtime member, Corey Wilkes (trumpet) and Alex Harding (baritone saxophone). Trivia: Alex was hand-picked by Hamiet Bluiett to take his place for this tour.
• Kahil El’Zabar is considered by his peers to be one of the most prolific innovators of his generation. He has recorded more than sixty well-received projects, and won numerous international awards as a musician and composer. In 2014, Dr. El’Zabar was knighted by the Counsel General of France, and christened as a “Chevalier Medal of Letters”. In 2012, President Barack Obama’s administration awarded him the International Ambassador’s Award in the Arts. In 2006, The Chicago Tribune named Kahil El’Zabar Chicagoan of the Year. In 1994, President Bill Clinton appointed El’Zabar to the National Task Force on Arts in Education.
He has scored successful feature films: How You Like Me Now (Warner Brothers), Mo Money (Columbia Pictures), and Love Jones (New Line Cinema). He also scored arrangements for the theatrical version of Disney’s The Lion King.
• Corey Wilkes has established himself as one of the best improvising trumpeters in the modern era. Having the skill and maturity to approach mainstream repertoire of jazz standards with his own unique sensibilities, he combines them with his deep appreciation of hip-hop. Corey continues to bring his brand of musicianship and talent to the forefront of the genre.
Corey has also shared the stage with numerous jazz masters including but not limited to; Wynton Marsalis, Roy Hargrove, James Moody, Kurt Elling, Von Freeman, Greg Osby, Roscoe Mitchell, Marcus Belgrave, Clark Terry, Harry “Sweets” Edison and Mulgrew Miller.
• Alex Harding is considered one of the top baritone players in New York City. He has been a fixture on the New York jazz seen since 1993 performing touring and recording with the Julius Hemphill Saxophone Sextet, Hamiett Bluiett Baritone Nation, David Murray Big Band, Oliver Lake Big Band, Craig Harris, Joseph Bowie’s defunkt, Aretha Franklin, David Lee Roth, Lester Bowie, Andy Gonzales, Muhal Richard Abrams, Jayne Cortes and the Fire Spitters, Abdullah Ibrahim and the Tony award-winning Broadway show Fela!
Cost: $20