Ethnic Heritage Ensemble: 50 Years of Music at Alphabet City, Northside

Kahil El’Zabar - multi-percussion and voice; Corey Wilkes - trumpet; Alex Harding - baritone sax

In Person - and online stream still available - Register at the link

The Ethnic Heritage Ensemble (EHE) was founded by Kahil El’Zabar in 1974 originally as a quintet, but was soon paired down to its classic form — a trio, featuring Kahil on multi-percussion and voice, plus two horns. It was an unusual format, even by the standards of the outward-bound musicians of the AACM. With Kahil at the helm, the band’s line-up has always been open to changes, and over the years the EHE has welcomed dozens of revered musicians including Light Henry Huff, Kalaparusha Maurice Macintyre, Joseph Bowie, Hamiett Bluiett, and Craig Harris. The current line-up has been consolidated over two decades — trumpeter Corey Wilkes entered the circle twenty years ago, while baritone sax player Alex Harding joined seven years ago, after having played with Kahil since the early 2000s in groups such as Joseph Bowie’s Defunkt.

Corey Wilkes, Kahil El’Zabar, Alex Harding - the Ethnic Heritage Ensemble