Ernest Dawkins S/D

Great great great!! as a man and a musician.

I've never heard a bad album led by Ernest Dawkins.

the Shadow Vignettes big band show at Mandel Hall about a decade ago was phenomenal.

If I had to Pick Only One -- I'd go for South Side Street Songs on Silkheart ... from back when the band was really really cooking: the dear, departed Ameen Muhammed was still with us and Jeff Parker was still in the band. the great Avreeyal Ra on drums. Ernest was just writing great great tunes around that time ("Maghostut"!!)

they were one of the first jazz groups I'd check out upon first moving to Chicago and have been a massive fan ever since .. although I must admit I have not heard the most recent two CDs .. I'm falling behind..

and yeah, Jo'Burg Jump is great too.

the one to try to seek out is the NHE CD that Ernest released himself on his DAWK label -- Mother's Blue Velvet Shoes, recorded live at the now-officially-closed original Velvet Lounge.

Cool! They'll go on that ever-evolving list of things to pick up. Does he still play out often?

Why you doesn't ask me? Stormy ain't lyin', of course, but there is also the EHE--Kahil El'Zabar's Ethnic Heritage Ensemble. Their _Freedom Jazz Dance_ from 1999 is excellent. I don't think I have that one, but y'know, I'ts not too late for birthday shopping. I do have a disk with Khabeer Dawkins & Hamid Drake as the Aesop Quartet "Fable For A New Millenium" also 1999 on the 8th Harmonic Breakdown label. It's, um, interesting. And the EHE (and/or K-El'Z trio) are always worth checking out, too. Coupla those over here.

I'd have to check to see if he's on the Scott Fields/Jeff Parker cd. Don't think he is.

Khabeer Dawkins is an old friend & protege of Fred Anderson, whose new & improved Velvet Lounge should now be open around the corner on Cermak Road, between Michigan & Indiana (about half a block from the now-officially-closed).

Oh! and does he still play out often? Sure, as much as any working jazz musician can get gigs. Get him to play Edgefest, whydoncha.

I do have the EHE Freedom Jazz Dance and Dawkins is not on the Scott Fields/Jeff Parker but that one does have Hamid and Michael Zerang onit.

Your uncle also sent me some EHE with Shepp--although it could be the Zabar Ritual Trio, not EHE or NHE.

R.I.Y.L. Louis Moholo, Johnny Dyani, Chris McGregor. All out of that African ensemble jazz mode. McGregor's "Traveling Somewhere" (which I'm pretty sure you have) has Dudu Pukwana, Mongezi Feza, and Louis Moholo on it. If you're getting into that NOMO thang, these are people you MUST check out.

Heh. I'm going through that HUGE spindle you gave me again... I think for your birthday, it's going to be mostly just more and more and more blank CDs...