In 1976 percussionist / drummer Kahil El'Zabar and saxophonist Edward Wilkerson Jr. founded the Ethnic Heritage Ensemble. Supplemented by a constantly changing third wind player, they deeply immersed themselves in African influences with open improvisations, harmonies from modal jazz and elongated solos. Meanwhile, Wilkerson has been replaced by Ernest 'Khabeer' Dawkins, Corey Wilkes has been
… appointed permanent trumpet player and guitarist Fareed Haque has been hired as the fourth member. Hot'n'Heavy was recorded in 2006 during a live performance at The Ascension Loft in Chicago. As always, the wind section will go wild to the African trance rhythms that El'Zabar beats on his self-built earth drums. Haque offers a calm, rhythmic counterbalance to this. Unfortunately, the musicians' accomplishments are greatly overshadowed by the filmmaker's flawed ideas. Granted, it is difficult to keep the images of four musicians in an art center interesting, but to mix moving images from the exhibited paintings through it is quite nauseating. (AD)more
