 Kahil El'Zabar
The ever prolific renaissance man and Chicago master percussionist Kahil El ‘Zabar and NYC virtuoso violinist Billy Bang will begin a series of duet performances on June 4th at Nimrod Systems Gallery in downtown Chicago, 200 W. Superior, Ste 310, phone: 312-661-0101. Their whirlwind tour takes them to 7 different venues in seven cites in seven days. After Chicago they travel to the following: June 5, Kerrytown Concert House in Ann Arbor, MI; June 6, Erie Art Museum in Erie, PA; June 7, Sangha, Transparent Productions in Takoma Park, MD; June 8, Hallwalls Contemporary Art Center in Buffalo, NY; June 9, The Sanctuary for Independent Media in Troy, NY; June 10, Trane Studio Jazz Lounge in Toronto.
Internationally renowned percussionist and composer Kahil El'Zabar is considered one of the most prolific jazz innovators of his generation. Indeed El'Zabar is a true "Renaissance Man," with a musical style and content that flows from ancient Africa to the modern world. In his own words, "The spirit of one's approach comes first before the technical. All the facility in the world with nothing that comes from the heart doesn't make good music. The basis of the strength of any artistic evolution has come from ethnicity."
 Kahil El'Zabar
Kahil El'Zabar was born in Chicago, on November 11, 1953. One of three children growing up in a South Side neighborhood, he heard music in the streets everyday - doo-wop, r&b, gospel, blues and jazz. After attending Catholic schools in Chicago, El'Zabar went to Kennedy-King College and later to Malcolm X and Lake Forest Colleges. In 1973 while attending Lake Forest College, El'Zabar was given the opportunity to study mime with Marcel Marceau in Paris, but instead opted to use the money to attend the University of Ghana and study African music firsthand. At the age of eighteen, Kahil joined Chicago's Association for the Advancement of Creative Musicians, and by 1975 he was chairman of the organization. During the early 1970s, El'Zabar formed his own musical group, the Ethnic Heritage Ensemble, and later another group, the Ritual Trio, and continues to perform both today. El'Zabar was chosen to do the arranging for the stage performances of The Lion King,. He has also published a book of poetry, Mis'taken Brilliance, and he tailors clothing both for his band and for others. From 1996 to 1999, El'Zabar organized Traffic at Chicago's Steppenwolf Theatre, an inter-arts program featuring music and poetry. In 1991, El'Zabar was commissioned by Germany's Leverkusen Jazz Festival to present a 20-year retrospective of his work, which showcased Orchestra Infinity - a 25-piece big band formed several years ago. Kahil El'Zabar has served as an associate professor at the University of Nebraska at Lincoln and the University of Illinois at Chicago. He has been on the boards of several organizations, including as the chairman of The Sun Drummer, an African American drum society, the National Campaign for Freedom of Expression, the National Task Force of Arts Presenting in Education, Campaign for Freedom of Expression, Forum for the Evolution of Progressive Arts, Chicago Blues Museum and the Lila Wallace-Reader's Digest Fund. He has also served as a panelist for the NEA's Commissioning and Interdisciplinary Programs. His efforts as a musician, educator, and community leader led to the "Chicagoan of the year" in 2004 by the Chicago Tribune and the 2005 Jazz Journalists Association award for "Percussionist of the Year."  Billy Bang
Heavily inspired by the exploratory fire of John Coltrane, Eric Dolphy, Ornette Coleman and the liberating energy of the free-jazz movement, Bang returned to the violin as his principal means of expression. Attending New York's Queens College, and studying privately with renowned violinist Leroy Jenkins, Bang became a key member of the dynamic New York avant-garde scene of the '70s. When Bang formed his own group, The Survival Ensemble, and working with artists like David Murray, Frank Lowe, William Parker and the legendary Sam Rivers, Billy began to reach an international audience in 1977 with the String Trio, remaining with the cooperative ensemble for nine years.
Billy Bang began a regular working relationship with Kahil El'Zabar in 1996, performing in duet, and sometimes as a trio with esteemed Art Ensemble of Chicago co-founder and bassist Malachi Favors Maghostut.
Kahil El Zabar/Billy Bang duet tour dates:
- June 4 : Nimrod Systems Gallery in downtown Chicago, 200 W. Superior, Ste 310, phone: 312-661-0101
- June 5 : Kerrytown Concert House in Ann Arbor, MI, 415 North Fourth Avenue, www.kerrytownconcerthouse.com , Phone: 734-769-2999
- June 6 : Erie Art Museum in Erie, PA, 411 State Street, www.erieartmuseum.org , phone: (814) 459-5477
- June 7 : Sangha, Transparent Productions in Takoma Park, MD , 7014 Westmoreland Avenue, www.transparentproductions.org , phone: 301-891-3214
- June 8 : Hallwalls Contemporary Art Center in Buffalo, NY, 341 Delaware Ave, www.hallwalls.org , phone: 716-854-1694
- June 9: The Sanctuary for Independent Media in Troy, NY, 3361 6th Ave. Troy, NY , www.TheSanctuaryForIndependentMedia.org phone (518) 272-2390
- June 10: Trane Studio Jazz Lounge in Toronto, 964 Bathurst St., www.tranestudio.com , phone : 416-913-8197
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Monday, 01 December 2008
