Kahil El’Zabar Interviewed About His Catalog

Source: The Wire.

For more than 50 years – since founding The Ethnic Heritage Ensemble in 1973 – Kahil El’Zabar has established himself as a leader in the development of Chicago originated Great Black Music, mixing Afrocentric traditions with contemporary sensibilities and options. A percussionist who vocalises, composes, arranges and collaborates with both established masters and emerging young artists, El’Zabar has toured internationally, released more than 60 albums and been credited with introducing new innovators from the AACM (Association for the Advancement of Creative Musicians), instigating roots based acid jazz, advancing Afrofuturism before that term was coined, and keeping the beat arising from ancient sources in support of free musical expression.