Ernest Dawkins
Ernest Dawkins (born 2 November 1953 in Chicago, Illinois, United States) is an American jazz saxophonist, principally active in free jazz and post-bop. Ernest Khabeer Dawkins was a neighbor of Anthony Braxton as a child. He played bass and drums early in life before switching to saxophone in 1973.
Also recorded as Ernest Khabeer Dawkins
Ernest Dawkins
- Name
- Ernest Dawkins
- Born
- 2 November 1953
- Birthplace
- Chicago, Illinois, United States
- Occupation
- Musician
- Nationality
- United States
- Fields
- jazz
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Ernest Dawkins (born 2 November 1953 in Chicago, Illinois, United States) is an American jazz saxophonist, principally active in free jazz and post-bop. Ernest Khabeer Dawkins was a neighbor of Anthony Braxton as a child. He played bass and drums early in life before switching to saxophone in 1973.
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Ernest Dawkins (born 1953) is an American musician and saxophonist. The musician was born in Illinois. Genres include jazz.
Composed from admitted, traceable facts · 26 September 2026
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wikidata · Q1356291 · wikipedia · Ernest Dawkins
In this article
Biography
Biography
During that decade he began studying with members of the Association for the Advancement of Creative Musicians, such as Joseph Jarman and Chico Freeman, as well as at the Vandercook College of Music. He worked with Ed Wilkerson and the Ethnic Heritage Ensemble and Douglas Ewart before founding his own New Horizons Ensemble, which played regularly in Chicago into the 2000s, as well as at jazz festivals and on tour in Europe. Starting in 1999 through at least 2026, Dawkins has run the annual Englewood Jazz Festival in the Englewood neighborhood of Chicago's South Side. Usually, Dawkins himself is one of the festival's performers.
Key facts
Key facts
• Name — Ernest Dawkins • Born — 2 November 1953 • Birthplace — Chicago, Illinois, United States • Origin — American • Instrument — Saxophone • Genre — Jazz • Occupation — Musician • Associated Acts — Ethnic Heritage Ensemble • Website — ernestdawkins.com
As leader
As leader
• After the Dawn Has Risen (Open Minds, 1992) • South Side Street Songs (Silkheart Records, 1994) • Chicago Now Vol. 1 (Silkheart, 1995) • Chicago Now Vol. 2 (Silkheart, 1997) • Mother's Blue Velvet Shoes (Dawk, 1998) • Jo'burg Jump (Delmark Records, 2000) • Cape Town Shuffle (Delmark, 2003) • Misconception of a Delusion Shades of a Charade (Dawk, 2003) • Mean Ameen (Delmark, 2004) • The Messenger (CD and DVD) (Delmark, 2006) • A Black Op'Era: Dedicated to Chairman Fred Hampton recorded live at Sons d'hiver Festival 2006 in Paris (Dawk, 2007) • Un-Till Emmett Till (Dawk, 2009) • The Prairie Prophet (Delmark, 2011) • Velvet Songs (RogueArt), 2011) • Afro Straight (Delmark, 2012) • Memory in the Center (Dawk, 2014)
As unofficial leader/co-leader
As unofficial leader/co-leader
with The (AACM) Great Black Music Ensemble • Sparx of Love, Sparx of Fire! A Tribute to Martin Sparx Alexander (Great Black Ensemble, 2008) • At Umbria Jazz 2009 (Musica Jazz, 2010) • Live @ The Currency Exchange Cafe, Vol. 1 (AACM Chicago Productions, 2018 or 2019)
As guest
As guest
With Hamid Drake • Bindu (Rogueart, 2005) with Ethnic Heritage Ensemble • The Continuum (Delmark, 1997) • Papa's Bounce (CIMP, 1998) • Freedom Jazz Dance (Delmark, 1999)
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Cited by Wikipedia
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The Encyclopedia exists whether or not anything is for sale. Corrections are recorded rather than overwritten, and every version of this record is kept. Published 18 August 2026.
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