Kahil El'Zabar, percussion hero, on stage (but not screen) in weekend benefit

“Give and ye shall receive,” saith the biblical proverb (inspired by but never actually stated in the Book of Luke). This weekend, the iconoclastic Chicago percussionist-vocalist-bandleader Kahil El’Zabar finds himself on opposite sides of that equation.

 

First, the giving. Tonight and tomorrow, the internationally renowned El’Zabar leads the current version of his enticing Ethnic Heritage Ensemble in a benefit concert for the A.N. Pritzker School, the performing-arts magnet school in Wicker Park attended by his two youngest children. 

 

The Ethnic Heritage Ensemble is one of El’Zabar’s signature bands, established some 35 years ago; each change in personnel has spun a new chapter in what has become one of the longest-running sagas in modern music. The name of the group conjures a chamber orchestra, but in fact, at any given time the EHE comprises only three musicians and a surprisingly stark instrumentation: two horns and percussion – no piano, no bass, no guitar. 

 

Within this minimalist universe, El’Zabar has managed to create a sonic world that often gains from what it lacks. 

 

Each member stands exposed to an unusual degree, and the underlying structure of each performance is stripped bare. This setup feeds El’Zabar’s concept of a freely improvised music – “avant-garde jazz,” in the vernacular – built upon a strong and simple rhythmic foundation. It also fosters a powerful intimacy that draws the audience closer; combined with El’Zabar’s highly theatrical stage presence, the music hugs the listener in a participatory embrace.

 

Despite its long history, the EHE has seen few changes in personnel; for example, the saxophonist Ernest Khabeer Dawkins (a highly respected bandleader in his own right) has played in the Ensemble for the last 15 years. These days he shares the “horn section” with fellow AACM member Corey Wilkes, the young, gifted, and energetic trumpeter whose own path runs from bebop to hip-hop, with plenty of stops at the free-jazz crossroads along the way.

 

The tickets for these concerts carry a surprisingly reasonable price (it is a fundraiser, remember): $30 or $50 for the 9 PM set on Saturday; Examiner.com readers who use the code "jazzinchicago" when ordering will receive a $5 discount per ticket. (A previously scheduled “VIP” concert, scheduled for 6 PM Saturday, has been canceled.) The concert takes place in the auditorium of the Pritzker School at 2009 Schiller Street.

 

So much for the giving. Unfortunately, the “receiving” side of the proverb hasn’t worked out so well.

 

Late last year, an L.A. marketing consultant named Dennis Stafford announced a Kickstarter campaign to raise money for a documentary film about El’Zabar. Kickstarter, as you may know, is one of several crowd-sourced funding programs, which request small on-line donations  to meet a specific and often arts-related goal. Through this campaign, Stafford hoped to raise $25,000 to complete production on a documentary film about El’Zabar.

 

The film, produced and shot by an L.A. journalist and filmmaker named Dwayne Johnson-Cochran, is titled Be Known, and it could hardly have a more cinematic star. Fiery and outspoken, El’Zabar bursts with ideas, and his athlete’s frame, still limber and lanky, retains an elastic energy. On more than 35 albums under his own name, he’s had an often-cited impact on Chicago music – from jazz to house to rap – over the course of four decades. On stage or on screen, he would make a compelling subject.

 

Unfortunately, the deadline has passed for this campaign, and the total raised came nowhere near the amount needed. Under the Kickstarter rules, the project is now off the table. 

 

Admittedly, $25,000 is a good chunk of change; and announcing a fundraiser just before Christmas, during the worst recession in 75 years, does not scream “timing.” Nonetheless, shooting has been completed, and the extended trailer, which you can see here, promises a great ride. 

 

I have to think that if some lunatic can give $10 million to a guy who wants a moon base by 2020, there must be a couple of people out there with deep enough pockets to bring this film to the screen. If so, you know where to find me.

 

Just consider this my own version of (highly targeted) crowd-sourcing – and a chance for El’Zabar to still wind up on the receiving end of the volunteerism he’ll display this weekend.