RK Dawkins

Biography
News

After producing, engineering and mixing other artists' R&B and hip-hop projects for 20 years in the Detroit area, RK DAWKINS has just released JOURNEY, his first solo effort. Drawing on old school jazz influences from the 70s such as Ronnie Laws, Herbie Hancock, Bob James, Norman Connors, the Crusaders, Earth Wind and Fire and others, most of the compositions have a decidedly funky element. Much of the music of the '70s, whether jazz or R&B (not to mention funk), had a funky bass line, guitar and/ or drum bed, because after all, it WAS the era of funk. Dawkins believes, like James Brown, that "whatseneva I play, gots to be funky!" Thus, Journey pays homage to the artists and music of the funk- laden jazz era.

Having worked with artists such as MC Breed, Awesome Dre, blues artist Larry McCray, rapper Dangerous D, Jeannie Lyles, Aduo, And producers Gary Spaniola (Ready for the World), Dawkins walked away from the music business in 2006 to concentrate on a law career in Atlanta.

Reemerging in 2016, he began work on Journey, just releasing it in July 2017. RKD composed, produced and performed all instruments on the album. For the first time working in complete solitude, Journey was born.

Enter the “Ernest Dawkins - Afro Straight” Giveaway at All About Jazz!

Source: All About Jazz
February 9, 2013

All About Jazz members are invited to enter the Delmark Records “Ernest Dawkins - Afro Straight“ giveaway contest starting today. We'll select FIVE winners at the conclusion of the contest on March 10th. Click here to enter the contest

(Becoming a fan of Ernest Dawkins at AAJ automatically enters you in the contest.)

Good luck! Your Friends at Delmark Records About Ernest Dawkins

One of the life goals of Ernest Dawkins is for his music and compositions to ...
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Performance / Tour

Ernest Dawkins' Delmark CD Release Party For "Afro Straight!"

Source: Kevin Johnson
December 6, 2012

Come celebrate the official CD release of Afro Straight (Delmark) this weekend, Friday, Saturday and Sunday! Friday and Saturday (December 7 and 8) at Andy’s Jazz Club (11 East Hubbard) First set starts at 9:30pm Sunday (December 9) Normans Bistro (1001 E 43rd Street as part of Dawkins’ weekly jam session Session starts at 9:00pm After five Delmark albums with his New Horizons Ensemble and three as co-leader of the Ethnic Heritage Ensemble, saxophonist, composer, arranger Ernest Dawkins leads this ...
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Recording

Ernest Dawkins' New Horizons Ensemble Comes Through with "The Prairie Prophet"

Source: Gapplegate Music Review by Grego Edwards
May 11, 2011

Chicago's Ernest Dawkins has been making some very goodly music for some time now (11 CDs so far). His New Horizons Ensemble has been a big part of the scene since 1978! On The Prairie Prophet (Delmark 598) Dawkins runs the mid-sized, seven-artist cast through in-jazz to out-jazz compositions that have plenty of latitude for the considerable improvising abilities of the players while emblazoning a distinctive stamp on the sound and thrust of the music. This is a well-paced set, ...
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Performance / Tour

Saxophonist Ernest Dawkins Comes to Redstone Room

Source: All About Jazz
August 13, 2008

Jazz alto saxophonist Ernest “Khabeer" Dawkins will bring his “Straight Ahead" Quartet with special guest pianist and jazz educator Willie Pickens to the River Music Experience's Redstone Room in downtown Davenport for Polyrhythms' Third Sunday Jazz Matine & Workshop on August 17. The workshop begins at 3 p.m., with admission $3 for students and $5 for adults. The concert begins at 6 p.m., with general admission $15 and reserve seating $20. Dawkins began practicing the electric bass while attending Chicago ...
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Recording

Delmark Announces New Jazz Releases: Anthony Braxton, Jeff Parker, Ernest Dawkins' New Horizons Ensemble and Bay City Jazz Band

Source: All About Jazz
December 6, 2002

Here are Delmark's first batch of releases set for 2003...

ANTHONY BRAXTON -- “Four Compositions 2000" (Delmark 544) To paraphrase the old stock brokerage commercial: “When Anthony Braxton plays, people listen." And they have been doing so for decades, through dozens of recordings spanning an evolution that is remarkable for its independence and virtuosity. Braxton's first two albums, “Three Compositions Of New Jazz" (Delmark 415, 1968) and “For Alto" (Delmark 420, 1969) were released on Delmark and it ...
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Performance / Tour

Ethnic Heritage Ensemble’s 25th Anniversary Tour: Kahil El'Zabar --- Ernest "Khabeer" Dawkins --- Joseph Bowie

Source: All About Jazz

"Tradition Meets Contemporary Innovation"

The EHE has been about two horns and a drum for 25 years. Kahil has been active in usurping the artificially ingrained construct which dictates that the tuba or bass represent the basic harmonic structure, the horn, piano or guitar represent melody with harmony and the drummer remains the timekeeper. This has been an AACM mandate ever since the organization's inception: getting all participants to develop their own conceptual approach to music.

“Serenely centered one moment, ...
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