In 1978 Ernest Dawkins formed New Horizons Ensemble, a group which today continues to create a sound that showcases their unique combination of jazz, bebop, swing, and avant-garde. The Chicago Tribune describes them as "a band with an uncommon versatility that erupts into new music bursts of dissonance and color. This band can enlighten an audience while enthralling it." the Prairie Prophet is NHE's fifth Delmark CD and features Ernest Dawkins, saxophone; Steve Berry, trombone; Marquis Hill, trumpet, Jeff Parker, guitar; Junius Paul, bass; Isaiah Spencer, drums. Contains all new original Ernest Dawkins compositions. This CD is dedicated to Fred Anderson.

Blues From The Inside Out is the most expressive project of Dave Specter's 35 year career. Featuring his debut as a vocalist, the album is an exciting and timely celebration of blues, soul, jazz, funk and gospel. With a guest appearance on guitar by Jorma Kaukonen of Jefferson Airplane/Hot Tuna fame, who also co-wrote one of the album's 12 original tunes. These are exciting times to hear Specter, an evolving artist who embraces growth and discovery. In times when darkness and doubt may seem to hang over us, we need to remember the world is illuminated by possibilities. With this new album, Dave Specter's brilliant light shines down on us all.

Chicago is known as a Jazz city that carries on the tough tenor sax tradition. The Blues feeling was always an important element for the great tenor sax players like Gene Ammons, Von Freeman, Eddie Johnson, Red Holloway and now that they are all gone it's Ari Brown that is the leading torch bearer. The album title Freebop for Mal is a tribute to the late Chicago trumpeter and Delmark recording artist Malachi Thompson who called his Jazz Freebop because it combined elements of Free Jazz and Bebop. On this, his fourth Delmark album, Ari is accompanied by brother Kirk Brown, Yosef Ben Israel, Avreeayl Ra and Dr. Cuz.

Blues harmonica legend Carey Bell created his own style after learning from the masters Big Walter Horton, Little Walter Jacobs and Sonny Boy Williamson II. Bell is a veteran of both Muddy Waters' and Willie Dixon's bands.

HIGH RED CENTER

JUST DUET

Tennessee blues poet Sleepy John Estes made his recorded debut in 1929 with the song "Broken Hearted, Ragged and Dirty Too". In '35 John teamed up with Hammie Nixon and they went on to record many classic sides together until WWII. After a twenty-year absence Delmark's Bob Koester rediscovered John and presented him to the new blues audience in '62. This led to a series of LPs and a reinvigorated career. This album was recorded in November of 1974 at concerts in Japan, one of the very first tours of that country by a blues artist - preceded only by a B.B. King State Department appearance. The Estes tour was a great success and even resulted in an Estes track appearing on the Japanese Top 100 chart! 73 minutes.

Soulful Days is the debut album by Soul Message Band but, for the most part, these masterful musicians are not appearing on Delmark for the first time. Organist Chris Foreman and drummer Greg Rockingham both came from the now defunct Deep Blue Organ Trio who have two Delmark albums and one DVD. Alto saxophonist Greg Ward appeared as a sideman on Jason Roebke's High Red Center album (DMK 5014) and tenor man Geof Bradfield recently came out with his Delmark debut, Yes, And... Music For Nine Improvisers (DMK 5027). Newcomer Lee Rothenberg is featured on guitar and wrote "Sir Charles", the smoking opener for this funky, greasy organ combo album.

Bluesman Linsey Alexander was born in Mississippi and raised in Memphis, Tennessee. His first guitar was never retrieved from the pawn shop where he left it almost 50 years ago. Using the money to help pay his way to Chicago, he now has a variety of guitars. Linsey has played with B.B. King, Bobby Rush, Buddy Guy, Little Milton, Magic Slim Johnnie Taylor, Larry McCray, A. C. Reed, Byther Smith, John Primer, Otis Clay and Eddie Clearwater. Been There Done That is Linsey's Delmark debut and it features an eight piece band including the LA Horns plus special guest Billy Branch on harmonica. Lots of brand new original songs brought to life by Linsey's powerful vocals.

With Louis Myers, Dave Myers, Mac Simmons and Big Moose Walker! Blues vocalist Willie Buck was born in 1937 in the small town of Houston, Mississippi. Willie performed on what became known as the "Chittlin Circuit". Shortly after developing his reputation, Willie migrated to Chicago in 1954 where he truly immersed himself in the Chicago blues scene and became a real force on Maxwell Street. Willie was inducted into the Blues Hall of Fame in Chicago in the summer of 2004. The Life I Love was recorded in 1982 and was issued then in a very limited edition LP. It appears on CD for the first time now and features previously unissued live tracks totaling 65 minutes of genuine Chicago blues.

This CD extols the hot "Chicago Style" jazz of the 20s and 30s. Led by octogenarian, guitarist Marty Grosz, the band features a contingent from The Fat Babies who hold forth at the Green Mill on Chicago's north side and special guest Jim Dapogny. In 1948 Marty Grosz hitchhiked from New York to Chicago in search of "Hot Music". He returned to New York in 1950, made his first records, and then, after a stint in the Army, returned to Chicago where he played for 21 years. A"too-good-to-be-true" offer lured him back to New York, to Carnegie Hall, The White House, and all over the globe. Marty has amassed an acoustic discography that's seventy-seven pages long. 16 songs.

DREAMY

Quintus McCormick has toured the world with some of the most important blues artists including James Cotton, Otis Clay, A.C. Reed, and Lefty Dizz. Working as a sideman, Quintus' reputation as a brilliant guitarist, gifted songwriter and astonishing vocalist spread like wildfire. Born and raised in Detroit, Quintus moved to Chicago where Buddy Guy and James Cotton encouraged Quintus to form his own band. In 1994 the Quintus McCormick Band was formed. Quintus has been a mainstay of the Chicago blues scene, appearing frequently in the city's world-renown nightclubs and at countless festivals and concerts. Hey Jodie! Is Quintus' first Delmark CD and features 14 new compositions of original, heartfelt blues, R&B and soul.

No other contemporary blues artist brings as much of the rousing sanctified spirit of the church to his overall musical approach as Professor Eddie Lusk. One of the Windy City's busiest blues session players for the last decade, the Professor mastered the keyboards while still in his teens at his father's South Side church, and that enduring spiritual base remains at the heart of the Professor's blues. In addition to the Professor's hearty vocals, the band also showcases the gutsy pipes of Karen Carroll, a second generation blues woman whose mother, Jeanne Carroll, has graced the scene herself for many years.

FRENCH CONNECTION