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The Prairie Prophet
Studio album by Ernest Dawkins
Released	2011
Recorded	October 13 & 14, 2010
Studio	Riverside Studio, Chicago
Genre	Jazz
Length	64:39
Label	Delmark
Producer	Robert G. Koester
Ernest Dawkins chronology
Un-Till Emmett Till (2009) The Prairie Prophet (2011) Velvet Songs (2011)

The Prairie Prophet is an album by American jazz saxophonist Ernest Dawkins' New Horizons Ensemble, which was recorded in 2010 and released on Delmark. The album pays tribute to saxophonist Fred Anderson. "Mal-Lester" is an homage to Art Ensemble of Chicago members Malachi Favors and Lester Bowie.

Reception

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic
Down Beat
All About Jazz

In his review for AllMusic, Alex Henderson states "This 2010 recording is neither totally avant-garde nor totally straight-ahead, but rather, is an appealing union of the inside and the outside."

The Down Beat review by John Murph notes "Without attempting to make grandiose statements, The Prairie Prophet illustrates the excellence of Dawkins as a consummate jazz figure."

The All About Jazz review by Troy Collins states "Balancing inside and outside traditions with the same charismatic assurance as the album's dedicatee, The Prairie Prophet is a fitting tribute to a true hero of Chicago's avant-garde."

In his review for JazzTimes Shaun Brady says "The New Horizons Ensemble embraces a wide swath of jazz styles, where the bop- and gospel-tinged material can share a stage with the patchwork abstraction of 'Sketches', ceding way to the Middle Eastern evocations of trombonist Steve Berry’s 'Mesopotamia'."

Track listing

All compositions by Ernest Dawkins except as indicated

1. "Hymn for a Hip King" – 8:09
2. "Sketches" – 12:07
3. "Balladesque" – 2:21
4. "Mal-Lester" – 10:40
5. "Shades of the Prairie Prophet" – 11:05
6. "Mesopotamia" (Steve Berry) – 6:50
7. "Baghdad Boogie" – 13:27

Personnel

• Ernest Dawkins - alto sax, tenor sax, percussion, vocal
• Marquis Hill – flugelhorn, trumpet
• Shaun Johnson – trumpet
• Steve Berry – trombone
• Jeff Parker – guitar
• Junius Paul – bass
• Isaiah Spencer – drums, percussion

References

1. Original Liner Notes by Aaron Cohen
2. ^ Henderson, Alex. Ernest Dawkins – The Prairie Prophet: Review at AllMusic. Retrieved January 1, 2016.
3. ^ Murph, John. The Prairie Prophet review. Down Beat July 11: page 50. Print.
4. ^ Collins, Troy The Prairie Prophet review at All About Jazz
5. Brady, Shaun The Prairie Prophet review at JazzTimes

• 2011 albums
• Ernest Dawkins albums
• Delmark Records albums