Kahil El’Zabar is a composer, arranger, and performer who has led the Ethnic Heritage Ensemble for fifty years, a major feat. The band has changed members and configurations often over the decades—it is currently a trio, with guests dropping in and out—but throughout its history it has been animated and driven forward by a singular vision, an integration of Black vernacular music and African-leaning instrumentation, anchored by its leader’s distinctive and passionate approach to percussion.