Ernest Dawkins is the founder and executive director of Live the Spirit Residency and is one of the world’s premiere saxophonists and composers. Ernest’s life’s goal is for his music and compositions to reflect the evolving collective cultural memory of the African American jazz aesthetic. He is past Chairman of the Association for the Advancement of Creative Musicians (AACM). His four decades of work as a professional artist, educator, and community-based organizer are widely recognized for shaping the contemporary cultural landscape of Chicago and beyond.