Ernest Dawkins, born on November 2, 1953, in Chicago, Illinois, is an American jazz saxophonist. He began his musical journey playing bass and drums before switching to saxophone in 1973. Dawkins studied with members of the Association for the Advancement of Creative Musicians, including Joseph Jarman and Chico Freeman, and at the Vandercook College of Music. His early career included collaborations with Ed Wilkerson and Douglas Ewart. Dawkins later founded his own New Horizons Ensemble, which performed regularly in Chicago and toured Europe. Notable albums include After the Dawn Has Risen (1992), South Side Street Songs (1994), and Jo'burg Jump (2000). He also released A Black Op'Era: Dedicated to Chairman Fred Hampton, recorded live at Sons d'hiver Festival 2006 in Paris.
