8 Bold Souls is an American jazz ensemble, led by reedist Edward Wilkerson.
The group was founded in 1985 by Wilkerson, who had previously been a member of the Association for the Advancement of Creative Musicians. They began at Chicago Filmmakers, a performance spot in Chicago where they played on Thursdays. The performances were initially dubbed "New Music for 8 Bold Souls", and the group eventually adopted the shortened name for performances elsewhere. 8 Bold Souls were active intermittently through the 1990s, recording for Arabesque Records, and in 1999 released an album on Thrill Jockey,[1] following it with performances at the Chicago Symphony Center and at festivals.[2]
Mwata Bowden is among the musicians to play in the group. Other members include trumpeter Robert Griffin, trombonist Isaiah Jackson, tubists Aaron Dodd and Gerald Powell, cellist Naomi Millender, bassist Harrison Bankhead, and percussionist Dushun Moseley.[3]
Aaron Dodd died on June 17, 2010, due to complications of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. In addition to his time with 8 Bold Souls, Dodd also worked with Leroy Hutson, The Pharaohs and Donny Hathaway.[4]