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Sahib Shihab

 
  • Genres: Jazz

Biography

Besides being one of the first jazz musicians to convert to Islam and change his name (1947), Sahib Shihab was also one of the earliest boppers to use the flute. But he was also a fluent soloist on the alto, as well as the baritone sax, the latter being the instrument with which he became most frequently associated. Shihab first worked professionally with the Luther Henderson band at the age of 13 while still studying with Elmer Snowden. At 16, he attended the Boston Conservatory (1941-1942) and later worked as the lead alto in the 1944-1945 Fletcher Henderson band, billed as Eddie Gregory. After his religious conversion, he fell in with the early bop movement, recording several now-famous sides on alto with Thelonious Monk for Blue Note in 1947 and 1951, and playing with Art Blakey in 1949-1950 and the Tadd Dameron band in 1949. Following some empty patches where he had to work odd jobs for a living, Shihab played with Dizzy Gillespie in 1951-1952, Illinois Jacquet in 1952-1955, and the Oscar Pettiford big band in 1957. After arriving in Europe with Quincy Jones' big band in 1959-1960, he remained there until 1986 (mostly in Copenhagen), except for a long Los Angeles interlude (1973-1976). While on the Continent, he played in the Clarke-Boland big band for nearly a decade (1963-1972); he can be heard applying advanced vocal effects to his attractive flute work on the superb Clarke-Boland Big Band LP (Atlantic, 1963). He recorded only a handful of albums as a leader over the decades for Savoy, Argo, Atlantic, and Chess; a 1963 live date in Copenhagen is available on Black Lion. ~ Richard S. Ginell, Rovi
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Sahib Shihab

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Sahib Shihab
Birth name Edmond Gregory
Born 23 June 1925(1925-06-23)
Origin Savannah, Georgia, United States
Died 24 October 1989(1989-10-24) (aged 64)
Genres Jazz
Hard Bop
Occupations Saxophonist
Instruments Baritone saxophone
Alto saxophone
Years active 1940s - 1980s
Associated acts Gene Quill, Phil Woods, Hal Stein

Sahib Shihab (born Edmond Gregory; 23 June 1925, Savannah, Georgia – 24 October 1989, Tennessee) was an American jazz saxophonist (baritone, alto, and soprano) and flautist.

Contents

Biography

He first played alto saxophone professionally for Luther Henderson at age 13[1] and went on to study at the Boston Conservatory and to play with trumpeter Roy Eldridge. He played lead alto with Fletcher Henderson in the mid forties.

He was one of the first jazz musicians to convert to Islam and changed his name in 1947. During the late 1940s, Shihab played with Thelonious Monk. During this period, he also found time to appear on many recordings by artists including Art Blakey, Kenny Dorham and Benny Golson. The invitation to play with Dizzy Gillespie's big band in the early fifties was of particular significance as it marked Sahib's switch to baritone.

In 1957, Sahib was one of the musicians photographed by Art Kane in his A Great Day in Harlem picture.

In 1959, he toured Europe with Quincy Jones after getting fed up with racial politics in USA and ultimately settled in Scandinavia. He worked for Copenhagen Polytechnic and wrote scores for television, cinema and theatre.

In 1961, he joined The Kenny Clarke-Francy Boland Big Band and remained a key figure in the band for the 12 years it ran. He married a Danish lady and raised a family in Europe, although he remained a conscious African-American still sensitive to racial issues.

In the Eurovision Song Contest 1966, Shihab accompanied Lill Lindfors and Svante Thuresson on stage for the Swedish entry Nygammal Vals.

In 1973, Sahib returned to the United States for a three-year hiatus, working as a session man for rock and pop artists and also doing some copywriting for local musicians. He spent his remaining years between New York and Europe and played in a successful partnership with Art Farmer and died in Tennessee.[2]

Discography

As leader

As sideman

With Art Blakey

With Betty Carter

With John Coltrane

With Tadd Dameron

With Johnny Griffin

  • Lady Heavy Bottom's Waltz (1968)
  • Griff 'N Bags

With George Gruntz

  • Noon in Tunisia (1967)

With Milt Jackson

  • Plenty, Plenty Soul (Atlantic, 1957)

With Thelonious Monk

With Phineas Newborn, Jr.

  • Phineas Newborn Plays Jamaica (September 7, 8 & 9, 1957) - (RCA Victor LPM 1589)

With Charlie Rouse

  • Soul Mates (1988)

With Tony Scott

With Mal Waldron

With Phil Woods

References


 
 
Related topics:
The Baritone Great (1951-1953) (1951 Album by Leo Parker)
Movin' In (1957 Album by Specs Powell)
John Jenkins (Jazz Artist, '50s, '60s)

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