- Sahib Shihab
Infobox musical artist
Name = Sahib Shihab
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Background = non_vocal_instrumentalist
Birth_name = Edmond Gregory
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Born = birth date|df=yes|1925|6|23
Died = death date and age|df=yes|1989|10|24|1925|6|23
Origin = flagicon|USASavannah, Georgia ,USA
Instrument =Baritone saxophone Alto saxophone
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Genre =Jazz Cool jazz
Occupation =Saxophonist
Years_active = 1940s - 1980s
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Associated_acts =Gene Quill ,Phil Woods ,Hal Stein
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Notable_instruments =Sahib Shihab (born Edmond Gregory 23 June 1925 in
Savannah, Georgia – died 24 October 1989 inTennessee ) was a jazz saxophonist (baritone, alto, and soprano) and flautist.Life and career
He first played
alto saxophone professionally forLuther Henderson at age 13 [ [http://www.allaboutjazz.com/php/article.php?id=1477 All About Jazz] ] and went on to study at theBoston Conservatory and to play with trumpetistRoy Eldridge . He played lead alto withFletcher 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 includingArt Blakey ,Kenny Dorham andBenny Golson . The invitation to play withDizzy Gillespie 's big band in the early fifties was of particular significance as it marked Sahib's switch to baritone.In 1959, he toured Europe with
Quincy Jones after getting fed up with racial politics in USA and ultimately settled inScandinavia . He worked forCopenhagen 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 accompaniedLill Lindfors andSvante Thuresson on stage for the Swedish entryNygammal 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 inTennessee . [ [http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=11:j9dayl38xp9b~T1 All Music bio] ]In 1957, Sahib was one of the musicians photographed by
Art Kane in hisA Great Day in Harlem picture.elected recordings
* "Four Altos" (1957) with
Gene Quill ,Phil Woods andHal Stein .Prestige Records .
* "Jazz Sahib" (1957)
* "Conversations" (1963)References
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