Search - Sahib Shihab :: Jazz Sahib

Great album by an underrated master

Clear-eyed | GA, USA | 08/06/2001

(5 out of 5 stars)

"He was in the "Great Day in Harlem" picture. He was a brilliant saxophonist, composer, arranger, and bandleader. He played with Fletcher Henderson, Monk, Diz, Blakey, Oscar Pettiford, Quincy Jones, Tadd Dameron, Roy Eldridge, the Francy Boland-Kenny Clarke Big Band, and John Coltrane. Yet most jazz fans don't know his name. "Jazz Shihab" is a great recording by this artist. The arranging and writing remind me somewhat of Benny Carter and early Cannonball Adderley--clever heads, expertly orchestrated, imaginative and compact solos, all cleanly performed by a group of first-rate jazz pros. Calling it "hard bop" would be too limiting, but it's more or less in that ball park stylistically. Definitely a worthy addition to your jazz collection."