Import LP – EWOC 012 – Canada – Sadik Hakim

Notes

Pianist/composer Sadik Hakim was born in Duluth, Minnesota. As one of the young musicians at the centre of the ‘bop’ movement in New York in the mid-forties, he recorded and played with such greats as Charlie Parker, Lester Young, Coleman Hawkins, Ben Webster, Miles Davis and Dexter Gordon. In the fifties he worked with Buddy Tate
and James Moody. He has accompanied singers Billy Holiday, Ella Fitzgerald and Dinah Washington. A list of Sadik’s favorite pianists would include such names as Art Tatum, Teddy Wilson, Bud Powell, Oscar Peterson, Herbie Hancock, Bill Evans – along with the very neglected but equally great Hank Jones. All combine a developed sense of melodic invention with a strong rhythmic drive, both of which are essential features of Hakim’s own personal style. Sadik has been living and working in Montreal for many years now, where – as he says in a characteristically gentle understatement – “things are a little slow for me”. This album was originally planned in late 1971 but for several reasons – including the leader’s working trip to Europe in 1972 – the sessions did not take place until 1973. By a strange coincidence Mark Gardner, writing in the December 1971 issue of Coda magazine said: “May an Englishman be cheeky enough to suggest that some Canadian record company give Sadik the opportunity to make an album with the musicians of his choice, of music that he wishes to play.” He may indeed…… and LONDON SUITE is it. – Ted Farrant