Ab-dúo Salim

ABDU SALIM Tenor and Soprano Saxophones
Born in Gilmer (Texas) in 1950, he was four years old, when he began to play the piano. Finishing high school, in 1968 he had performed on most of the instruments in the school band, and sang in several choirs. It was this graduating year, that he entered Texas Southern University at Houston, Texas. At this university he received his first music lessons. While in Houston he met and became good friends with ARNET COBB. He toured with JOHNNY COPLAND and another summer stint was done with JOE TURNER. From 1970 to 1978 he was in the U.S. Navy as a radar technician. During this period he was limited to play in local groups in and near the cities to which he was stationed. He played R&B, Rock, with symphony orchestras, country and western groups, and toured with gospel choir. While he was in Spain, he toured with the rock group IMAN.In 1978 through 1979 he returned to Texas. At Texas College he studied classical harmony and taught saxophone, flute and Jazz harmony.From 1979 to 1983 Abdu Salim was in the U.S. Army, acting as instructor in music theory and ear training instructor in the Navy school of Music in Norfolk.Here he formed his first Jazz group F.J.B., with the drummer JAE STINNET.In 1981 he was stationed in South Korea, where he led the Korean edition of F.J.B.
This band was the number one musical group in South Korea for most of that year.In Korea, Abdu Salim recorded numerous TV and Radio shows and his group worked in two clubs in Seoul every night. There he composed A rose without a thorne. This tune has been recorded by JOHN HICKS in the CD : Two of a kind (JOHN HICKS RAY DRUMMOND).In 1983 Abdu Salim returned to Norfolk and finished his army contract. Meanwhile he performed with JOHN HICKS, FRANK FOSTER, JAE SINNET, BILLY TAYLOR, BILLY DRUMMOND, STEVE WILSON and others.

Abdu Salim arrived in Sevilla (Spain) during the summer of 1983 with four compositions.In the summer of 1985, he had twenty four. Abdu Salim founded the first jazz school in Andalucia, and performed numerous concerts with student groups and other European and American musicians. In the studios he has recorded for a variety of groups, ranging from Spanish Folklore, Theater, Rock and two films scores. In Spain and southern France he has worked with BILLY BROOKS, LOU BENNET, LOU DONALDSON, LONNIE SMITH, IDRIS MUHAMMAD and others.
Since 1987 he has been the saxophonist for LOU BENNET.

Also in 1987 he received an award from the Spanish Radio Station Radio Cadena Pop for his contribution to the formation and practice of Jazz in Andalucia.

In 1991 Abdu Salim received two DEXTER GORDON AWARDS from the Spanish TV Program ”Jazz Entre Amigos”; one for his quartet and the other as solist.Among his latest accomplishments is his composition Blue Jae, which has been recorded on the CD of THE HARPER BROTHERS.Abdu Salim interprets also three of his compositions on the latest CD of LOU BENNET ”Now hear my meaning”, recorded in Barcelona with guest drummer IDRIS MUHAMMAD. He also played with FRANK LACY, ALAIN JEAN MARIE, BILLY HART, GREG BANDY, SLIDE HAMPTON, ELLIS MARSALLIS, PHILIP HARPER and others.
He is a natural musician with a wide variety of musical and theatrical experiences and he brings them all together in every performance. ABDU SALIM IN EXILE Directed: Ricard ROIS.