Idris Muhammad

Idris Muhammad
Idris Muhammad playing with Reggie Workman and Pharoah Sanders, c. 1978
Background information
Birth name	Leo Morris
Born	November 13, 1939 (1939-11-13)
Origin	New Orleans, Louisiana, United States
Genres	Jazz, bebop, hardbop, funk
Occupations	Drummer, composer
Instruments	Drumset

Idris Muhammad (born Leo Morris, November 13, 1939, New Orleans, Louisiana; Arabic: إدريس محمد‎) is a jazz drummer. He changed his name in the 1960s upon his conversion to Islam. He is known for his funky playing style. He has released a number of albums as leader, and has played with a number of jazz legends including Lou Donaldson, Johnny Griffin, Pharoah Sanders and Grover Washington, Jr. He has been touring and recording with pianist Ahmad Jamal since 1995. At 15 years-old, one of Muhammad's earliest recorded sessions as a drummer was on Fats Domino's 1956 hit "Blueberry Hill".

In 1966, he married Dolores "LaLa" Brooks (former member of the Crystals; she converted to Islam with him and went for a time under the name Sakinah Muhammad). They separated in 1999. Together, they have two sons and two daughters. Muhammad is an endorser of Istanbul Agop Cymbals.

Discography

As leader

• 1970: Black Rhythm Revolution (Prestige Records)
• 1971: Peace & Rhythm (Prestige)
• 1974: Power of Soul
• 1976: House of the Rising Sun
• 1977: Turn This Mutha Out
• 1977: Could Heaven Ever Be Like This
• 1978: Boogie to the Top
• 1978: You Ain't No Friend of Mine
• 1979: Fox Huntin'
• 1980: Kabsha
• 1980: Make It Count
• 1992: My Turn
• 1998: Right Now

As sideman

With Nat Adderley

• Calling Out Loud (CTI, 1968)

With George Benson

• Tell It Like It Is (A&M/CTI, 1969)

With Paul Desmond

• Summertime (A&M/CTI, 1968)

With Lou Donaldson

• Fried Buzzard (Cadet, 1965)
• Blowing in the Wind (Cadet, 1966)
• Lou Donaldson At His Best (Cadet, 1966)
• Alligator Bogaloo (Blue Note, 1967)
• Mr. Shing-A-Ling (Blue Note, 1967)
• Midnight Creeper (Blue Note, 1968)
• Say It Loud! (Blue Note, 1968)
• Hot Dog (Blue Note, 1969)
• Everything I Play is Funky (Blue Note, 1970)
• Pretty Things (Blue Note, 1970)
• The Scorpion (Blue Note, 1970)
• Cosmos (Blue Note 1971)
• Sweet Poppa Lou (Muse, 1981)

With Grant Green

• Carryin' On (Blue Note, 1969)
• Green Is Beautiful (Blue Note, 1970)
• Alive! (Blue Note, 1970)

With Benjamin Herman

• Get In (1999)

With Andrew Hill

• Grass Roots (1968 [2000])

With Freddie Hubbard

• New Colors (Hip Bop Essence 2001)

With Bobbi Humphrey

• Flute In (Blue Note, 1971)

With Ahmad Jamal

• The Essence of Ahmad Jamal, Pt 1 (1994)
• Big Byrd: The Essence, Pt. 2 (Dreyfus, 1997)
• Nature: The Essence, Part III (Dreyfus, 1998)
• Picture Perfect (2000)
• Ahmad Jamal 70th Birthday (2000)
• In Search of Momentum (Dreyfus, 2002)
• After Fajr (Dreyfus, 2005)
• It's Magic (Dreyfus, 2008)

With J. J. Johnson and Kai Winding

• Betwixt & Between (A&M/CTI, 1969)

With Rodney Jones

• Soul Manifesto (1991)

With Joe Lovano

• Friendly Fire with Greg Osby (Blue Note, 1998)
• Flights of Fancy: Trio Fascination Edition Two (Blue Note, 2000)

With Ernest Ranglin

• Below the Bassline (Island Records, 1998)

With Pharaoh Sanders

• Journey to the One (Theresa, 1980)
• Heart is a Melody (Theresa, 1982)
• Live (Theresa, 1982)
• Shukuru (Theresa, 1985)
• Africa (Timeless, 1987)

With John Scofield

• Groove Elation (1995)

With Lonnie Smith

• Turning Point, (1969)

With Leon Spencer

• Sneak Preview (Prestige Records, 1970)
• Louisiana Slim (Prestige, 1971)

With Gábor Szabó

• Macho (Salvation, 1975)

With Randy Weston

• Portraits of Duke Ellington (Verve, 1989)
• Portraits of Thelonious Monk (Verve, 1989)
• Self Portraits (Verve, 1989)
• Spirits of Our Ancestors (Verve, 1991)

With Reuben Wilson

• Love Bug (Blue Note, 1969)

External links

• Interview in Allaboutjazz
• Idris Muhammad at Allmusic
• Artist and album page of Lipstick Records