Sadik Hakim (born Forrest Argonne Thornton; July 15, 1919 – June 20, 1983) was an American jazz pianist and composer.
Early life
Forrest Argonne Thornton was born on July 15, 1919 in Duluth, Minnesota. The name Argonne came from the World War I battle. He was taught music by his grandfather and played locally before moving to Chicago.
Later life and career
In Chicago in 1944, Hakim was heard by the tenor saxophonist Ben Webster, who took him to New York to be the pianist in his band. He appeared on some Charlie Parker recordings for
Savoy Records
Savoy Records is an American record company and label established by Herman Lubinsky in 1942 in Newark, New Jersey. Savoy specialized in jazz, rhythm and blues, and gospel music.
In September 2017, Savoy was acquired by Concord Bicycle Music.
...
in the following year. He toured with another saxophonist, Lester Young from 1946 to 1948, including for recordings. He changed his name to Sadik Hakim, a Muslim formulation, in 1947.
"In the 1950s Hakim played in Canada with
Louis Metcalf
Louis Metcalf (February 28, 1905 - October 27, 1981) was an American jazz trumpeter who played for a short time with Duke Ellington.
Early life
Metcalf was born in Webster Groves, Missouri, United States. As a youth he first trained on the drums ...
, toured with James Moody (1951–4), and was a member of Buddy Tate's orchestra (1956–60)." Hakim's debut recording as a leader was in 1962, on an album for Charlie Parker Records that was shared with Duke Jordan. "Around 1966 he moved to Montreal, where he played in nightclubs. He toured Europe for a year, played in a trio at a festival in Duluth (1976), and then returned to New York; he toured Japan in 1979–80."
Hakim returned to recording as a leader in 1973, laying down material that was released by CBC,
Progressive
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* Progressivism, a political philosophy in support of social reform
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* Progressive realism, an American foreign policy par ...
,
SteepleChase
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* Steeplechase (horse racing), a type of horse race in which participants are required to jump over obstacles
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, and Storyville Records. Hakim claimed that he wrote "Eronel", which is usually thought of as a Thelonious Monk composition.
Hakim died in New York City on June 20, 1983. He has a daughter, Louize Hakim, who is an apparel designer in Hawaii.
Playing style
Scott Yanow
Scott Yanow (born October 4, 1954) is an American jazz reviewer, historian, and author.Allmusic Biography/ref>
Biography
Yanow was born in New York City and grew up near Los Angeles.
Since 1974, he was a regular reviewer of many jazz styles an ...
wrote that Hakim "had a particularly unusual boppish style in the '40s, playing dissonant lines, using repetition to build suspense, and certainly standing out from the many
Bud Powell
Earl Rudolph "Bud" Powell (September 27, 1924 – July 31, 1966) was an American jazz pianist and composer. Along with Charlie Parker, Thelonious Monk, Kenny Clarke and Dizzy Gillespie, Powell was a leading figure in the development of modern ...
impressionists. Later in his career his playing became more conventional." '' The Penguin Guide to Jazz'' compared him with Powell, and wrote that Hakim did not have a characteristic playing style.