He was one of the first jazz musicians to convert to Islam and changed his name in 1947.[2] He belonged to the Ahmadiyya sect of Islam.[5] During the late 1940s, Shihab played with Thelonious Monk,[2] and on July 23, 1951 he recorded with Monk (later issued on the album Genius of Modern Music: Volume 2).[6] During this period, he also appeared on recordings by Art Blakey, Kenny Dorham and Benny Golson.[2] The invitation to play with Dizzy Gillespie's big band in the early 1950s was of particular significance, as it marked Shihab's switch to baritone.[2]
On August 12, 1958, Shihab was one of the musicians photographed by Art Kane in his photograph known as "A Great Day in Harlem". In 1959, he toured Europe with Quincy Jones.[2] Shihab, disillusioned with racial politics in United States, decided around this time to move to Europe. He settled in Scandinavia, first in Stockholm, Sweden, then moving in 1964 to Copenhagen, Denmark.[4] He worked for Copenhagen Polytechnic and wrote scores for television, cinema and theatre. He wrote a ballet based on the Danish writer Hans Christian Andersen's fairy tale, The Red Shoes.[2]
In Denmark, Shihab performed with local musicians such as the bass player Niels-Henning Ørsted Pedersen amongst others. Together with pianist Kenny Drew, he ran a publishing firm and record company.
In 1961, he joined the Kenny Clarke/Francy Boland Big Band and remained a member of the band for the 12 years it existed.[2] He married a Danish woman and raised a family in Europe.
In 1973, Shihab returned to the United States for a three-year stay, working as a session musician for rock and pop artists and working as a copyist for local musicians. He spent his remaining years between New York and Copenhagen, and played in a partnership with Art Farmer.[7] He also led his own jazz combo called Dues.
