Born in Harlem, New York as Russell Linwood Thomas, Abdul Al-Khabyyr lived most of his life in
Montreal,
Quebec. He became a naturalized
Canadian in 1965 and converted to Islam in 1971. In his teens he studied clarinet and saxophone in New York City with
Cecil Scott and others. In 1954 he traveled to Montreal with trombonist
Snub Mosley to play in various nightclubs. While there he met his future wife and decided to stay, working with Al Cowans (19541955) and then leading his own band (19551957). In
Ottawa from 1957 to 1970, he was a member at various times of the Canadian Jazz Quartet (with Richard Wyands on piano, Wyatt Ruther on bass, and Doug Johnston on drums), the Ottawa Saxophone Quartet and also studio/dance bands led by Champ Champagne, Buster Monroe and others. He led his own orchestra at the Gatineau Country Club from 1959 to 1965, except for a short break in 1963 as he recovered from a bout with
Polio. He also appeared regularly on CBC programming as a guest or backing musician. |left From 1970 to 1980 he returned to Montreal as a teacher in the Jazz Music department of the
Université de Montréal. His pupils included the flautist Jennifer Waring, trumpeter Chris Place, and saxophonists Mary-Jo Rudolf, Richard Beaudet and
Rémi Bolduc. He also performed in various contemporary music settings such as the SMCQ ensemble (
Société de musique contemporaine du Québec), Walter Boudreau's Infonie, Dionne-Brégent, TRIO 3 (composed of Sayyd, Pauline Vaillancourt and
Michael Laucke), worked in studio and theatre orchestras, and played jazz at his own establishment, Café Mo-Jo. He also recorded and performed with, among many others;
Tony Bennett,
Tito Puente,
Mario Rivera, the
Savoy Sultans,
Illinois Jacquet, the Afro-Asian Jazz Ensemble,
Arturo Sandoval,
Gonzalo Rubalcaba,
Walter Davis Jr.,
Giovanni Hidalgo,
Charlie Palmieri,
Milt Jackson,
Candido Gamero,
Charlie Persip and Superband, On 26 June 2011, a tribute concert was held during the festival to honor and recognize Abdul Al-Khabyyr's contributions to the Montreal jazz scene. ==Personal life==