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Idris Muhammad was born Leo Morris on November 13, 1939 In New Orleans, Louisiana. Learning to play drums in his youth, at fifteen he played on Fats Domino’s 1956 hit “Blueberry Hill” and by sixteen he turned professional, playing primarily soul and R&B during the early sixties. In 1965 he was a member of  Lou Donaldson’s band, then went on to become the house drummer for Prestige Records from 1970-72.

As a sideman Idris would play with Johnny Griffin,  Gene Ammons, Nat Adderley,  George Benson, Paul Desmond,  Pharoah Sanders,  George Coleman and the Paris Reunion Band and record with Ahmad Jamal, Chico Freeman, Sonny Rollins, Donald Byrd, Shirley Scott,  Stanley Turrentine,  Grant Green, J. J. Johnson and Kai Winding, Hank Crawford,  Benjamin Herman, Andrew Hill, Freddie Hubbard, Bobbi Humphrey,  Rodney Jones,  Rodney Jones and  Houston Person among numerous others.

Known for his funky playing style, as a leader he has recorded everything from post-bop to dance music for such labels as Prestige, Kudu, Fantasy, Theresa, and Lipstick. He changed his name in the 1960s upon his conversion to Islam and is endorsed by Istanbul Agop cymbals. Drummer Idris Muhammad continued to compose, record and perform until his passing on July 29, 2014 of kidney failure at the age of 74. He was buried according to Islamic burial traditions in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.

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