LETTER: Malaysia's legendary saxophonist and music composer Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Nawab Khan will turn 88 this year. It is indeed inspiring to note that he still maintains his long-time passion of practising with his tenor saxophone at home on a regular basis.
This testifies to his dedication and commitment as an artiste. He began his professional musical career in the late 1940s in his hometown of Penang. He later moved to Kuala Lumpur where he performed at several well-known music venues.
In 1961 he was one of the musicians who was selected to form the Orkes Radio Malaya. It was the forerunner of the renowned Orkestra RTM. He is one of the few surviving members of this pioneer group of musicians.
For his contributions to the music industry and the arts, Ahmad was bestowed with the Anugerah Seniman Negara (National Artiste Award) by the government in 2006. In 2000, the Universiti Putra Malaysia awarded him with an honorary Doctor of Letters degree. He has penned over 2,000 songs, many of which became top hits.
His compositions were sung by many of the country's top singers. These included the late Puan Sri Saloma and Datuk Sharifah Aini, Datuk DJ Dave, Salamiah Hassan, Hail Amir and Uji Rashid. He also wrote for the late Broery Pesulima, the well-known Indonesian singer.
He collaborated with the legendary Tan Sri P. Ramlee when he composed songs for the latter's films in the 1960s. These included Do Re Mi, the memorable comedy series. To those who are keen to learn more about Malaysia's music industry, Ahmad is a repository of knowledge about its history and personalities.
It is heartening to note that RTM's Radio Klasik airs many of his compositions on a regular basis. This will ensure that Malaysians, especially the young, are exposed to his compositions and versatility as a saxophonist.
I am of the view that perhaps it is timely for the federal government to name a street in Kuala Lumpur after him. Likewise, probably the Penang state government could also take this initiative. He was after all born and spent his formative years in the state.
HUSSAIN ABU BAKAR
Petaling Jaya, Selangor
The views expressed in this article are the author's own and do not necessarily reflect those of the New Straits Times