11 Facts About Herbie Mann

Herbert Jay Solomon, known by his stage name Herbie Mann, was an American jazz flute player and important early practitioner of world music.

Early in his career, he played tenor saxophone and clarinet, but Mann was among the first jazz musicians to specialize on the flute.

Herbie Mann's most popular single was "Hi-Jack", which was a Billboard No 1 dance hit for three weeks in 1975.

Herbie Mann was born in Brooklyn, New York, New York, to Jewish parents Harry C Solomon, who was of Russian descent, and Ruth Rose Solomon, of Romanian descent who was born in Bukovina, Austria-Hungary but immigrated to the United States with her family at the age of 6.

Herbie Mann attended Lincoln High School in Brighton Beach, Brooklyn.

Herbie Mann was an early pioneer of the fusion of jazz and world music.

In 1961, Herbie Mann toured Brazil, returning to the US to record with Brazilian musicians, including Antonio Carlos Jobim and guitarist Baden Powell.

Herbie Mann provided the music for the 1978 National Film Board of Canada animated short Afterlife, by Ishu Patel.

Herbie Mann later set up Kokopelli Records after difficulty with established labels.

Herbie Mann played flutes on the Bee Gees' album Spirits Having Flown.

Herbie Mann died from prostate cancer on July 1,2003, at his home in Pecos, New Mexico.