 His father was Roger Sarbib, a French pianist and innovator of the big band style in Portugal in the 1940s and 1950s, who also played piano behind French singers such as Edith Piaf, Charles Trenet and Maurice Chevalier.From 1973–1977 Sarbib led his own ensembles in France; Daunik Lazro, François Jeanneau, Muhammad Ali, and Mino Cinélu were among those who played with him as sidemen.In Europe he performed with Cecil Taylor and Archie Shepp.