 In 1977, Sarbib moved to New York City, where he led small groups and established the Saheb Sarbib Multinational Big Band, with sidemen including Roy Campbell, Jack Walrath, Art Baron, Talib Kibwe, Pete Chavez, Joe Ford, Jemeel Moondoc, Richard Baratta, Mark Whitecage, Dave Hofstra, Guilherme Franco, Booker T. Williams, and the saxophonist Joe Lovano.Paul Nebenzahl helped arrange his charts.Sarbib also performed with Paul Motian, Rashied Ali, Hal Galper and Kirk Lightsey in New York City nightclubs in the late 1970s.