His mother, Ruth Anthony El Saffar, an American, was a Cervantes scholar and Jungian analyst.
[2] ElSaffar has created new techniques to play microtones and ornaments that are idiomatic to Arab music but are not typically heard on the trumpet.
As a composer, ElSaffar has used the microtones found in maqam music to create a unique approach to harmony and melody.
ElSaffar has since received commissions from the Jerome Foundation, the Jazz Institute of Chicago, and Chamber Music America and has continued developing a singular approach to integrating Middle Eastern tonalities and rhythms into an American jazz context, releasing three albums; Two Rivers (2006), Radif Suite (2010), and Inana (2011) to critical acclaim.
As a sideman, ElSaffar has performed with Cecil Taylor, Simon Shaheen, Randy Brecker, Miya Masaoka, Rudresh Mahanthappa, Vijay Iyer, and Samir Chatterjee.