William Curtis Porter (September 21, 1929 – June 1976), better known as Shafi Hadi, was an American jazz tenor and alto saxophonist known for his recordings with Charles Mingus and with Hank Mobley.
[2] Hadi performed with rhythm and blues artists such as Paul Williams, Ruth Brown, and the Griffin Brothers.
[4] Hadi improvised the soundtrack music for John Cassavetes's film Shadows, then returned to Mingus's group in 1959.
[14][15] Brian Priestley describes Hadi's performance style as a "distinctive mixture of bop and blues, combined with a very individual tone.
"[6] Martin Williams, writing in 1958, described Hadi's playing as being "both contemporary and a reflection of an apprenticeship in rhythm and blues bands.