Al Foster

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Al Foster
Al Foster Quintet in Trieste, Italy 2007
Background information
Born	January 18, 1944 (1944-01-18) (age 65) Richmond, Virginia, United States
Genres	Jazz
Occupations	Musician
Instruments	Drum set
Associated acts	Miles Davis

Al Foster (born January 18, 1944 in Richmond, Virginia) is an American jazz drummer. Foster played with Miles Davis's large funk fusion group in the 70s, was one of the few people to have contact with Miles during his retirement, and was also part of his in the 80s. He was the only musician to play in Miles' band for both periods.

Biography

As a member of the Miles Davis band from 1972 to 1985, Foster's contribution to Davis' music is articulated by Davis himself in his 1989 autobiography, Miles: The Autobiography, where Davis describes the first time he heard Foster play live in 1972 at the Cellar Club on 95th Street in Manhattan: 'He [Foster] knocked me out because he had such a groove and he would just lay it right in there. That was the kind of thing I was looking for. AI could set it up for everybody else to play off and just keep the groove going forever."

It is interesting to consider that Miles Davis had his pick of the top drummers in the world whenever he decided to form a band. The groove that Al came with was something that many other great Jazz drummers either could not or would not provide. Rock drummers would have been able to give a steady beat, but would most probably have lacked the Jazz listening and creativity chops Miles was seeking. This puts Al in a very unique class of musicians; he was able to play what the music needed while still keeping it creative and interesting.

Other artists Foster has performed and recorded with include Joe Henderson, Freddie Hubbard, McCoy Tyner, Wayne Shorter, Bobby Hutcherson, John Scofield, Pat Metheny, Charlie Haden, Randy & Michael Brecker, Bill Evans, George Benson, Kenny Drew, Carmen McRae, Stan Getz, Toots Thielemans, Dexter Gordon, Hank Jones, George Mraz, Blue Mitchell and Chick Corea. Over the years, Foster has toured extensively with Herbie Hancock, Sonny Rollins, and Joe Henderson, becoming a major attraction in all three bands as well as an integral part of them.

Respected and admired for his keen sensitivity, Foster is known for his unique ability to listen to and play off others in an almost telepathic way, responding to them with a style that is at once both charismatic and understated. Foster is a great believer in the purity of the music, a genuine artist who continues to push the boundaries of creativity again and again, devoted to preserving and perpetuating the highest standards in jazz today. He is a magnificent all-round drummer, and his rhythmic chops are renowned in musical styles ranging from bebop to free form to jazz/rock. Recently he has recorded and toured with his own band.

Al began composing in the 1970s. He likens it to playing chess with the piano. Although he does not read music, he can play his songs on the piano with a groove. Since 1996 Al has been touring with his own band, featuring bassist Douglas Weiss. The current band also features Israeli born Saxophonist Eli DeGibri, and Adam Birnbaum on piano. The band has played over 1000 concert and club dates all over the world, including the UK, Italy, France, Holland, Germany, Belgium, Spain, Portugal, Poland, Russia, South Africa.

Discography

This section requires expansion.

As leader

• Brandyn (1996, Laika Records)
• Love, Peace and Jazz! Live at the Village Vanguard (JazzEyes, 2008)

As sideman

With Miles Davis

• On the Corner (1972)
• In Concert: Live at Philharmonic Hall (1973)
• Big Fun (1974)
• Get Up with It (1974)
• Dark Magus (1974)
• Agharta (1975)
• Pangaea (1975)
• We Want Miles (1981)
• Decoy (1984)
• Amandla (1989)

With Sonny Rollins

• Nubia (1978)
• Don't Ask (1979)
• Love at First Sight (1980)
• Here's to the People (1991)
• Sonny Rollins + 3 (1995)

With McCoy Tyner

• Horizon (1979)
• Quartets 4 X 4 (1980)
• It's About Time (with Jackie McLean, 1985)
• New York Reunion (1991)
• McCoy Tyner Plays John Coltrane (1997)
• McCoy Tyner with Stanley Clarke and Al Foster (1998)

With others

• Everything Must Change (with Johnny Lytle, 1978)
• In, Out And Around (with Mike Nock, 1978)
• Elegie For Bill Evans (with Richie Beirach, 1981)
• So Near, So Far (Musings for Miles) (with Joe Henderson, 1992)
• Pure (with Chris Potter, Concord Records 1994)
• I Remember Miles (with Shirley Horn, 1998)
• The Montreal Tapes: a tribute to Joe Henderson (with Charlie Haden and Joe Henderson, 2004)