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
Genre(s)	Jazz
Occupation(s)	Musician
Instrument(s)	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."

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 (the saxophonist), George Benson, Kenny Drew, Carmen McRae, Stan Getz, Toots Thielemans, Dexter Gordon 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.

Discography

This section requires expansion.

As leader

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

As sideman

With Miles Davis

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

With others

• Nubia (with Sonny Rollins, 1978)
• Everything Must Change (with Johnny Lytle, 1978)
• In, Out And Around (with Mike Nock, 1978)
• Elegie For Bill Evans (with Richie Beirach, 1981)
• It's About Time (with Jackie McLean, McCoy Tyner, 1985)
• 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)