Legendary jazz drummer Al Foster has died, aged 82.
Foster’s dying was first introduced by his daughter Kierra on social media over the weekend. She shared a video of Al performing simply 4 months in the past. In an announcement to NPR, Foster’s longtime associate Bonnie Rose Steinberg confirmed that Al died following a “critical sickness”.
Born in 1943 – actual identify Aloysius Tyrone Foster – the legendary jazz drummer was impressed by bebop drummer Max Roach in his earlier days, and first labored with Blue Mitchell as a studio musician on ‘The Factor To Do’. In 1968, Foster carried out one gig with Sonny Rollins.
Foster bought his massive break in 1972, when he was employed as Miles Davis‘ drummer, and remained with him till the latter’s short-lived retirement in 1975. In these years, Davis carried out on the stay albums ‘In Live performance’, ‘Agharta’ and ‘Darkish Magus’, in addition to Davis’ two 1974 albums ‘On The Nook’ and ‘Massive Enjoyable’. Davis named an prolonged jam ‘Mr. Foster’ on ‘On The Nook’ in honour of the drummer.
A couple of years later, Sonny Rollins would as soon as once more rent Al Foster, bringing him on tour in Europe, and later mentioned ‘Harlem Boys’ off his 1979 album ‘Don’t Ask’ was impressed by his shared experiences with Foster rising up.
All through the Nineteen Seventies and Eighties, Foster additionally carried out with the likes of Hancock, Horace Silver and McCoy Tyner. In 1978, he fashioned the all-star supergroup Milestones Jazzstars alongside Rollins, Ron Carter and Tyner.
In 1981, Miles Davis made his comeback with the album ‘The Man with the Horn’, as soon as once more that includes Al Foster on the equipment. Foster grew to become the one musician to carry out with Davis earlier than his retirement and after his return. Upon leaving Davis’ band within the Eighties, Foster would discover himself touring and recording with the likes of Herbie Hancock, Joe Henderson, Kenny Barron, Joanne Brackeen, Larry Willis, Tommy Flanagan and extra.
Within the last stretch of his life and profession, Al Foster held a longstanding performing residency on the common Higher West Facet jazz membership Smoke, and likewise continued composing. He launched his final album ‘Reflections’ in 2022.
