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Jazz Articles about Al Foster
New Music From Foster, Douglas, HII Trio, Taborn And More
by Bob Osborne
This playlist moves through a wide spectrum of contemporary and classic jazz, blending live recordings, ensemble explorations, and intimate duologues. It opens with blues--inflected improvisation and shifts into modern compositions marked by rhythmic drive and layered textures. Chamber-like interplay and orchestral arrangements sit alongside fiery solos and inventive group dialogues, while moments of lyrical reflection contrast with bursts of angular energy. The selection balances tradition and experimentation, weaving together swing, free improvisation, and global influences into a cohesive journey of ...
Continue ReadingMcCoy Tyner Quartet: New York Reunion
by Jack Kenny
McCoy Tyner's New York Reunion is a fine example of late-period recording, presenting the jazz masters in a quartet setting that draws deeply on tradition while brimming with contemporary energy. Originally released in 1991 on Chesky Records, the album features Tyner at the piano alongside three equally distinguished collaborators: Joe Henderson (tenor saxophone), Ron Carter (bass) and Al Foster (drums). The title itself hints at a reconvening of New York's post-bop elite, each artist bringing decades of innovation to the ...
Continue ReadingAnat Cohen, Michael Dease, Joe Kennedy & Al Foster
by Joe Dimino
We open the 911th episode of Neon Jazz with a heartfelt tribute to the late, great Al Foster--a true titan behind the kit. In his honor, we spin music from his beautifully introspective 2022 album Reflections, a fitting way to remember the legacy of a drummer who helped shape the sound of modern jazz. From there, the mood lifts with a whimsical and swinging take on “The Force Theme" from Star Wars--courtesy of Scott Whitfield and his Jazz Orchestra. It's ...
Continue ReadingAl Foster: Monk’s Bossa
by Carl Medsker
On May 28, 2025, Aloysius Tyrone Foster passed away at the age of 82. He brought strong, imaginative, percussive grooves and swing to bebop, post-bop, modal, funk and fusion for over 60 years--even a little calypso and bossa. A very partial list of the musicians Al Foster performed with includes Dexter Gordon, McCoy Tyner, Sonny Rollins, Herbie Hancock, Bobby Hutcherson, Joe Henderson, Charlie Haden, Kenny Barron, John Scofield and more. Many more. His discography as a leader is ...
Continue ReadingAl Foster: Love, Peace and Jazz!
by Terrell Kent Holmes
This article was first published on All About Jazz on May 3, 2009. Drumming great Al Foster has spent nearly a half-century playing with some of the greatest musicians, and on some of the most memorable albums, in jazz history, from Miles Davis' On The Corner and Agharta to Joe Henderson's State of the Tenor and the collaborative group Scolohofo (with John Scofield, Joe Lovano and Dave Holland). Today Foster records and tours the world with his own ...
Continue ReadingJerome Sabbagh: Heart
by Chris May
AAJ occasionally publishes reviews which call out the barbarism of digital-only albums (Heart is not one of these, please hang on in there). Item: the review of Brazilian saxophonist and flautist Vinicius Mendes' Macunaismo Tardio Vol. 1&2 (Notes On A Journey, 2024). The two albums collected on that vinyl double-LP, blinders both, were originally released separately as digital-only albums. Unsurprisingly, each failed to make any significant impact on jazz audiences either in Brazil or internationally. Notes On A Journey eventually ...
Continue ReadingAl Foster Quintet at Smoke Jazz & Supper Club
by Chris DeRosa
Al Foster Quintet 81st Birthday Celebration Smoke Jazz & Supper Club January 27, 2024 Hello, my name is Chris DeRosa and this is what I heard... Smoke is a great venue to hear timeless jazz. Established in 1999 and located on Manhattan's Upper West Side, the sound and layout make it a highly enjoyable venue to catch some of New York's finest. And as expected, tonight's show did not disappoint.
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