Al Foster, R.I.P. 1943-2025

[Mark Stryker]

Jazz Times is reporting that Al Foster has died at 82. A unique sound and groove in any idiom. A HUGE loss. 

[Rabshakeh]

RIP. Sad to hear. 

[jlhoots]

Great drummer. R.I.P.

[Kevin Bresnahan]

Damn. He was such a great drummer. I wish I had gotten to see/hear him more frequently. He always seemed to stay around NYC.

[mjzee]

Oh, what a loss.  R.I.P.

[mikeweil]

R.I.P. 

I was lucky to see him several times here in town with his quartet.

[mjzee]

[kh1958]

I recollect seeing him live with Gary Bartz/Heads of State and with the Herbie Hancock Trio. R.I.P.

[JSngry]

So versatile, and so perfect with it.

RIP 

[sidewinder]

Such sad news. Along with the recent news of Joe Ford's passing, seems like the end of an era. I can only recall seeing him the once but there might have been other occasions - that was with Miles Davis, in London.

Edited Thursday at 04:57 PM by sidewinder

[felser]

Marvelous talent, RIP.  I believe I saw him live with Miles Davis at the Tower Theatre ca. 1973, but hard to say, since Miles didn't make any stage announcements and I was very new to jazz at the time.

[Jason Bivins]

Man, that stinks. RIP, sir.

[Peter Friedman]

Very sorry to hear of the passing of Al Foster. He was a really fine drummer. Glad I had the opportunity to see him live.

[Hardbopjazz]

Sad day. RIP Al Foster. You always swung when playing the drums.   

[mikeweil]

[GA Russell]

RIP Al Foster!

He and Roy Haynes were my two favorite drummers.  I saw him play with Sonny Rollins in Atlanta thirty years ago, and he was perfect for the job.

I have posted this elsewhere, but here he is on my favorite album, Mike Nock's In Out and Around.

 

[sgcim]

RIP to one of the all-time greats.

[Kevin Bresnahan]

I remember when I was first getting into Jazz and was on a Dexter Gordon kick. I read the Penguin guide and saw that they rated LTD's "Biting The Apple" as one of Dexter's highest rated sessions, so I just had to check it out. I started listening to it and the drummer caught my ear - Al Foster. I thought to myself, "I have to see this guy live". I tried going to most of the gigs in the Boston area when he was in the band. About 10 years ago, most clubs stopped listing the band members, so I probably missed a few of his stops, but I still caught him live quite a few times. I need to play this again...

 

[Milestones]

Outstanding drummer--R.I.P. 

I will hear plenty of Foster as I carry on through my life--his work with Miles, McCoy Tyner, Joe Henderson, Sonny, and many more.

 

 

[JSngry]

I guess I remember seeing him twice - Once with Miles, early 80s, and then a year or so later with a group of Freddie Hubbard, McCoy, and somebody? on bass. Two different gigs, both played perfectly.

[John L]

RIP - what a drummer!

[felser]

3 hours ago, JSngry said:

I guess I remember seeing him twice - Once with Miles, early 80s, and then a year or so later with a group of Freddie Hubbard, McCoy, and somebody? on bass. Two different gigs, both played perfectly.

Eddie Gomez maybe?

[Guy Berger]

Aw man.  RIP.

[mjzee]

I saw Foster three times: twice with Miles (1975 and 1981), and once in a trio led by Ron Affif at the Village Vanguard in 1997.

[JSngry]

1 hour ago, felser said:

Eddie Gomez maybe?

Yes!!! Thank you!!!