Al Foster, a distinguished jazz drummer whose career spanned over sixty years and featured collaborations with iconic artists such as Miles Davis, Sonny Rollins, and Joe Henderson, passed away on Wednesday at his Manhattan residence. He was 82 years old.
His daughter, Kierra Foster-Ba, shared the news of his passing on social media, though she did not disclose the cause.
Early in his career, Foster drew inspiration from bebop drumming legends like Max Roach, but he gained widespread recognition when Miles Davis brought him into his band in 1972. At that time, Davis was experimenting with a funk-driven, assertive sound, and Foster’s dynamic backbeats provided a steady foundation for the band’s expansive psychedelic improvisations.
In Davis’s 1989 autobiography, co-written with Quincy Troupe, he commended Foster’s remarkable skill, noting his ability to “keep the groove going forever.”
Beyond his work in fusion jazz, Foster was equally adept in traditional jazz settings, offering an attentive and conversational swing style in ensembles led by saxophonists Joe Henderson and Sonny Rollins, as well as pianists Herbie Hancock, McCoy Tyner, and Tommy Flanagan.
Sonny Rollins praised Foster’s drumming in a recent interview, likening his style to that of renowned drumming pioneers such as Art Blakey and Max Roach. Rollins remarked, “Al always carried the spirit of those great drummers. Playing with him was always fulfilling because his rhythm resonated deeply with me.”
Throughout his extensive career, Foster often reflected on how fortunate he felt to have achieved his early dreams.
“I consider myself truly blessed to have performed with all the musicians I admired as a teenager,” he told Jazz Forum’s website, a jazz club based in Tarrytown, New York.
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