Legendary jazz drummer Al Foster has died, aged 82.
Foster’s death was first announced by his daughter Kierra on social media over the weekend. She shared a video of Al performing just four months ago. In a statement to NPR, Foster’s longtime partner Bonnie Rose Steinberg confirmed that Al died following a “serious illness”.
Born in 1943 – real name Aloysius Tyrone Foster – the legendary jazz drummer was inspired by bebop drummer Max Roach in his earlier days, and first worked with Blue Mitchell as a studio musician on ‘The Thing To Do’. In 1968, Foster performed one gig with Sonny Rollins.
Foster got his big break in 1972, when he was hired as Miles Davis‘ drummer, and remained with him until the latter’s short-lived retirement in 1975. In those years, Davis performed on the live albums ‘In Concert’, ‘Agharta’ and ‘Dark Magus’, as well as Davis’ two 1974 albums ‘On The Corner’ and ‘Big Fun’. Davis named an extended jam ‘Mr. Foster’ on ‘On The Corner’ in honour of the drummer.
A few years later, Sonny Rollins would once again hire Al Foster, bringing him on tour in Europe, and later said ‘Harlem Boys’ off his 1979 album ‘Don’t Ask’ was inspired by his shared experiences with Foster growing up.
Throughout the 1970s and 1980s, Foster also performed with the likes of Hancock, Horace Silver and McCoy Tyner. In 1978, he formed 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’, once again featuring Al Foster on the kit. Foster became the only musician to perform with Davis before his retirement and after his return. Upon leaving Davis’ band in the 1980s, Foster would find himself touring and recording with the likes of Herbie Hancock, Joe Henderson, Kenny Barron, Joanne Brackeen, Larry Willis, Tommy Flanagan and more.
In the final stretch of his life and career, Al Foster held a longstanding performing residency at the popular Upper West Side jazz club Smoke, and also continued composing. He released his last album ‘Reflections’ in 2022.