Frank Foster
September 23, 1928 – July 26, 2011
Frank Foster was a jazz saxophonist, composer, and arranger who is most often associated with Count Basie for whom he played for many years. Foster learned to play the sax and other wind instruments at a young age, and after going to college and serving in Korea for the U.S. Army, Foster joined the Count Basie Orchestra where he stayed for the next two decades. While in Basie’s employ, Foster also arranged many of his songs. That list includes “Shiny Stockings,” “Down For The Count,” and “Blues Backstage.” During the ’70s, Foster went off to play with Elvin Jones, Thad Jones, Mel Lewis, and Jimmy Smith. He rejoined the Count Basie Orchestra in 1986 and remained until 1995. Throughout his career, Foster also released numerous of his own albums for such prestigious labels as Blue Note, Savoy, and Concord. He also won two Grammys, and in 2002, he was awarded the Jazz Masters Award from the National Endowment of the Arts. In 2001, Foster suffered a stroke which left him unable to play, but he continued on as a band leader, composer, and arranger for many years to come. On July 26, 2011, Frank Foster passed away peacefully in his sleep. He was 82.
What You Should Own
I remember ol’ Frank and Marshall Royal– that great latter-day-Basie sax section– back when I recorded them at Xavier University in New Orleans in 1975. The Count hisself even shook my hand… what power and strength… like an oak root… never felt a hand like that since. He even autographed the cassette I recorded the whole show on! Not many of the other Greats would do that for me– Benny Goodman probably the only other– ’cause they were all worried about copyrights and pirates and such.
I never really heard of Frank Foster before that night; he wasn’t Herschel Evans or Prez. But, after his solos that night and especially after his feature on Shiny Stockings, I’ve never forgotten him.
A lot of aging jazz musicians only feel obligated to “get it up” for formal studio recordings and get liquored-up and lazy for live engagements, especially in small towns or for no-/lo-cost concerts. But, Foster, Basie, that powerhouse of a Trombonist, and the rest of the boys BLEW THE ROOF OFF THAT GYM that night at Xavier, and I’m so proud I was there to witness– and archive– the whole show! May they all rest in peace.
Now, where did I put that Tape…?
P.S. That Trombonist was none other than AL GRAY! He stole the show every time he got up to the main mike!