Frank Benjamin Foster III (September 23, 1928 – July 26, 2011) was an American

tenor A tenor is a type of classical male singing voice whose vocal range lies between the countertenor and baritone voice types. It is the highest male chest voice type. The tenor's vocal range extends up to C5. The low extreme for tenors is wide ...

and soprano saxophonist,

flautist The flute is a family of classical music instrument in the woodwind group. Like all woodwinds, flutes are aerophones, meaning they make sound by vibrating a column of air. However, unlike woodwind instruments with reeds, a flute is a reedless ...

, arranger, and composer. Foster collaborated frequently with

Count Basie William James "Count" Basie (; August 21, 1904 – April 26, 1984) was an American jazz pianist, organist, bandleader, and composer. In 1935, he formed the Count Basie Orchestra, and in 1936 took them to Chicago for a long engagement and the ...

and worked as a bandleader from the early 1950s.

Profile Profile or profiles may refer to: Art, entertainment and media Music * ''Profile'' (Jan Akkerman album), 1973 * ''Profile'' (Githead album), 2005 * ''Profile'' (Pat Donohue album), 2005 * ''Profile'' (Duke Pearson album), 1959 * '' ''Profi ...

AllMusic; accessed June 21, 2017. In 1998,

Howard University Howard University (Howard) is a Private university, private, University charter#Federal, federally chartered historically black research university in Washington, D.C. It is Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education, classifie ...

awarded Frank Foster with the Benny Golson Jazz Master Award.

Early life and education

Foster was born in Cincinnati, Ohio, United States, and educated at

Wilberforce University Wilberforce University is a private historically black university in Wilberforce, Ohio. Affiliated with the African Methodist Episcopal Church (AME), it was the first college to be owned and operated by African Americans. It participates in ...

. In 1949, he moved to

Detroit Detroit ( , ; , ) is the largest city in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is also the largest U.S. city on the United States–Canada border, and the seat of government of Wayne County. The City of Detroit had a population of 639,111 at ...

, Michigan, where he joined the local jazz scene, playing with musicians such as

Wardell Gray Wardell Gray (February 13, 1921 – May 25, 1955) was an American jazz tenor saxophonist who straddled the swing and bebop periods. Biography Early years Gray was born in Oklahoma City, the youngest of four children. He spent his early chi ...

Career

Drafted into the U.S. Army in 1951, Foster served in Korea with the 7th Infantry Division where he fought alongside (although unknowingly) future collaborator Shawn ‘Thunder’ Wallace. Upon finishing his military service in 1953 he joined

's big band. Foster contributed both arrangements and original compositions to Count Basie's band including the

standard Standard may refer to: Symbols * Colours, standards and guidons, kinds of military signs * Standard (emblem), a type of a large symbol or emblem used for identification Norms, conventions or requirements * Standard (metrology), an object ...

"Shiny Stockings", and other popular songs such as "Down for the Count", "Blues Backstage", "Back to the Apple", "Discommotion", and "Blues in Hoss' Flat", as well as arrangements for the entire '' Easin' It'' album.DeVeaux, Scott; Kernfeld, Barr
"Foster, Frank (Benjamin, III)"
Oxford Music Online; accessed June 21, 2017.
Piadrum.com; accessed June 21, 2017. From 1970 to 1972 (and on occasional later dates) he played with

Elvin Jones Elvin Ray Jones (September 9, 1927 – May 18, 2004) was an American jazz drummer of the post-bop era. Most famously a member of John Coltrane's quartet, with whom he recorded from late 1960 to late 1965, Jones appeared on such widely celebrat ...

, and in 1972 and 1975 with the

Thad Jones Thaddeus Joseph Jones (March 28, 1923 – August 20, 1986) was an American jazz trumpeter, composer, and bandleader who has been called "one of the all-time greatest jazz trumpet soloists". Biography Thad Jones was born in Pontiac, Michigan, U ...

–

Mel Lewis Melvin Sokoloff (May 10, 1929 – February 2, 1990), known professionally as Mel Lewis, was an American jazz drummer, session musician, professor, and author. He received fourteen Grammy Award nominations. Biography Early years Lewis was ...

big band. Foster was an Artist in Residence at the

New England Conservatory of Music The New England Conservatory of Music (NEC) is a private music school in Boston, Massachusetts. It is the oldest independent music conservatory in the United States and among the most prestigious in the world. The conservatory is located on Hu ...

in Boston in 1971. That same year, he also started teaching for the New York City Public School System in District 5, Harlem, as part of a team of six professional musicians assigned to the Federal Government's Title I Program: Cultural Enrichment Through Music, Dance, and Song. From 1972 to 1976, Foster was full-time Assistant Professor in the Black Studies Program at the

State University of New York at Buffalo The State University of New York at Buffalo, commonly called the University at Buffalo (UB) and sometimes called SUNY Buffalo, is a public research university with campuses in Buffalo and Amherst, New York. The university was founded in 1846 ...

(SUNY). Foster also formed and lead several groups, most notably Living Color and The Loud Minority. He co-led a quintet with

Frank Wess Frank Wellington Wess (January 4, 1922 – October 30, 2013) was an American jazz saxophonist and flutist. In addition to his extensive solo work, Wess is remembered for his time in Count Basie's band from the early 1950s into the 1960s. Critic S ...

in 1983, and toured Europe as a member of Jimmy Smith's quintet in 1985. In June 1986, Foster succeeded Thad Jones as leader of the Count Basie Orchestra. While leading the Basie Orchestra, Foster received two

Grammy Award The Grammy Awards (stylized as GRAMMY), or simply known as the Grammys, are awards presented by the Recording Academy of the United States to recognize "outstanding" achievements in the music industry. They are regarded by many as the most pres ...

s: first for his big-band arrangement of the Diane Schuur composition "Deedles' Blues" (Best Arrangement Accompanying a Vocal, Jazz category, 1987), and second for his arrangement of guitarist/vocalist George Benson's composition "Basie's Bag" (Best Big Band Instrumental, Jazz category, 1988). After leaving the band in 1995, Foster resumed his leadership of three musical groups: The Non-Electric Company (a jazz quartet/quintet), Swing Plus (a 12-piece band), and The Loud Minority Big Band (an 18-piece concert jazz orchestra), each of which he had organized years prior to assuming leadership of the Basie unit in 1986. Frank Foster suffered a stroke in 2001, that impaired his left side to the extent that he could no longer play the saxophone. After continuing to lead the Loud Minority on limited engagements for much of the 2000s, he turned his leadership responsibilities for the band over to

Cecil Bridgewater Cecil Bridgewater (born October 10, 1942) is an American jazz trumpeter. Biography Bridgewater was born in Urbana, Illinois and studied at the University of Illinois. He and brother Ron formed the Bridgewater Brothers Band in 1969, and in the 197 ...

, a prominent New York City jazz musician. Until his death Foster continued composing and arranging at his home in

Chesapeake, Virginia Chesapeake is an independent city in the Commonwealth of Virginia, United States. At the 2020 census, the population was 249,422, it is the second-most populous independent city in Virginia, tenth-largest in the Mid-Atlantic, and the 90th ...

, where he resided with his wife and personal manager of nearly 45 years, Cecilia Foster. He died of kidney failure on July 26, 2011.

Awards and commissions

*Foster received two

Grammy Awards The Grammy Awards (stylized as GRAMMY), or simply known as the Grammys, are awards presented by the Recording Academy of the United States to recognize "outstanding" achievements in the music industry. They are regarded by many as the most pres ...

: the first, for his big band arrangement of the

Diane Schuur Diane Joan Schuur (born December 10, 1953), nicknamed "Deedles", is an American jazz singer and pianist. As of 2015, Schuur had released 23 albums, and had extended her jazz repertoire to include essences of Latin, gospel, pop and country music ...

composition "Deedles' Blues" ( Best Arrangement Accompanying a Vocal, 1987), and the second for his arrangement of guitarist/vocalist

George Benson George Washington Benson (born March 22, 1943) is an American guitarist, singer, and songwriter. He began his professional career at the age of 19 as a jazz guitarist. A former child prodigy, Benson first came to prominence in the 1960s, play ...

's composition "Basie's Bag" ( Best Jazz Instrumental Performance, Big Band, 1990). He also received two Grammy nominations: for his big band arrangement of

Charles Trenet Louis Charles Augustin Georges Trenet (; 18 May 1913 – 19 February 2001) was a renowned French singer-songwriter who composed both the music and the lyrics to nearly a thousand songs over a career that lasted more than 60 years. These include ...

's composition " Beyond the Sea", and for an album with his fellow Basie alumnus

entitled '' Frankly Speaking'' (

Concord Jazz Concord Jazz is a record company and label founded in 1973 by Carl Jefferson, the former owner of Jefferson Motors Lincoln Mercury dealership in Concord, California. The label was named after the city in the East San Francisco Bay area, and the ...

, 1985). *He composed and orchestrated material for The Carnegie Hall Jazz Ensemble, The Detroit Civic Symphony Orchestra, The Ithaca College Jazz Ensemble, The Jazzmobile Corporation of New York City, the

Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra The Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra is an American big band and jazz orchestra led by Wynton Marsalis. The Orchestra is part of Jazz at Lincoln Center, a performing arts organization in New York City. History In 1988 the Orchestra was formed as ...

, The Malaysia Symphony Orchestra, The

Metropole Orchestra The Metropole Orkest (Metropole Orchestra) is a jazz and pop orchestra based in the Netherlands, and is the largest full-time ensemble of its kind in the world. A hybrid orchestra, it is a combination of jazz, big band and symphony orchestra. Com ...

Hilversum Hilversum () is a city and municipality in the province of North Holland, Netherlands. Located in the heart of the Gooi, it is the largest urban centre in that area. It is surrounded by heathland, woods, meadows, lakes, and smaller towns. Hilver ...

, the

Netherlands ) , anthem = ( en, "William of Nassau") , image_map = , map_caption = , subdivision_type = Sovereign state , subdivision_name = Kingdom of the Netherlands , established_title = Before independence , established_date = Spanish Neth ...

, and The Thad Jones/Mel Lewis Orchestra. In 1983

Dizzy Gillespie John Birks "Dizzy" Gillespie (; October 21, 1917 – January 6, 1993) was an American jazz trumpeter, bandleader, composer, educator and singer. He was a trumpet virtuoso and improviser, building on the virtuosic style of Roy Eldridge but addin ...

personally commissioned Frank Foster to orchestrate one of the jazz icon's compositions, "

Con Alma "Con Alma" is a jazz standard written by Dizzy Gillespie, appearing on his 1954 album ''Afro''. The tune incorporates aspects of bebop jazz and Latin rhythm, and is known for its frequent changes in key centers (occurring every two bars), while st ...

", for a scheduled performance and recording with

The London Philharmonic Orchestra The London Philharmonic Orchestra (LPO) is one of five permanent symphony orchestras based in London. It was founded by the conductors Sir Thomas Beecham and Malcolm Sargent in 1932 as a rival to the existing London Symphony and BBC Symphon ...

directed by

Robert Farnon Robert Joseph Farnon CM (24 July 191723 April 2005) was a Canadian-born composer, conductor, musical arranger and trumpet player. As well as being a composer of original works (often in the light music genre), he was commissioned by film and ...

. *In 1987, he was awarded an honorary doctorate by

Central State University Central State University (CSU) is a public, historically black land-grant university in Wilberforce, Ohio. It is a member-school of the Thurgood Marshall College Fund. Established by the state legislature in 1887 as a two-year program for te ...

in Wilberforce. *In 2002, the

National Endowment for the Arts The National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) is an independent agency of the United States federal government that offers support and funding for projects exhibiting artistic excellence. It was created in 1965 as an independent agency of the federal ...

presented Foster with its

NEA Jazz Masters Award The National Endowment for the Arts (NEA), every year honors up to seven jazz musicians with Jazz Master Awards. The National Endowment for the Arts Jazz Masters Fellowships are the self-proclaimed highest honors that the United States bestows upon ...

, the highest honor in jazz. *Foster was commissioned by The Harpers Ferry Historical Association of West Virginia to compose a jazz suite of ten to fifteen minutes' duration in connection with the

Niagara Movement The Niagara Movement (NM) was a black civil rights organization founded in 1905 by a group of activists—many of whom were among the vanguard of African-American lawyers in the United States—led by W. E. B. Du Bois and William Monroe Trotter. ...

, relating to John Brown's famous raid on Harpers Ferry. The suite was performed by the Count Basie Orchestra at

Harpers Ferry Harpers Ferry is a historic town in Jefferson County, West Virginia. It is located in the lower Shenandoah Valley. The population was 285 at the 2020 census. Situated at the confluence of the Potomac and Shenandoah rivers, where the U.S. stat ...

as part of the three-day Niagara Movement celebration in August 2006. *

Jazz at Lincoln Center Jazz at Lincoln Center is part of Lincoln Center in New York City. The organization was founded in 1987 and opened at Time Warner Center in October 2004. Wynton Marsalis is the artistic director and the leader of the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orches ...

commissioned Foster to compose and arrange music for the

, directed by

Wynton Marsalis Wynton Learson Marsalis (born October 18, 1961) is an American trumpeter, composer, teacher, and artistic director of Jazz at Lincoln Center. He has promoted classical and jazz music, often to young audiences. Marsalis has won nine Grammy Award ...

, for performances on March 13–15, 2008, with "A Man and a Woman" as the theme. Foster wrote the words, music, and orchestrations for "I Love You (Based on Your Availability)" and "Romance Without Substance Is a Nuisance", both performed by vocalists Dennis Rowland and

Marlena Shaw Marlena Shaw (born Marlina Burgess, September 22, 1942) is an American jazz, blues and soul singer. Shaw began her singing career in the 1960s and is still singing today. Her music has often been sampled in hip hop music, and used in television ...

. *On March 20, 2009, the Chicago Jazz Ensemble, directed by

Jon Faddis Jon Faddis (born July 24, 1953) is an American jazz trumpet player, conductor, composer, and educator, renowned for both his playing and for his expertise in the field of music education. Upon his first appearance on the scene, he became known ...

, performed a three-part suite by Foster titled "Chi-Town Is My Town and My Town's No Shy Town" at the Harris Theater in Chicago. *In 2009, Foster selected The Jazz Archive at

Duke University Duke University is a private research university in Durham, North Carolina. Founded by Methodists and Quakers in the present-day city of Trinity in 1838, the school moved to Durham in 1892. In 1924, tobacco and electric power industrialist Jame ...

to be the home for his numerous compositions, arrangements, and personal papers.

Humanitarian causes

Foster became a great supporter of The

Jazz Foundation of America The Jazz Foundation of America (JFA) is a non-profit organization based in Manhattan, New York that was founded in 1989. Its programs seek to help jazz and blues musicians in need of emergency funds and connect them with performance opportunities ...

in their mission to save the homes and the lives of America's elderly jazz and blues musicians including musicians who survived

Hurricane Katrina Hurricane Katrina was a destructive Category 5 Atlantic hurricane that caused over 1,800 fatalities and $125 billion in damage in late August 2005, especially in the city of New Orleans and the surrounding areas. It was at the time the cos ...

. After receiving help from the Jazz Foundation, he supported the cause by performing in their Annual Benefit Concert "A Great Night in Harlem" in 2008."A Great Night in Harlem"
Blogspot.com (May 2008) He donated his gold-plated tenor sax to be auctioned by the

, the proceeds of which went to support the foundation's non-profit programs, especially working gigs and educational programs for victims of hurricane Katrina in New Orleans and the Gulf Coast.

Discography

As leader

*1953: ''Here Comes Frank Foster: Frank Foster Quintet with Benny Powell'' (

Blue Note In jazz and blues, a blue note is a note that—for expressive purposes—is sung or played at a slightly different pitch from standard. Typically the alteration is between a quartertone and a semitone, but this varies depending on the musical c ...

) *1955: '' Hope Meets Foster'' (

Prestige Prestige refers to a good reputation or high esteem; in earlier usage, ''prestige'' meant "showiness". (19th c.) Prestige may also refer to: Arts, entertainment and media Films * ''Prestige'' (film), a 1932 American film directed by Tay Garnett ...

) with

Elmo Hope St. Elmo Sylvester Hope (June 27, 1923 – May 19, 1967) was an American jazz pianist, composer, and arranger, chiefly in the bebop and hard bop genres. He grew up playing and listening to jazz and classical music with Bud Powell, and both were ...

*1956: '' No 'Count'' (Savoy) *1963: '' Basie Is Our Boss'' (

Argo In Greek mythology the ''Argo'' (; in Greek: ) was a ship built with the help of the gods that Jason and the Argonauts sailed from Iolcos to Colchis to retrieve the Golden Fleece. The ship has gone on to be used as a motif in a variety of sour ...

) *1965: '' Fearless Frank Foster'' (Prestige) *1966: '' Soul Outing!'' (Prestige) *1968: '' Manhattan Fever'' (Blue Note) *1974: '' The Loud Minority'' (

Mainstream Mainstream may refer to: Film * ''Mainstream'' (film), a 2020 American film Literature * ''Mainstream'' (fanzine), a science fiction fanzine * Mainstream Publishing, a Scottish publisher * ''Mainstream'', a 1943 book by Hamilton Basso Mu ...

) *1976: ''Here and Now'' (

Catalyst Catalysis () is the process of increasing the reaction rate, rate of a chemical reaction by adding a substance known as a catalyst (). Catalysts are not consumed in the reaction and remain unchanged after it. If the reaction is rapid and the ...

) *1977: ''Shiny Stockings'' (

Denon is a Japanese electronics company started in 1910 by Frederick Whitney Horn, an American entrepreneur. Denon produced the first cylinder audio media in Japan and players to play them. Decades later, Denon was involved in the early stages of de ...

) *1978: ''Twelve Shades of Black'' ( Leo) *1979: ''Non-Electric Company'' (

EPM Musique EPM Musique is a French record label that was created in 1986 by François Dacla, former president of RCA France. The label specializes in Chanson and its legacy. It is also dedicated to poetry, theater, and children's music. "EPM is a French la ...

) *1982: '' The House That Love Built'' ( SteepleChase) *1983: '' Two for the Blues'' (

Pablo Pablo is a Spanish form of the name Paul. People *Pablo Alborán, Spanish singer *Pablo Aimar, Argentine footballer * Pablo Armero, Colombian footballer * Pablo Bartholomew, Indian photojournalist * Pablo Brandán, Argentine footballer * Pablo Br ...

) with

*1984: '' Frankly Speaking'' (

) with Frank Wess *1985: '' Generations'' (

Muse In ancient Greek religion and mythology, the Muses ( grc, Μοῦσαι, Moûsai, el, Μούσες, Múses) are the inspirational goddesses of literature, science, and the arts. They were considered the source of the knowledge embodied in th ...

) with

Pepper Adams Park Frederick "Pepper" Adams III (October 8, 1930 – September 10, 1986) was an American jazz baritone saxophonist and composer. He composed 42 pieces, was the leader on eighteen albums spanning 28 years, and participated in 600 sessions as a s ...

*1992: ''The Count Basie Orchestra Directed by Frank Foster Live at El Morocco'' (Telarc) *1995: ''A Fresh Taste of Thad Jones and Frank Foster'' (Hänssler Classics) *1996: '' Leo Rising'' (

Arabesque The arabesque is a form of artistic decoration consisting of "surface decorations based on rhythmic linear patterns of scrolling and interlacing foliage, tendrils" or plain lines, often combined with other elements. Another definition is "Foli ...

) *1998: ''Swing'' (live) ( Challenge) *2002: ''Live at Feuerwache Mannheim'' ( Bassic) *2003: ''We Do It Diff'rent'' (live) ( Mapleshade) *2004: ''Settin' the Pace'' (GJazz) *2005: ''Endless Fingers'' (Arabesque) *2007: ''Well Water'' (Piadrum)

As arranger

* 1961: "Little Man (You've Had a Busy Day)" –

Sarah Vaughan Sarah Lois Vaughan (March 27, 1924 – April 3, 1990) was an American jazz singer. Nicknamed "Sassy" and " The Divine One", she won two Grammy Awards, including the Lifetime Achievement Award, and was nominated for a total of nine Grammy Award ...

with the

Count Basie Orchestra The Count Basie Orchestra is a 16 to 18 piece big band, one of the most prominent jazz performing groups of the swing era, founded by Count Basie in 1935 and recording regularly from 1936. Despite a brief disbandment at the beginning of the 1950 ...

- '' Count Basie/Sarah Vaughan'' (

Roulette Roulette is a casino game named after the French word meaning ''little wheel'' which was likely developed from the Italian game Biribi''.'' In the game, a player may choose to place a bet on a single number, various groupings of numbers, the ...

) * 1965: Sarah Vaughan – '' ¡Viva! Vaughan'' (Mercury) * 1984: "

Mack the Knife "Mack the Knife" or "The Ballad of Mack the Knife" (german: "Die Moritat von Mackie Messer", italic=no, link=no) is a song composed by Kurt Weill with lyrics by Bertolt Brecht for their 1928 music drama ''The Threepenny Opera'' (german: Die Dreig ...

" –

Frank Sinatra Francis Albert Sinatra (; December 12, 1915 – May 14, 1998) was an American singer and actor. Nicknamed the " Chairman of the Board" and later called "Ol' Blue Eyes", Sinatra was one of the most popular entertainers of the 1940s, 1950s, and ...

– ''

L.A. Is My Lady ''L.A. Is My Lady'' is the 57th and final solo studio album by Frank Sinatra, released in 1984 and produced by Quincy Jones. While the album was Sinatra's last (excluding the ''Duets (Frank Sinatra album), Duets'' albums), he recorded five furthe ...

'' (

Qwest Qwest Communications International, Inc. was a United States telecommunications carrier. Qwest provided local service in 14 western and midwestern U.S. states: Arizona, Colorado, Idaho, Iowa, Minnesota, Montana, Nebraska, New Mexico, North Dak ...

/Warner Bros.) * 1984: " After You've Gone" –

– ''

'' (

/Warner Bros.) * 1985: " Beyond the Sea" –

– '' 20/20'' * 1987:

and the Count Basie Orchestra – '' Diane Schuur & the Count Basie Orchestra'' ( GRP) * 1990:

featuring the Count Basie Orchestra – Big Boss Band

As sideman

With

*'' The Adams Effect'' (Uptown, 1985

988 Year 988 ( CMLXXXVIII) was a leap year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar. Events By place Byzantine Empire * Fall – Emperor Basil II, supported by a contingent of 6,000 Varangians ...

With

Lorez Alexandria Lorez Alexandria (born Dolorez Alexandria Turner; August 14, 1929 – May 22, 2001). was an American jazz singer, described as "one of the most gifted and underrated jazz singers of the twentieth century". She became established in the midwest b ...

*'' Early in the Morning'' (Argo, 1960) With

* '' Count Basie and the Kansas City 7'' (Impulse 1962) With

* ''

Dance Session ''Dance Session'' is an album by pianist/bandleader Count Basie recorded in 1953 and became Basie's first 12-inch LP when it was originally released on the Clef label.

'' (

Clef A clef (from French: 'key') is a musical symbol used to indicate which notes are represented by the lines and spaces on a musical stave. Placing a clef on a stave assigns a particular pitch to one of the five lines, which defines the pi ...

, 1953) * '' Dance Session Album #2'' (Clef, 1954) * '' Basie'' (Clef, 1954) * ''

Count Basie Swings, Joe Williams Sings ''Count Basie Swings, Joe Williams Sings'' is an album by pianist/bandleader Count Basie and vocalist Joe Williams recorded in 1955 and originally released on the Clef label.Joe Williams * '' April in Paris'' ( Verve, 1956) * ''

The Greatest!! Count Basie Plays, Joe Williams Sings Standards ''The Greatest!! Count Basie Plays, Joe Williams Sings Standards'' is an album by vocalist Joe Williams and pianist/bandleader Count Basie and His Orchestra recorded in 1956 and released on the Verve label.Metronome All-Stars 1956 ''Metronome All-Stars 1956'' was the final album by the Metronome All-Stars, a loose amalgamation of musicians representing winners of ''Metronome'' magazine's annual poll. This 1956 release contains four tracks documenting the first collaborati ...

'' (Clef, 1956) with

Ella Fitzgerald Ella Jane Fitzgerald (April 25, 1917June 15, 1996) was an American jazz singer, sometimes referred to as the "First Lady of Song", "Queen of Jazz", and "Lady Ella". She was noted for her purity of tone, impeccable diction, phrasing, timing, in ...

and Joe Williams * ''

Hall of Fame A hall, wall, or walk of fame is a list of individuals, achievements, or other entities, usually chosen by a group of electors, to mark their excellence or fame in their field. In some cases, these halls of fame consist of actual halls or muse ...

'' (Verve, 1956

959 Year 959 ( CMLIX) was a common year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar. Events By place Byzantine Empire * April - May – The Byzantines refuse to pay the yearly tribute. A Hungaria ...

* '' Basie in London'' (Verve, 1956) * ''

One O'Clock Jump "One O'Clock Jump" is a jazz standard, a 12-bar blues instrumental, written by Count Basie in 1937. Background The melody derived from band members' riffs—Basie rarely wrote down musical ideas, so Eddie Durham and Buster Smith helped him crys ...

'' (1957) * '' Count Basie at Newport'' (Verve, 1957) * '' The Atomic Mr. Basie'' (Roulette, 1957) aka ''Basie'' and ''E=MC²'' * '' Sing Along with Basie'' (Roulette, 1958) with Joe Williams and Lambert, Hendricks & Ross * '' Breakfast Dance and Barbecue'' (Roulette, 1959) * '' Everyday I Have the Blues'' (Roulette, 1959) with Joe Williams * '' Dance Along with Basie'' (Roulette, 1959) * '' Not Now, I'll Tell You When'' (Roulette, 1960) * ''

The Count Basie Story ''Count Basie Story'' is a double album by pianist, composer and bandleader Count Basie featuring tracks originally performed by his orchestra in the 1930s and 1940s rerecorded in 1960 as a celebration of its 25th anniversary and first released on ...

'' (Roulette, 1960) * '' Kansas City Suite'' (Roulette, 1960) * '' The Legend'' (Roulette, 1961) * '' Back with Basie'' (Roulette, 1962) * '' On My Way & Shoutin' Again!'' (Verve, 1962) * '' This Time by Basie!'' (

Reprise In music, a reprise ( , ; from the verb 'to resume') is the repetition or reiteration of the opening material later in a composition as occurs in the recapitulation of sonata form, though—originally in the 18th century—was simply any rep ...

, 1963) * ''

More Hits of the 50's and 60's More or Mores may refer to: Computing * MORE (application), outline software for Mac OS * more (command), a shell command * MORE protocol, a routing protocol * Missouri Research and Education Network Music Albums * ''More!'' (album), by Booka ...

'' (Verve, 1963) * '' The Board of Directors'' (Dot, 1967) with

The Mills Brothers The Mills Brothers, sometimes billed the Four Mills Brothers, and originally known as the Four Kings of Harmony, were an American jazz and traditional pop vocal quartet who made more than 2,000 recordings that sold more than 50 million copies an ...

With

* '' Body Talk'' ( CTI, 1973) * '' Big Boss Band'' (Warner Bros., 1990) With

Kenny Burrell Kenneth Earl Burrell (born July 31, 1931) is an American jazz guitarist known for his work on numerous top jazz labels: Prestige, Blue Note, Verve, CTI, Muse, and Concord. His collaborations with Jimmy Smith were notable, and produced the 1965 ...

* '' Kenny Burrell Volume 2'' (Blue Note, 1956) * '' Swingin''' (Blue Note, 1956

el. 1980 EL, El or el may refer to: Religion * El (deity), a Semitic word for "God" People * EL (rapper) (born 1983), stage name of Elorm Adablah, a Ghanaian rapper and sound engineer * El DeBarge, music artist * El Franco Lee (1949–2016), American po ...

With

Donald Byrd Donaldson Toussaint L'Ouverture Byrd II (December 9, 1932 – February 4, 2013) was an American jazz and rhythm & blues trumpeter and vocalist. A sideman for many other jazz musicians of his generation, Byrd was one of the few hard bop mus ...

* '' Byrd's Word'' (

Savoy Savoy (; frp, Savouè ; french: Savoie ) is a cultural-historical region in the Western Alps. Situated on the cultural boundary between Occitania and Piedmont, the area extends from Lake Geneva in the north to the Dauphiné in the south. Sa ...

, 1955) * '' All Day Long'' (Prestige, 1957) * ''

Fancy Free Fancy Free may refer to: Music * ''Fancy Free'' (Donald Byrd album) (1969) * ''Fancy Free'' (Richard Davis album) (1977) * ''Fancy Free'' (The Oak Ridge Boys album) (1981) Other uses * ''Fancy Free'' (ballet), a ballet by Jerome Robbins * ...

'' (Blue Note, 1970) * '' Electric Byrd'' (Blue Note, 1970) * ''

Kofi Kofi is an Akan masculine given name among the Akan people (such as the Ashanti and Fante) in Ghana that is given to a boy born on Friday. Traditionally in Ghana, a child would receive their Akan day name during their Outdooring, eight days aft ...

'' (Blue Note, 1971) With Earl Coleman * ''Manhattan Serenade'' (1968) With Matthew Gee * '' Jazz by Gee'' (Riverside, 1956) With

Bennie Green Bennie Green (April 16, 1923 – March 23, 1977) was an American jazz trombonist. Born in Chicago, Illinois, United States, Green worked in the orchestras of Earl Hines and Charlie Ventura, and recorded as bandleader through the 1950s and ...

and

Gene Ammons Eugene "Jug" Ammons (April 14, 1925 – August 6, 1974), also known as "The Boss", was an American jazz tenor saxophonist. The son of boogie-woogie pianist Albert Ammons, Gene Ammons is remembered for his accessible music, steeped in soul and ...

* ''

The Swingin'est ''The Swingin'est'' is an album by American trombonist Bennie Green and saxophonist Gene Ammons recorded in 1958 and released on the Vee-Jay label.

'' (VeeJay 1958) With

Coleman Hawkins Coleman Randolph Hawkins (November 21, 1904 – May 19, 1969), nicknamed "Hawk" and sometimes "Bean", was an American jazz tenor saxophonist.Yanow, Scot"Coleman Hawkins: Artist Biography" AllMusic. Retrieved December 27, 2013. One of the first p ...

*'' The Saxophone Section'' (World Wide, 1958) With

Eddie Higgins Edward Haydn Higgins (February 21, 1932 – August 31, 2009) was an American jazz pianist, composer, and orchestrator. His performance and composition in 1959's " Cry of Jazz" is preserved in the Library of Congress' National Film Registry. Bi ...

*''

'' (Vee-Jay, 1961) With

* ''

Trio and Quintet ''Trio and Quintet'' is an album by jazz pianist Elmo Hope which compiles sessions recorded in 1953, originally released as a 10" LP titled ''Elmo Hope Trio'', and 1954, originally released as a 10" LP titled ''Elmo Hope Quintet, Volume 2'', for t ...

'' (Blue Note, 1954) * ''

Homecoming! ''Homecoming!'' is an album by jazz pianist Elmo Hope recorded in 1961 for the Riverside label.Milt Jackson Milton Jackson (January 1, 1923 – October 9, 1999), nicknamed "Bags", was an American jazz vibraphonist, usually thought of as a bebop player, although he performed in several jazz idioms. He is especially remembered for his cool swinging solo ...

* ''

Plenty, Plenty Soul ''Plenty, Plenty Soul'' is an album by American jazz vibraphonist Milt Jackson featuring performances recorded in 1957 and released on the Atlantic label.

'' (Atlantic, 1957) With

Illinois Jacquet Jean-Baptiste "Illinois" Jacquet (October 30, 1922 – July 22, 2004) was an American jazz tenor saxophonist, best remembered for his solo on "Flying Home", critically recognized as the first R&B saxophone solo. Although he was a pioneer of t ...

* '' The Soul Explosion'' (Prestige, 1969) With

* ''

Elvin! ''Elvin!'' is a jazz album by drummer Elvin Jones recorded in 1961 and 1962 and released on the Riverside label.

'' (Riverside, 1961–62) * '' Heavy Sounds'' with Richard Davis (

Impulse! Impulse! Records (occasionally styled as "¡mpulse! Records" and "¡!") is an American jazz record company and label established by Creed Taylor in 1960. John Coltrane was among Impulse!'s earliest signings. Thanks to consistent sales and positi ...

, 1967) * '' Coalition'' (Blue Note, 1970) * ''

Genesis Genesis may refer to: Bible * Book of Genesis, the first book of the biblical scriptures of both Judaism and Christianity, describing the creation of the Earth and of mankind * Genesis creation narrative, the first several chapters of the Book of ...

'' (Blue Note, 1971) * ''

Merry-Go-Round A carousel or carrousel (mainly North American English), merry-go-round ( international), roundabout (British English), or hurdy-gurdy (an old term in Australian English, in SA) is a type of amusement ride consisting of a rotating circular ...

'' (Blue Note, 1971) * '' At This Point in Time'' (Blue Note, 1973) * '' New Agenda'' (

Vanguard The vanguard (also called the advance guard) is the leading part of an advancing military formation. It has a number of functions, including seeking out the enemy and securing ground in advance of the main force. History The vanguard derives fr ...

, 1975) * '' The Main Force'' (Vanguard, 1976) * ''

Time Capsule A time capsule is a historic cache of goods or information, usually intended as a deliberate method of communication with future people, and to help future archaeologists, anthropologists, or historians. The preservation of holy relics dates b ...

'' (Vanguard, 1977) * '' Elvin Jones Music Machine'' (Mark Levison, 1978) * '' Live in Japan 1978: Dear John C.'' (Trio (Japan), 1978) * '' Elvin Jones Jazz Machine Live in Japan Vol. 2'' (Trio (Japan), 1978) * '' Live at the Village Vanguard Volume One'' (

Landmark A landmark is a recognizable natural or artificial feature used for navigation, a feature that stands out from its near environment and is often visible from long distances. In modern use, the term can also be applied to smaller structures or f ...

, 1984''With

Jimmy McGriff James Harrell McGriff (April 3, 1936 – May 24, 2008) was an American hard bop and soul-jazz organist and organ trio bandleader. Biography Early years and influences Born in Germantown, Pennsylvania, United States, McGriff started playing pi ...

With

Quincy Jones Quincy Delight Jones Jr. (born March 14, 1933) is an American record producer, musician, songwriter, composer, arranger, and film and television producer. His career spans 70 years in the entertainment industry with a record of 80 Grammy Award n ...

* '' Golden Boy'' (Mercury, 1964) With

*'' Mad Thad (Period, 1956) With

Ronnie Mathews Ronald Mathews (December 2, 1935 in New York City – June 28, 2008 in Brooklyn) was an American jazz pianist who worked with Max Roach from 1963 to 1968 and Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers. He acted as lead in recording from 1963 and 1978–79. Hi ...

*'' Roots, Branches & Dances'' (

Bee Hive A beehive is an enclosed structure in which some honey bee species of the subgenus '' Apis'' live and raise their young. Though the word ''beehive'' is commonly used to describe the nest of any bee colony, scientific and professional literature ...

, 1978) With

* ''

The Big Band ''The Big Band'' (rereleased as ''The Big Band: A Tribute to Basie'') is an album by American jazz organist Jimmy McGriff featuring performances recorded in 1966 and originally released on the Solid State label.Payne, D.Sonny Lester discographyac ...

'' ( Solid State, 1966) With

Thelonious Monk Thelonious Sphere Monk (, October 10, 1917 – February 17, 1982) was an American jazz pianist and composer. He had a unique improvisational style and made numerous contributions to the standard jazz repertoire, including " 'Round Midnight", ...

* ''

Monk A monk (, from el, μοναχός, ''monachos'', "single, solitary" via Latin ) is a person who practices religious asceticism by monastic living, either alone or with any number of other monks. A monk may be a person who decides to dedicat ...

'' (Prestige 1954) With Joe Newman * '' The Count's Men'' (Jazztone, 1955) * ''

I Feel Like a Newman ''I Feel Like a Newman'' is an album by jazz trumpeter Joe Newman recorded in 1956 and originally released on the Storyville label.Storyville, 1956) * '' Good 'n' Groovy'' (Prestige Swingville, 1961) With

Horace Parlan Horace Parlan (January 19, 1931 – February 23, 2017) was an American pianist and composer known for working in the hard bop and post-bop styles of jazz. In addition to his work as a bandleader Parlan was known for his contributions to the Char ...

* '' Frank-ly Speaking'' (SteepleChase 1977) With

Duke Pearson Columbus Calvin "Duke" Pearson Jr. (August 17, 1932 – August 4, 1980) was an American jazz pianist and composer. '' Allmusic'' describes him as having a "big part in shaping the Blue Note label's hard bop direction in the 1960s as a record prod ...

* '' Introducing Duke Pearson's Big Band'' (Blue Note 1967) * '' Now Hear This'' (Blue Note 1968) * '' It Could Only Happen with You'' (Blue Note 1970) ;With

Hilton Ruiz Hilton Ruiz (May 29, 1952 – June 6, 2006) was an American jazz pianist in the Afro-Cuban jazz mold, but was also a talented bebop player. He was of Puerto Rican descent. Biography Born in New York City, Ruiz began playing piano at the age of f ...

*''

Excition ''Excition'' is an album by pianist Hilton Ruiz recorded in 1977 and released on the Danish label SteepleChase. Reception The AllMusic review by Ken Dryden states "''Excition'' is a strong example of Ruiz's ability as both a performer and arran ...

'' (SteepleChase, 1977) *''

Steppin' Into Beauty ''Steppin' Into Beauty'' is an album by pianist Hilton Ruiz, collecting performances recorded in 1977 at the sessions that produced ''Excition'' and ''New York Hilton'', which was released on the Danish label SteepleChase in 1982. Track list ...

'' (SteepleChase, 1977

982 Year 982 ( CMLXXXII) was a common year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar. Events By place Europe * Summer – Emperor Otto II (the Red) assembles an imperial expeditionary force at Tar ...

With

Woody Shaw Woody Herman Shaw Jr. (December 24, 1944 – May 10, 1989) was an American jazz trumpeter, flugelhornist, cornetist, composer, arranger, band leader, and educator. Shaw is widely known as one of the most important and influential jazz trumpet ...

* '' The Woody Shaw Concert Ensemble at the Berliner Jazztage'' (

, 1976) With Mickey Tucker * '' Mister Mysterious'' (Muse, 1978) With Eddie "Cleanhead" Vinson *'' Clean Head's Back in Town'' (Bethlehem, 1957) With George Wallington * ''

Showcase Showcase or vitrine may refer to: *Cabinet (furniture) *Display case Music * ''Showcase'' (Bill Anderson album), 1964 * ''Showcase'' (Patsy Cline album), 1961 * ''Showcase'' (Buddy Holly album), 1964 * ''Showcase'' (Philly Joe Jones album), 1959 ...

'' (Blue Note 1954) With

Cedar Walton Cedar Anthony Walton Jr. (January 17, 1934 – August 19, 2013) was an American hard bop jazz pianist. He came to prominence as a member of drummer Art Blakey's band, The Jazz Messengers, before establishing a long career as a bandleader and co ...

* '' Mobius'' (

RCA The RCA Corporation was a major American electronics company, which was founded as the Radio Corporation of America in 1919. It was initially a patent trust owned by General Electric (GE), Westinghouse, AT&T Corporation and United Fruit Com ...

, 1975) With

Julius Watkins Julius Watkins (October 10, 1921 – April 4, 1977) was an American jazz musician who played French horn. Described by AllMusic as "virtually the father of the jazz French horn", Watkins won the ''Down Beat'' critics poll in 1960 and 1961 for M ...

* '' Julius Watkins Sextet'' (Blue Note, 1954) With

* '' North, South, East....Wess'' (Savoy 1956) * ''Surprise, Surprise'' ( Chiaroscuro, 1996)

References

External links

Frank Foster bio-documentary "Shiny Stockings"Frank Foster Papers
Rubenstein Rare Book and Manuscript Library, Duke University
Foster's Entry in All About JazzSmithsonian Institution Oral History Interview with Frank Foster (1998)
{{DEFAULTSORT:Foster, Frank 1928 births 2011 deaths Musicians from Cincinnati Big band bandleaders Big band saxophonists American jazz flautists Swing saxophonists Bebop saxophonists Hard bop saxophonists Progressive big band bandleaders American music arrangers Grammy Award winners Wilberforce University alumni Count Basie Orchestra members Savoy Records artists Challenge Records artists Blue Note Records artists SteepleChase Records artists Mainstream Records artists Deaths from kidney failure Progressive big band musicians Mapleshade Records artists

Early life and education

Career

Awards and commissions

Humanitarian causes

Discography

As leader

As arranger

As sideman

See also

References

External links