Daily Dose Of Jazz…
Al Foster was born on January 18, 1943 in Richmond, Virginia and grew up in New York City. He began playing drums at the age of 13 and made his recording debut on Blue Mitchell’s The Thing to Do at age 20.
He joined Miles Davis’s group when Jack DeJohnette left in 1972 and stayed with Davis until 1985. Foster began composing in the 1970’s, and has toured with his own band, including musicians such as bassist Doug Weiss, saxophonist Dayna Stephens, and pianist Adam Birnbaum.
He played with Miles Davis during the 1970s and was one of the few people to have contact with Davis during his retirement from 1975 to 1981. Al also played on Davis’s 1981 comeback album The Man with the Horn. He was the only musician to play in Davis’s band both before and after his retirement.
Other artists Foster has performed and recorded with include Joe Henderson, Freddie Hubbard, McCoy Tyner, Wayne Shorter, Bobby Hutcherson, John Scofield, Pat Metheny, Charlie Haden, Randy & Michael Brecker, Bill Evans, George Benson, Kenny Drew, Carmen McRae, Stan Getz, Toots Thielemans, Dexter Gordon and Chick Corea.
Drummer Al Foster, who has toured extensively with Herbie Hancock, Sonny Rollins, and Joe Henderson continues to engage in jazz.
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Three Wishes
When Panninica asked Max Roach what his three wishes would be, he simply said:
- “Wishes would be a superfluous luxury for me, because I have everything I desire. That’s the most important thing in the world.”
*Excerpt from Three Wishes: An Intimate Look at Jazz Greats ~ Compiled and Photographed by Pannonica de Koenigswarter
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Daily Dose Of Jazz…
Albert Francis Jones was born on December 18, 1930 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and started to play the drums at the tender age of three. In 1949 he played with Lionel Hampton and with Dizzy Gillespie in 1951~1953 that included four tours of Europe.
In the early Fifties he also worked with Joe Carroll, Miles Davis, Milt Jackson, and Wade Legge. Later that decade he played with Arnett Cobb and accompanied Billie Holiday, Sarah Vaughan, and Dinah Washington.
After touring Europe with alto saxophonist Jackie McLean and the Living Theater of New York in 1962, he permanently moved to Belgium. There he led a group with Jean Fanis and Roger van Haverbeke, that became the house band in a Belgian club. This ensemble played with visiting musicians such as Dexter Gordon, Milt Jackson, Art Farmer, Clark Terry. and Dany Doriz.
Drummer Al Jones passed away in April 1976.
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The Quarantined Jazz Voyager
The continual disregard of the health and safety of others during this medical state of our country by certain factions who want the recently removed days of old by contributing new surges in Covid cases, gives me added incentive to remain sequestered and listening to great music. This week I am turning to a resident of Cannes, France and pulling from the shelves the March 12, 1991 released album Rooms In My Fatha’s House by Vinx.
To claim him as a vocalist would be an injustice, Vinx owns the songs on this debut release, where up is the only way he can go. His unique, interpretive phrasing and melodic presentation expresses so much more that I was taken from the first note of his voice, which is why I have enjoyed this over the years and recommend it for your listening pleasure.
The session was produced by Greg Poree, John Eden, Sting, and by Vinx on track 2. It was released on the Pangea record label and distributed by Capitol Records-EMI Of Canada.
Tracklist | 54:43- Tell My Feet ~ 4:44
- I Should Have Told Her ~ 3:41
- My TV ~ 4:19
- While The City Sleeps ~ 4:46
- I’ll Give My All To You ~ 4:23
- Captain’s Song ~ 4:32
- Somehow Did You Know ~ 4:44
- Little Queen ~ 3:44
- Temporary Love ~ 4:07
- Porch Light ~ 6:02
- Don’t Got to Be That Way ~ 5:16
- A Little Bit More ~ 6:24
- Sting ~ Bass, Backing Vocals
- Herbie Hancock ~ Piano
- Sheryl Crow ~ Vocal, Guitar
- Taj Mahal ~ Guitar, Vocal
- Branford Marsalis ~ Saxophone
When the curtain goes up and the pandemic is controlled I will return to flying around the globe discovering the best of jazz. Until that time arrives, stay safe and healthy.
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Conversations About Jazz & Other Distractions
Conversations About Jazz
Spotlights The Producers on December 10
Hammonds House Digital invites you to join us for Conversations about Jazz & Other Distractions hosted by former jazz radio host and founder of Notorious Jazz, Carl Anthony. On Thursday, December 10 at 7:30 pm (EST), Carl’s special guests will be some of the industry’s top Producers: Leatrice Ellzy Wright, Executive Director of Hammonds House Museum; Sunny Sumter, Executive Producer of the DC Jazz Festival; and Laura Greer, Senior Producer for The Apollo Theater. This is the last Conversations About Jazz for the year. The program is free and will stream live on Hammonds House Museum’s Facebook and YouTube.
Leatrice Ellzy Wright is a curator, producer, thinker, and fan of disruption. She is the Executive Director of Hammonds House Museum where she curates and produces art exhibitions, as well as cultural and music programming. Her unique skill set has been developed over 29 years of migrating through non-profit management and development, broadcast, media relations, arts presenting and technology. Her arts management and administration experience developed through work at Woodruff Arts Center and the National Black Arts Festival (NBAF). She produced for NBAF from 2002-2005. In 2005 she was hired to manage the organization’s artistic programming and later became the organization’s 5th Artistic Director. More info HERE.
Sunny Sumter is the Executive Director of the DC Jazz Festival, a nonprofit service organization established in 2004 to present jazz-related cultural and educational programs in the nation’s capital. Its signature programs are the annual DC JazzFest held each June, the year-round DC Jazz Festival Education Program; and the Charles Fishman Embassy Series. Prior to her tenure at the DC Jazz Festival, Sumter held management/director positions with the Aspen Institute, National Foundation for Teaching Entrepreneurship, the Smithsonian Institution, and the Rhythm and Blues Foundation. Sumter earned her bachelor’s degree in music business from Howard University where she minored in jazz voice. More info HERE.
Laura Greer is the Senior Producer for The Apollo Theater where she has served for more than a decade overseeing the performing arts, education, and community programs of the historic theater. Prior to her current position, Greer was the Associate Producer at the National Black Arts Festival in Atlanta, Georgia (1999-2005) where she was responsible for the artistic and production oversight of the annual festival. She has also served as the Director of Programming at 651 Arts at the Brooklyn Academy of Music Majestic Theater, specializing in works grounded in the African Diaspora and held various leadership positions at Aaron Davis Hall at City College of New York (1985-1998).
Hammonds House Museum is generously supported by the Fulton County Board of Commissioners, Fulton County Arts and Culture, the City of Atlanta Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs, The Community Foundation for Greater Atlanta, The National Performance Network, AT&T and WarnerMedia.
Hammonds House Museum’s mission is to celebrate and share the cultural diversity and important legacy of artists of African descent. The museum is the former residence of the late Dr. Otis Thrash Hammonds, a prominent Atlanta physician and a passionate arts patron. A 501(c)3 organization which opened in 1988, Hammonds House Museum boasts a permanent collection of more than 450 works including art by Romare Bearden, Robert S. Duncanson, Benny Andrews, Elizabeth Catlett, Jacob Lawrence, Hale Woodruff, Amalia Amaki, Radcliffe Bailey and Kojo Griffin. In addition to featuring art from their collection, the museum offers new exhibitions, artist talks, workshops, concerts, poetry readings, arts education programs, and other cultural events throughout the year.
Located in a beautiful Victorian home in Atlanta’s historic West End, Hammonds House Museum is a cultural treasure and a unique venue. During the COVID-19 pandemic, they continue to observe CDC guidelines, but look forward to welcoming in-person visitors soon! For more information about upcoming virtual events, and to see how you can support their mission and programming, visit their website: hammondshouse.org.
MEDIA: Contact Karen Hatchett at Hatchett PR, karen@hatchettpr.com
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