Inspirations & Dedications Al Foster

• 1 Cantaloupe Island 06:41
• 2 Ooh, What You Do to Me 05:39
• 3 Simone's Dance 05:01
• 4 Samba de Michelle 05:54
• 5 Kierra 05:31
• 6 Douglas 04:48
• 7 Brandyn 01:38
• 8 Our Son 02:42
• 9 Song for Monique 04:20
• 10 Jazzon 05:00
• 11 Bonnie Rose 05:35
• 12 Aloysius 07:25
• 13 Jean-Pierre 05:40
• Total Runtime 01:05:54

Info for Inspirations & Dedications

Inspiration comes from many sources. For legendary drummer Al Foster, it stems from the two groups of people who are closest to him: the jazz giants he’s been honored to play with (and who, though he’d be the last to admit it, have been blessed to work with him); and, first and foremost, his family. On his latest album, Inspirations & Dedications, Foster pays back his loved ones and collaborators with a set of songs written or interpreted in their honor.

Due out June 28 via Smoke Sessions Records, Inspirations & Dedications is largely composed of Foster’s original tunes, which lovingly tip their hats to his wife, children, grandchildren, colleagues, and even himself. The album is bookended by a pair of classics by two of the jazz icons with whom the drummer has worked extensively: Herbie Hancock and Miles Davis. Each piece comes vividly to life through Foster’s stellar quintet: trumpeter Jeremy Pelt, saxophonist Dayna Stephens, pianist Adam Birnbaum, and longtime bassist (and dedicatee) Doug Weiss.

The pieces on Inspirations & Dedications aren’t portraits but gifts, beloved tunes titled as remembrances and appreciations. Foster has been acknowledging the people who’ve made an impact on his life for as long as he’s been writing music. The 1978 Japan-only release Mixed Roots features “Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde,” an early tribute to Miles Davis. The album that Foster considers his true leader debut, 1996’sBrandyn, was named for his son; it includes “Bonnie Rose,” a tender love song to his wife, and a dedication to one of his primary compositional idols, “Monk Up and Down.”

“I’m getting up there in age,” says the 76-year old drummer, though he’s also quick to point out that he’s in good health. “My musical life has been unbelievable, and I love my family. I just wanted to leave them something to enjoy with my songs.”

Sadly, a primary inspiration for this album was the tragic loss of Al and Bonnie’s son Brandyn in 2017. In his honor, the title tune from Foster’s 1996 album is reprised here as an eloquent duet with Birnbaum, followed by the heartbreaking lament “Our Son.” The gentle lilt of “Jazzon” is dedicated to Brandyn’s son, whose own name is an acknowledgment of the music that is so dear to his grandfather’s heart. “Brandyn never told me that he named Jazzon for me,” Foster says. “But when he spelled the name, I realized. I thought it was a beautiful thing.”

Foster’s four daughters each receive their own dedication over the course of the album: “Simone’s Dance” and “Kierra” both took on their names after the pieces were composed, as Foster heard that they were graced by some of his strongest melodies. “Samba de Michelle” is a swaying, warm daddy-daughter dance, while “Song for Monique” was titled by request, after the composer’s youngest daughter became enamored with the as yet untitled tune. Given Foster’s ever-growing family, that well of inspiration won’t run dry anytime soon; songs for his granddaughter and great-granddaughter are currently in the works. Birnbaum’s delicate intro leads into “Bonnie Rose,” which has been a constant in Foster’s repertoire since it was written, an adoring tribute to the couple’s 40 years together. Another side of the relationship emerges through the sultry, swooning “Ooh, What You Do To Me,” which always occasions a bit of winking innuendo from Foster to his audience. The couple is rounded out with the eponymous “Aloysius,” which stakes its claim to an older piece with a new name and a virtuosic solo intro by the drummer himself, who Birnbaum says is more than due his own dedication.

“Al is a man of great integrity,” the pianist says. He values family, morality and honesty above all else, and it’s no coincidence he plays music in a truly open, honest way. Al puts his entire heart and soul into every note he plays.”

Foster expresses his appreciation to one of his closest collaborators with the loping “Douglas,” named after the bassist who’s been his rhythm section partner for more than 20 years. The other musical relationships acknowledged on the album go back even further. The set opens with “Cantaloupe Island,” perhaps the best-known composition by Herbie Hancock, with whom Foster started working in the late 80s. It closes with “Jean-Pierre” from 1982’s Grammy-winning “We Want Miles,” the original version of which also featured Foster’s rock-solid rhythms.

“Miles was probably the best friend I ever had in my whole life,” says Foster, who served two stints with the trumpet innovator and remained friends with Davis until his death. “He was really not like his image; he was so sweet and soft-spoken and so kind. He was a beautiful human being.” The same could no doubt be said for Al Foster, who not only uses his songs to show his affection and gratitude to those closest to him, but is the first to deflect a compliment and marvel at his good fortune. “I’ve been really blessed,” he concludes. “It feels phenomenal that I got to play with Miles, Herbie, Sonny Rollins, Dexter Gordon, Stan Getz. As a kid you dream about playing with these people if you ever get good enough. For me it’s been a big dream come true.”

Al Foster, drums
Jeremy Pelt, piano
Dayna Stephens, saxophone
Adam Birnboum, trumpet
Doug Weiss, bass

Al Foster
master drummer, has been a major innovator in the world of jazz for five decades. A member of Miles Davis’ band for 13 years, Foster’s contribution to the music is articulated by Davis himself in his 1989 autobiography, Miles, where Davis describes the first time he heard Foster play live in 1972 at the Cellar Club on 95th Street in Manhattan:

He [Foster] knocked me out because he had such a groove and he would just lay it right in there. That was the kind of thing I was looking for. Al could set it up for everybody else to play off and just keep the groove going forever.

Aloysius Tyrone Foster was born in Richmond, Virginia on January 18, 1943. His family moved to Harlem, New York when he was a child. This presented him with the opportunity to live near and study the masters who lived in his neighborhood. Jazz drummer Art Taylor lived in the same building as Al’s aunt, and Art’s mother took a special interest in Al, sensing his love of the music her son was playing.

Growing up in Harlem presented Al with the opportunity to hear many great shows at the Apollo theatre. He heard Miles Davis live in 1958 with his sextet that featured John Coltrane, Cannonball Adderly, Bill Evans, Paul Chambers, and Jimmy Cobb. Other memorable experiences include hearing Buddy Rich and Philly Joe Jones’ drum battle, Art Blakey’s Jazz Messengers with Lee Morgan, Dave Brubeck’s Quartet, and the John Coltrane quartet. These experiences got him hooked on the Music. His father, who was an amateur bassist, bought him a set of drums, and he would practice every day after school.

His first big break in the business came in 1964 when he joined Blue Mitchell’s group on the classic recording The Thing To Do for Blue Note records. Recorded at Rudy Van Gelder’s studio, with Alfred Lion producing, this record has become a classic. It features Blue Mitchell, trumpet, Junior Cook, Tenor, Chick Corea, Piano, and Gene Taylor, bass.

Al quickly became a working musician on the Jazz scene in New York. He played at the Playboy club for several years, supporting his 4 daughters as a single parent.

Over the years, Foster has toured extensively with Herbie Hancock, Sonny Rollins, Joe Henderson, McCoy Tyner, Stan Getz and Bobby Hutcherson, becoming a major attraction in all six bands as well as an integral part of them. Respected and admired for his keen sensitivity, Foster is known for his unique ability to listen to and play off others in an almost telepathic way, responding to them with a style that is at once both charismatic and understated. Foster is a great believer in the purity of the music, a genuine artist who continues to push the boundaries of creativity again and again, devoted to preserving and perpetuating the highest standards in jazz today.

One of Al’s greatest pleasures is composing music at the piano. He is unique among other drummers in the field of jazz, in that his compositions have been noticed by some of the top Artists in Jazz. Pianist Hank Jones recorded three of Al’s compositions, “Papa Joe", “Just Before Dawn", and “Pauletta", for his album For My Father. Eric Reed has recorded Al’s signature composition “Brandyn", and Saxophonist Chris Potter recorded “Bonnie Rose" for his Verve album, Pure. Eddie Henderson, trumpeter, recorded Al’s composition “Missing Miles" on For All We Know. Israeli Saxophonist Eli DeGibri recorded Al’s song “Ooh, What You Do To Me" with an all-star band that also featured Ron Carter, and Brad Mehldau.

Al made his first recording as a leader, Mixed Roots in 1977. Produced by Tao Macero, this album featured Al’s original compositions as well as the saxophone talents of Michael Brecker, Bob Mintzer, and the bassists TM Stevens and Jeff Berlin.

In 1995 Al decided to form his own group, The Al Foster Quartet. The first edition of the group included bassist Larry Grenadier, pianist Dave Kikoski, and Saxophonist Chris Potter.

In 1996, with Doug Weiss replacing Grenadier at the bass, the Al Foster Quartet went to Europe and recorded Brandyn for Laika Records. This recording featured five original compositions by Foster.

In 2005 the band recorded a live record at the Village Vanguard entitled Love, Peace and Jazz. This album was critically acclaimed in Downbeat magazine, and featured Al’s compositions, as well as the pianist Kevin Hays and saxophonist Eli DeGibri.

In 1999 the guitarist John Scofield formed a group with saxophonist Joe Lovano, bassist Dave Holland and Al. They named their collaborative effort ScoLoHoFo. The group toured and recorded an album titled “Oh!" for Blue Note which featured compositions by each of the members of the group. Currently, Al is touring throughout Europe with his band The Al Foster Quartet featuring saxophonist, Dayna Stephens, pianist Adam Birnbaum, and bassist Douglas Weiss. For the past 19 years, Al’s band has been performing at festivals and clubs throughout the world.

Other artists Foster has either performed with and/or recorded with include: Hugh Masakela, Ted Curson, Dexter Gordon, Pepper Adams, Cannonball Adderley, Lou Donaldson, Sonny Stitt, Michael Brecker, Blue Mitchell, Freddie Hubbard, Donald Byrd, Kenny Dorham, Randy Brecker, Mulgrew Miller, Thelonious Monk, Chick Corea, Kenny Barron, Cedar Walton, Hank Jones, Horace Silver, Buster Williams, Ron Carter, Paul Chambers, Stanley Clarke, George Mraz, Dave Holland, Charlie Haden, Eddie Gomez, Mike Stern, Jim Hall, Carmen McRae, Shirley Horn, Abbey Lincoln, Betty Carter, and Bobby McFerrin. The list goes on and on...

This album contains no booklet.