January 18, 1943 – May 28, 2025 Al Foster and I met 37 years ago, and we hit it off instantly. He became a mentor, a friend, and a huge influence on my drumming. We spent a good deal of time listening to the records he played on and talking about those recordings and his memories. Al toured and recorded with the legendary Miles Davis, and Sonny Rollins called him, “The last of the great drummers.” Al Foster played and recorded with legends such as Sonny Rollins, Jimmy Heath, Horace Silver, and Bobby Hutcherson, the next generation of jazz greats like Joe Lovano, Randy Brecker, and John Scofield, and even the next generation of greats including Chris Potter, David Kikoski, and Renee Rosnes. Foster even logged undocumented time playing with Thelonious Monk, Stan Getz, and Herbie Hancock. Al Foster was a vital link between jazz of the past, jazz of […]

July 2025 Issue