The sad news has reached me of the death of Frank Foster the former Basie tenorist and later leader of the band after the Count's death.
Frank was an iconic figure who apart from his post bop tenor playing was a fine arranger and composer - Shiny Stockings perhaps being his most well known composition.
When he stepped out front of the Basie Band to blow on, say, Jumping At The Woodside you knew sparks were going to fly.
I was privileged to hear him several times in Newcastle with the Basie Band and in later years at Sunderland Empire fronting the Post Basie Band. The YouTube clip below has him giving a virtuoso performance on After You've Gone with that latter band - it is a blast!
Prominent in local jazz folk lore is the fabled night when several Basieites, after a City Hall concert, sat in at the old Down Beat Club in Carliol Square where they locked horns with Ian Carr, Mike Carr, Gary Cox of the Emcee Five. Legend has it that Frank took care of the business that night. I wonder, is there anyone around who remembers the session? It would be early sixties I guess.
Frank Foster died today, July 26, 2011. His passing will be mourned in jazz circles the world over.
He was 82.
Jazz on the Tube.
Lance.
1 comment :
Frank Foster was my very first boyfriend and he helped me so much with music. After he got drafted into the army I moved to New York. When he came to NYC on leave I took him to Birdland and introduced him to Bird and asked Bird to let him sit in. Bird was blown away by Frank's playing. He said, "This young soldier sure can play." Frank was thrilled and so was I.
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