Frank Foster

[JSngry]

Sam said something somewhere about how if you were really playing "modal", that you would only play the notes in the mode, no passing tones or anything else. It seemed that he was saying it with a grin, but still, valid point in terms of terminology.

59 minutes ago, Peter Friedman said:

While Benny Golson and Jimmy Heath were both part of the Philly "tenor" scene, Trane's influence effected Golson far more than it did Jimmy Heath. Though in his later recordings the Trane factor seems to have become less obvious in Golson.

True about Heath up until the early 1960s...check him out on KD's Show Boat Record and then Bunky Green's My Babe. He's ALL up in the Trane stuff there.

[Mark Stryker]

2 minutes ago, JSngry said:

Sam said something somewhere about how if you were really playing "modal", that you would only play the notes in the mode, no passing tones or anything else. It seemed that he was saying it with a grin, but still, valid point in terms of terminology.

I think that's the same interview that I reference above re: Giant Steps.

[JSngry]

Probably so, sounds like the same thread of thought.

[felser]

1 hour ago, JSngry said:

Sam said something somewhere about how if you were really playing "modal", that you would only play the notes in the mode, no passing tones or anything else. It seemed that he was saying it with a grin, but still, valid point in terms of terminology.

True about Heath up until the early 1960s...check him out on KD's Show Boat Record and then Bunky Green's My Babe. He's ALL up in the Trane stuff there.

And check out the early 70's Heath albums on Muse.

[JSngry]

Ok, that's the main article, or what I have of it. Part II????

Here's Frank's Thanks!

 

Sorry for the low quality.

[Mark Stryker]

These are amazing documents, Jim. Thanks for posting. Two quick follow-ups: Are these both from the same publication? What are the dates?

Edited September 28, 2021 by Mark Stryker

[JSngry]

Same publication. Same pages, actually. The same as the one upthread that has the Woody Shaw cover photo.

 

[Dub Modal]

15 hours ago, JSngry said:

Ok, that's the main article, or what I have of it. Part II????

Here's Frank's Thanks!

 

Sorry for the low quality.

Incredible and awesome. 

[JSngry]

Thanks.

I gotta find a way to get the Ronnie Boykins interview up somehow.

[Dan Gould]

37 minutes ago, Dub Modal said:

Incredible and awesome. 

And it also makes the "Well feel something in Bb, motherfucker" story sound real as opposed to legendary or apocryphal. 

[Dub Modal]

Any latter day Frank Foster small or large group recordings recommended? I've got the Frankly Speaking album but that's the latest I have of his playing...

[Kevin Bresnahan]

After reading Frank's comments about publishing rights, I was happy to read this article: https://www.npr.org/sections/ablogsupreme/2011/07/26/128245676/jazzman-frank-foster-finally-wins-copyright-of-his-most-famous-song I was also saddened that it happened shortly before he died and even sadder, after he had had a stroke rendering him unable to play. I didn't know he had a stroke in 2001. I used to wonder why he never seemed to tour in the late 90s/early 00s. Now I know.

[Rooster_Ties]

1 hour ago, JSngry said:

I gotta find a way to get the Ronnie Boykins interview up somehow.

Would love to see that, if you can find a way and have the chance.

[HutchFan]

39 minutes ago, Dub Modal said:

Any latter day Frank Foster small or large group recordings recommended? I've got the Frankly Speaking album but that's the latest I have of his playing...

Dub,

I mentioned Leo Rising (Arabesque) earlier in the thread.  It's a very strong small-group date released in 1997. 

Larry also mentioned it in positive terms.  

 

[Dub Modal]

1 hour ago, HutchFan said:

Dub,

I mentioned Leo Rising (Arabesque) earlier in the thread.  It's a very strong small-group date released in 1997. 

Larry also mentioned it in positive terms.  

 

Thanks!

[JSngry]

Frank entrepreneurering:

Cecilia is love.

1235 Post Road, Scarsdale:

[Daniel A]

13 minutes ago, JSngry said:

Frank entrepreneurering:

Cecilia is love.

100 copies were less than 75!

[Ken Dryden]

I saw Frank Foster play during my first trip to NYC in 1997.

[Peter Friedman]

15 hours ago, Ken Dryden said:

I saw Frank Foster play during my first trip to NYC in 1997.

I saw Frank Foster when he was a member of the Basie Band in the 1950's.

[Mark Stryker]

21 minutes ago, Peter Friedman said:

I saw Frank Foster when he was a member of the Basie Band in the 1950's.

I wasn't there, but I have a bootleg tape of Frank Foster at the Blue Bird Inn in Detroit from 1950 with Tommy Flanagan, Phil Hill, and Art Mardigan.

Edited September 29, 2021 by Mark Stryker

[HutchFan]

On 9/29/2021 at 0:27 PM, Mark Stryker said:

I wasn't there, but I have a bootleg tape of Frank Foster at the Blue Bird Inn in Detroit from 1950 with Tommy Flanagan, Phil Hill, and Art Mardigan.

I just checked Foster's wikipedia page, and -- if my math's right -- he would have been 21 or 22 in 1950.  Young!

Mark -- Does the music sound good?  And does Foster sound like himself?

 

Edited October 8, 2021 by HutchFan

[Mark Stryker]

9 minutes ago, HutchFan said:

I just checked Foster's wikipedia page, and -- if my math's right -- he would have been 21 or 22 in 1950.  Young!

Does the music sound good?  And does Foster sound like himself?

 

Frank sounds excellent -- a lot like Sonny Stitt on those Prestige sides with Bud Powell. Also, one tune they play is "Bouncing with Bud," which had only been recorded and released by Bud with Sonny and Fats months before the tape was made. Frank starts his solo by quoted Sonny's solo from the record. What you hear are the cats assimilating the latest bebop from NY n real time. Tommy Flanagan sounds amazingly assured -- a full six years before his recognized recording debut in NY. Not a great piano so hard to hear his touch, but it's definitely a smooth articulation. 

But back to Frank, here's a record he made at the same time, 1950, with Barry Harris. This was Barry's first recording too.

 

Edited October 8, 2021 by Mark Stryker

[HutchFan]

2 minutes ago, Mark Stryker said:

Frank sounds excellent -- a lot like Sonny Stitt on those Prestige sides with Bud Powell. Also, one tune they play is "Bouncing with Bud," which had only been recorded and released by Bud with Sonny and Fats months before the tape was made. Frank starts his solo by quoted Sonny's solo from the record. Tommy Flanagan sounds amazingly like himself -- a full six years before his recognized recording debut in NY. 

But back to Frank, here's a record he made at the same time, 1950, with Barry Harris. This was Barry's first recording too.

 

Thanks!

 

[JSngry]

Hopper Topper?!?!?!?!?!

It's "Cherokee", but Harris' voicings are just oblique enough to make a difference.

What else was on this label, and where is it now?

[Mark Stryker]

1 hour ago, JSngry said:

Hopper Topper?!?!?!?!?!

It's "Cherokee", but Harris' voicings are just oblique enough to make a difference.

What else was on this label, and where is it now?

Short answer: I don't know. Label was based in Toledo, but haven't done the research to learn anymore.