Al Foster

Aloysius Tyrone Foster, better known as Al Foster, is an American jazz drummer born on January 18, 1943. Foster's professional career kicked off in the mid-60s, where he collaborated with renowned hard bop and swing musicians such as Blue Mitchell and Illinois Jacquet. During the 70s, Foster played jazz fusion with the iconic Miles Davis, and he remained one of the few individuals who had contact with Davis during his retirement from 1975–1980. Even during Davis's retirement, Foster continued to contribute to the jazz scene, performing and recording with esteemed musicians like Sonny Rollins, Dexter Gordon, McCoy Tyner, and Horace Silver. Foster was notably the only musician to play in Davis's band both before and after his retirement. Following his tenure with Davis, Foster toured and recorded with other notable band leaders like Herbie Hancock, Joe Henderson, and Sonny Rollins, primarily in acoustic jazz settings. He has also released several solo albums under his own name, starting with Mixed Root.