Frank Foster (September 23, 1928 – July 26, 2011) was an American tenor and… Read Full Bio ↴Frank Foster (September 23, 1928 – July 26, 2011) was an American tenor and soprano saxophonist, flautist, arranger, and composer. Foster collaborated frequently with Count Basie and worked as a bandleader from the early 1950s.
Foster was born in Cincinnati, Ohio, and educated at Wilberforce University. In 1949, he moved to Detroit, Michigan, where he joined the local jazz scene, playing with musicians such as Wardell Gray. Drafted into the US Army in 1951, Foster served in Korea with the 7th Infantry Division. Upon finishing his military service in 1953 he joined Count Basie's big band. Foster contributed both arrangements and original compositions to Count Basie’s band including the standard “Shiny Stockings”, and other popular songs such as “Down for the Count”, “Blues Backstage”, “Back to the Apple”, “Discommotion”, and “Blues in Hoss Flat”, as well as arrangements for the entire Easin’ It album.
From 1970 to 1972 (and on occasional later dates) he played with Elvin Jones, and in 1972 and 1975 with the Thad Jones–Mel Lewis big band. Foster was an Artist in Residence at the New England Conservatory of Music in Boston in 1971. That same year, he also started teaching for the New York City Public School System in District 5, Harlem, as part of a team of six professional musicians assigned to the Federal Government’s Title I Program: Cultural Enrichment Through Music, Dance, and Song. From 1972 to 1976, Foster was full-time Assistant Professor in the Black Studies Program at the State University of New York at Buffalo (SUNY).
Foster also formed and lead several groups, most notably Living Color and The Loud Minority. He co-led a quintet with Frank Wess in 1983, and toured Europe as a member of Jimmy Smith's quintet in 1985.
In June 1986 Foster succeeded Thad Jones as leader of the Count Basie Orchestra. While leading the Basie Orchestra, Foster received two Grammy Awards: first for his big-band arrangement of the Diane Schuur composition "Deedles’ Blues" (Best Arrangement Accompanying a Vocal, Jazz category, 1987), and second for his arrangement of guitarist/vocalist George Benson’s composition "Basie’s Bag" (Best Big Band Instrumental, Jazz category, 1988).
After leaving the band in 1995, Foster resumed his leadership of three musical groups: The Non-Electric Company (a jazz quartet/quintet), Swing Plus (a 12-piece band), and The Loud Minority Big Band (an 18-piece concert jazz orchestra), each of which he had organized years prior to assuming leadership of the Basie unit in 1986.
Frank Foster suffered a stroke in 2001 that impaired his left side to the extent that he could no longer play the saxophone. After continuing to lead the Loud Minority on limited engagements for much of the 2000s, he turned his leadership responsibilities for the band over to Cecil Bridgewater, a prominent New York City jazz musician. Until his death Foster continued composing and arranging at his home in Chesapeake, Virginia, where he resided with his wife and personal manager of nearly 45 years, Cecilia Foster.[4]
Frank is survived by six children: Frank Jr., Donald, Tony and Jardisse Foster, Aaron Kinsley-Brooks and Willow Sumner.
Foster received two Grammy Awards: the first, for his big band arrangement of the Diane Schuur composition “Deedles’ Blues“ (Best Arrangement Accompanying a Vocal, 1987), and the second for his arrangement of guitarist/vocalist George Benson’s composition “Basie’s Bag” (Best Instrumental Arrangement, Jazz Category, 1988). He also received two Grammy nominations: for his big band arrangement of Charles Trenet’s composition "Beyond the Sea", and for an album with his fellow Basie alumnus Frank Wess entitled Frankly Speaking.
He composed and orchestrated material for The Carnegie Hall Jazz Ensemble, The Detroit Civic Symphony Orchestra, The Ithaca College Jazz Ensemble, The Jazzmobile Corporation of New York City, the Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra, The Malaysia Symphony Orchestra, The Metropole Orchestra of Hilversum, the Netherlands, and The Thad Jones/Mel Lewis Orchestra. In 1983 Dizzy Gillespie personally commissioned Frank Foster to orchestrate one of the jazz icon’s compositions, “Con Alma”, for a scheduled performance and recording with The London Philharmonic Orchestra directed by Robert Farnon.
In 1987, he was awarded an honorary doctorate by Central State University in Wilberforce.
In 2002, the National Endowment for the Arts presented Foster with its NEA Jazz Masters Award, the highest honor in jazz.
Foster was commissioned by The Harpers Ferry Historical Association of West Virginia to compose a jazz suite of ten to fifteen minutes' duration in connection with the Niagara Movement, relating to John Brown’s famous raid on Harpers Ferry. The suite was performed by the Count Basie Orchestra at Harpers Ferry as part of the three-day Niagara Movement celebration in August 2006.
Jazz at Lincoln Center commissioned Foster to compose and arrange music for the Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra, directed by Wynton Marsalis, for performances on March 13-15, 2008, with "A Man and a Woman" as the theme. Foster wrote the words, music, and orchestrations for "I Love You (Based on Your Availability)" and "Romance Without Substance Is a Nuisance", both performed by vocalists Dennis Rowland and Marlena Shaw.
On March 20, 2009, the Chicago Jazz Ensemble, directed by Jon Faddis, performed a three-part suite by Foster titled "Chi-Town Is My Town and My Town’s No Shy Town" at the Harris Theater in Chicago.
In 2009, Foster selected The Jazz Archive at Duke University to be the home for his numerous compositions, arrangements, and personal papers.
Frank Foster became a great supporter of The Jazz Foundation of America in their mission to save the homes and the lives of America's elderly jazz and blues musicians including musicians who survived Hurricane Katrina. After receiving help from the Jazz Foundation, he supported the cause by performing in their Annual Benefit Concert "A Great Night in Harlem" in 2008. He donated his gold-plated tenor sax to be auctioned by the Jazz Foundation of America, the proceeds of which went to support the foundation's non-profit programs, especially working gigs and educational programs for victims of hurricane Katrina in New Orleans and the Gulf Coast.
Foster was born in Cincinnati, Ohio, and educated at Wilberforce University. In 1949, he moved to Detroit, Michigan, where he joined the local jazz scene, playing with musicians such as Wardell Gray. Drafted into the US Army in 1951, Foster served in Korea with the 7th Infantry Division. Upon finishing his military service in 1953 he joined Count Basie's big band. Foster contributed both arrangements and original compositions to Count Basie’s band including the standard “Shiny Stockings”, and other popular songs such as “Down for the Count”, “Blues Backstage”, “Back to the Apple”, “Discommotion”, and “Blues in Hoss Flat”, as well as arrangements for the entire Easin’ It album.
From 1970 to 1972 (and on occasional later dates) he played with Elvin Jones, and in 1972 and 1975 with the Thad Jones–Mel Lewis big band. Foster was an Artist in Residence at the New England Conservatory of Music in Boston in 1971. That same year, he also started teaching for the New York City Public School System in District 5, Harlem, as part of a team of six professional musicians assigned to the Federal Government’s Title I Program: Cultural Enrichment Through Music, Dance, and Song. From 1972 to 1976, Foster was full-time Assistant Professor in the Black Studies Program at the State University of New York at Buffalo (SUNY).
Foster also formed and lead several groups, most notably Living Color and The Loud Minority. He co-led a quintet with Frank Wess in 1983, and toured Europe as a member of Jimmy Smith's quintet in 1985.
In June 1986 Foster succeeded Thad Jones as leader of the Count Basie Orchestra. While leading the Basie Orchestra, Foster received two Grammy Awards: first for his big-band arrangement of the Diane Schuur composition "Deedles’ Blues" (Best Arrangement Accompanying a Vocal, Jazz category, 1987), and second for his arrangement of guitarist/vocalist George Benson’s composition "Basie’s Bag" (Best Big Band Instrumental, Jazz category, 1988).
After leaving the band in 1995, Foster resumed his leadership of three musical groups: The Non-Electric Company (a jazz quartet/quintet), Swing Plus (a 12-piece band), and The Loud Minority Big Band (an 18-piece concert jazz orchestra), each of which he had organized years prior to assuming leadership of the Basie unit in 1986.
Frank Foster suffered a stroke in 2001 that impaired his left side to the extent that he could no longer play the saxophone. After continuing to lead the Loud Minority on limited engagements for much of the 2000s, he turned his leadership responsibilities for the band over to Cecil Bridgewater, a prominent New York City jazz musician. Until his death Foster continued composing and arranging at his home in Chesapeake, Virginia, where he resided with his wife and personal manager of nearly 45 years, Cecilia Foster.[4]
Frank is survived by six children: Frank Jr., Donald, Tony and Jardisse Foster, Aaron Kinsley-Brooks and Willow Sumner.
Foster received two Grammy Awards: the first, for his big band arrangement of the Diane Schuur composition “Deedles’ Blues“ (Best Arrangement Accompanying a Vocal, 1987), and the second for his arrangement of guitarist/vocalist George Benson’s composition “Basie’s Bag” (Best Instrumental Arrangement, Jazz Category, 1988). He also received two Grammy nominations: for his big band arrangement of Charles Trenet’s composition "Beyond the Sea", and for an album with his fellow Basie alumnus Frank Wess entitled Frankly Speaking.
He composed and orchestrated material for The Carnegie Hall Jazz Ensemble, The Detroit Civic Symphony Orchestra, The Ithaca College Jazz Ensemble, The Jazzmobile Corporation of New York City, the Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra, The Malaysia Symphony Orchestra, The Metropole Orchestra of Hilversum, the Netherlands, and The Thad Jones/Mel Lewis Orchestra. In 1983 Dizzy Gillespie personally commissioned Frank Foster to orchestrate one of the jazz icon’s compositions, “Con Alma”, for a scheduled performance and recording with The London Philharmonic Orchestra directed by Robert Farnon.
In 1987, he was awarded an honorary doctorate by Central State University in Wilberforce.
In 2002, the National Endowment for the Arts presented Foster with its NEA Jazz Masters Award, the highest honor in jazz.
Foster was commissioned by The Harpers Ferry Historical Association of West Virginia to compose a jazz suite of ten to fifteen minutes' duration in connection with the Niagara Movement, relating to John Brown’s famous raid on Harpers Ferry. The suite was performed by the Count Basie Orchestra at Harpers Ferry as part of the three-day Niagara Movement celebration in August 2006.
Jazz at Lincoln Center commissioned Foster to compose and arrange music for the Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra, directed by Wynton Marsalis, for performances on March 13-15, 2008, with "A Man and a Woman" as the theme. Foster wrote the words, music, and orchestrations for "I Love You (Based on Your Availability)" and "Romance Without Substance Is a Nuisance", both performed by vocalists Dennis Rowland and Marlena Shaw.
On March 20, 2009, the Chicago Jazz Ensemble, directed by Jon Faddis, performed a three-part suite by Foster titled "Chi-Town Is My Town and My Town’s No Shy Town" at the Harris Theater in Chicago.
In 2009, Foster selected The Jazz Archive at Duke University to be the home for his numerous compositions, arrangements, and personal papers.
Frank Foster became a great supporter of The Jazz Foundation of America in their mission to save the homes and the lives of America's elderly jazz and blues musicians including musicians who survived Hurricane Katrina. After receiving help from the Jazz Foundation, he supported the cause by performing in their Annual Benefit Concert "A Great Night in Harlem" in 2008. He donated his gold-plated tenor sax to be auctioned by the Jazz Foundation of America, the proceeds of which went to support the foundation's non-profit programs, especially working gigs and educational programs for victims of hurricane Katrina in New Orleans and the Gulf Coast.
Southern Man
Frank Foster Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Gettin' back to my roots put my boots down on the bayou,
Me and Paw and a hero me-oh-my-oh
A couple cups of coffee, up and gone with the sun
A big can of crickets man that's my kind of fun
We'll be late for church jerkin perch off of a posted pond
Yeah the kind of life I like livin', is full up with good times
A whole lot of free and easy fits me fine
A good job and a good woman
A little piece of land
Dixie-fied til I die livin' the life of a southern man
Me and Paw and a hero me-oh-my-oh
A couple cups of coffee, up and gone with the sun
A big can of crickets man that's my kind of fun
We'll be late for church jerkin perch off of a posted pond
Yeah the kind of life I like livin', is full up with good times
A whole lot of free and easy fits me fine
A little piece of land
Dixie-fied til I die livin' the life of a southern man
The lyrics of Frank Foster's song Southern Man convey a sense of pride in the Southern way of life that the singer grew up with and continues to embrace. The opening lines describe a return to his roots in the bayou, where he spends time with his father and a hero. The mention of coffee and crickets suggests a simple, down-home lifestyle that is focused on enjoying the outdoors and the company of loved ones. The scene continues with fishing on a posted pond, indicating a respect for private property and local traditions.
Line by Line Meaning
Gettin' back to my roots put my boots down on the bayou,
Returning to my origins by stepping barefoot on the wetlands,
Me and Paw and a hero me-oh-my-oh
Together with my father and a veteran, oh my!
A couple cups of coffee, up and gone with the sun
Drinking coffee twice, leaving soon as the sun rises
A big can of crickets man that's my kind of fun
Enjoying a massive container of crickets as my type of pleasure
We'll be late for church jerkin perch off of a posted pond
We may be tardy for church since we'll fish for perch in a prohibited lake
Yeah the kind of life I like livin', is full up with good times
I prefer living around cheerful events
A whole lot of free and easy fits me fine
A lot of informal and relaxed living is suitable for me
A good job and a good woman
A satisfying profession and a pleasing spouse
A little piece of land
A small portion of real estate
Dixie-fied til I die livin' the life of a southern man
I will live a southern man's lifestyle until I perish, which will include Dixie state traditions and habits.
Contributed by Owen G. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
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@troywestpha4807
Went to see Frank at Woolys in Des Moines. The best show I have ever been to. He rocked the joint n each song he sang the experience grew even more. After the show I met several members of the band and his veteran bus driver. This combat veteran was treated amazingly. Frank is so humble n down home, he honored this vet with a hug..I look forward to seeing him many more times and traveling far to see this great singer n show..The Minnesota Fan..
@tommyturley2014
I started with your song rowdy reputation about a month ago. Now I’m so far down a hole with your music I can’t get out. Badass music brother.
@markfairchild27
I'm From The Good Ole Hills Of Eastern Kentucky Where We Smoke That Good Ole Homegrown And Drink White Lightening And This Man's Music Definitely Gets The Party Started !!!
@ALT_RIGHT
Hey frank..
I know others have said this.. but...
I've been listening to country music for a long time and I found you about 3 weeks ago.
DUDE. I have never been obsessed with listening to every song an artist has sang... until now. Your No Shit Awesome! And your band plays a sound I love.
GET YOUR ASS UP TO MICHIGAN FOR A SHOW.. We will PACK IT FOR YOU.
@pilbo2
Nothin' better than bein' out in the woods listenin' to Frank and Band's tunes. clap, clap-- clap..!
@jeremypursel312
I am so glad I just happened to come across Red Wings & Six Strings one day. Been a fan ever since. You make great music, man. Thank you.
@ringlet57
Another hit Frank. Great video. I love seeing people I know in your videos. Love you. Your star is shining even brighter
@brendahelmer9956
Love me Frank Foster Louisiana boy love every song he sings the best voice in the world
@jimmypercival2728
The whole band does a great job and you're having fun doing it.
@knifenut6772
Frank, keep it up brother. You are one of the best. Thank you.