Who was Al Foster? Drummer for Miles Davis and more dies at 82

Al Foster has died at the age of 82. He has played as a drummer with beloved artists like Miles Davis, Herbie Hancock, Sonny Rollins, and Joe Henderson.

Kierra Foster-Ba, Foster's daughter, shared the news via social media. She shared an Instagram post along with a recent video of him performing, which was filmed four months before his passing. He passed away on May 28, 2025, at his apartment in Manhattan

Until the very end, Al Foster remained close to his drums that defined his six-decade-long career.

Kierra Foster-Ba captioned the post:

"My father, Al Foster, transitioned yesterday. Here he is 4 months ago on his birthday @smokejazzclub #transition #fathers #alfoster #jazz #jazzdrummer #milesdavis #sonnyrollins #herbiehandcock"

More on Al Foster

Al Foster was born Aloysius Tyrone Foster in Richmond, Virginia, in 1943. He grew up in Harlem after his family moved to New York at the age of 10.

Music entered his life early, and by the age of 12, he was reportedly imitating bebop great Max Roach, who ended up becoming his first major influence. It was Roach's 1955 recording of 'Cherokee' that pushed Foster to take drumming seriously.

Foster's first relatively significant recording came in 1964 when he appeared on The Thing to Do by trumpeter Blue Mitchell. That session also featured a young Chick Corea. However, many believe that his big break came in 1972 when he was discovered by Miles Davis at a jazz club on Manhattan's Upper West Side.

In a statement, where he spoke about Miles Davis, Foster shared:

"I never cared for what I did with him in the '70s. I was a jazz drummer, and I thought when he asked me to join the band, I thought it was jazz. But who is gonna turn down a job with Miles Davis?"

On the other hand, Miles Davis mentioned Foster in his autobiography, stating:

"He knocked me out because he had such a groove and he would just lay it right in there."

Foster joined Davis' ensemble and appeared on the live double album In Concert. He went on to record with Davis on On the Corner, Big Fun, Dark Magus, and Agharta, which are arguably some of the most experimental and beloved records of that era.

Outside of his work with Davis, Foster maintained a schedule as both a sideman and bandleader. In the late 1970s and 1980s, he played with pianist McCoy Tyner, Herbie Hancock, Horace Silver, and saxophonist Joe Henderson. He formed a supergroup called the Milestones Jazzstars alongside Tyner, Ron Carter, and Sonny Rollins.

Foster also reunited with Rollins in the late '70s, a decade after Rollins had fired him following their first performance together in 1968.

Rest in peace, music, and memory, Al Foster!

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