 |  |  |
|---|---|---|
 |  |  |
 |  |  |
Gary Foster
Gary Foster is an American instrumentalist who plays saxophones, clarinets, and flutes. He is considered a "crossover" artist who performs in jazz, pop, and classical genres. As a jazz artist he has recorded under his own name for Concord Records and several other labels. Gary is known for his elegant and laid back style on both the alto and tenor saxes, being a devotee of Lennie Tristano, Lee Konitz, and Warne Marsh. He has been prominent in the film, television, and music recording industry for five decades having played woodwinds on over 500 movie scores and a member of over 200 live and television orchestras. His career includes recording on numerous Grammy, Academy Award, Emmy, and Golden Globe winning media and soundtracks for artists and composers such as Carol Burnett, Bob Dylan, Barbra Streisand, Mel Torme, Toshiko Akiyoshi, Frank Sinatra, Pat Williams, John Williams, Natalie Cole, Jerry Fielding, Cal Tjader, Marty Paich, Michael Bublé and many others. Gary Foster has received the Most Valuable Player Award for woodwind doubling from the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences (NARAS). Gary Foster was born in Leavenworth, Kansas in 1936, he started on the clarinet at age 13. His first personal musical inspiration was Olin Parker, a Jr. High School music director and private teacher who introduced Foster to Woody Herman, Count Basie and many
other types of music. He listened closely to the Woody Herman orchestra recording of "Four Brothers" from the late 1940s which featured jazz saxophone icons Stan Getz, Zoot Sims and Serge Chaloff. For Foster, Getz stood out on the tenor saxophone because of his tone. Getz and other players in turn lead back to Lester Young and then Charlie Parker who Foster also recognizes as major influences. His earliest professional experience was at age of 15 playing Leavenworth VFW Hall dances with bassist Harold Stanford; "if they didn't dance, you weren't doing your job." After high school Foster first studied at Central College in Fayette, Missouri Gary then transferred to the University of Kansas where he primarily studied classical clarinet with Don Sheid (a pupil of Keith Stein)
Essay for Clarinet Alone
by John Laporta
Who's Woods Are These "Basic Blues"
Gary Foster, clarinet-Clare Fischer, Piano-Joe Soldo, clarinet,flute-Gene Cipriano, alto flute, clarinet-Bob Tricarico, clarinet, bass clarinet-Jack Nimitz, Eb contra bass clarinet- John Patitucci, electric bass-Vinny Colaiuto, drums
Who's Woods Are These "IF"
Gary Foster, clarinet, flute-Clare Fischer, Piano-Joe Soldo, clarinet,flute-Gene Cipriano, alto flute, clarinet-Bob Tricarico, clarinet, bass clarinet-Jack Nimitz, Eb contra bass clarinet- John Patitucci, electric bass-Vinny Colaiuto, drums
Clare Fischer
Gary Foster
