Frank Foster

A very talented tenor saxophonist and arranger, Frank Foster was associated with the Count Basie Orchestra off and on from 1953 to 1995. Early on, he played in Detroit with many talented local players and, after a period in the Army (1951-1953), he joined Basie's big band. Well featured on tenor during his Basie years (1953-1964), Foster also contributed plenty of arrangements and such originals as "Down for the Count," "Blues Backstage," and the standard "Shiny Stockings." In the latter half of the 1960s, Foster was a freelance writer. In addition to playing with Elvin Jones ...