James Brandon Lewis earned honors for Artist of the Year and Tenor Saxophonist of the Year. Three of his recordings placed in the Albums of the Year category.
(Photo: David Lobato)Jul 17, 2025 12:44 PM
You see before you what we believe is the largest and most comprehensive Critics Poll in the history of jazz. DownBeat annually asks for viewpoints from a robust committee of…
“One of the reasons that we appear to be not so popular with the so-called ‘jazz’ public is because they expect Miles to be doing something he did five, 10 years ago,” said drummer Al Foster. “This current band is going in another direction, and I think that it’s wrong to put the music down simply because it differs from yesterday. … My favorite musicians today are Miles, Sonny Rollins and Sly Stone. I love the variety available to us. You lose something when you restrict yourself.”
(Photo: DownBeat Archive)Jun 3, 2025 1:47 PM
Recently, Al Foster played a gig with Buster Williams’ band at a club in New York. The drummer’s propulsive and fiery work was a continuous source of inspiration to his colleagues, while the audience demonstrated their enjoyment most audibly. Foster’s reputation has built steadily over the 12 years since he emerged on the scene, culminating in his career with that most discerning and particular of leaders, Miles Davis, for the last three years.
Recalling his early background, Foster, a warm, friendly individual, recalled, “My father, who…
