Alex Foster | Virtuoso Saxophone Artist Endorser

Alex Foster has been on the cutting edge of saxophone playing, on the jazz and studio scene, since 1973. He can be heard on numerous recording and T.V shows, including Saturday Night Live, Generations, Regis and Kathy Lee, Carol Jenkins Live.

With a back ground in classical and jazz music and ventures into pop and rock, Alex is the ultimate in versatility. As a founding member of Jack DeJohnette’s "Directions", Alex completed three records that include original composition and arrangements. This relationship led to featured soloist with McCoy Tyner on "Inner Voices" and tours with Nat Adderley and Freddy Hubbard.

After three years, Alex focused on the New York studio scene which resulted in hundreds of record dates and jingles throughout the ’70’s and ’80’s, as well as a Broadway show "Aint Misbehaving".

When Don Sebesky was looking for an alto sax soloist for his recording of "Concerto for Jazz Soloists and Orchestra", Jon Faddis recommended Alex. This featured Alex along with Faddis and Richard Davis with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra of London. Two more records with Sebesky soon followed this event.

In 1982, Jaco Pastorius called Alex to play lead alto in his award winning big band tour in New York and Japan. The band produced two live albums and earned a Gold Disk award from Japan’s Swing Journal. After this, Alex joined Jaco’s small group which included Don Alias, Othello Molineaux, Mike Stern, Ron Tooly, Melton Mustafa, Kenwood Dennard and Delmar Brown. Three live records were completed and took the group on three world tours.

In 1985 Alex was called to join the house band at Saturday Night Live, which earned him a nomination from NARAS as most valued alto sax player on the recording scene. Between 1985 and 1990, Alex recorded and toured with Michael Franks, Paul Simon and Paul McCartney.

In 1991 Alex recorded his first album "Beginnings...Goodbye". he toured with the Gil Evans Orchestra and the Mingus Dynasty, for whom he arranged Mingus’ final melody "Harlene" on the "Generations" record for C.B.S. Alex went on to play lead in the Mingus Epitaph tour of Europe and the U.S.

In 1993, Alex joined the "Steps Ahead" band with Mike Manieri, where he played mostly tenor and soprano saxes. Alex toured extensively with them as well as doing a season with the Carnegie Hall Jazz band and taking his group throughout Asia.

In 1995 Alex was once again invited to be the featured alto sax and clarinet soloist with the Saturday Night Live band. This past year, Alex has completed a new record with Michael Wolff, a duo record that reunites two virtuosos who have been playing together since childhood.

Jack DeJohnette
"Cosmic Chicken" Fantasy Records
"Untitled" E.C.M.
"New Rags" E.C.M.

McCoy Tyner
"Inner Voicings" Milestones

Don Sebesky
Bird and Bela Gryphon with the Royal Philharmonic

Jaco Pastorious
"Live In Japan" Warner Bros.
"Live in New York" Big World
Vol I,II

Gil Evans Orchestra
"The music of Gil Evans" Sweet Basil Records
"Live in Perugia"

Miles Davis
"Live at Montreaux" Qwest Records

Paul Simon
"Grace Land" Warner Bros.

Nina Freelon
"listen" Sony CBS

Barry Finnerty
"To be named later" Cheetah Records

Earthbound
"Unity" Leo Records Ruben Rada
"Montevideo" Big World

Jack Lee
"Gracefully" Polydor K.K.
"Where my heart goes" Dae Hong Comm.
"Into the night" Rock Records

Prime Crime
"Animal Rites" Lipstick