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Ronnie Foster
Ronnie Foster began playing piano at the age of 4. By age 12 he had switched to Hammond organ and became a student of the jazz great Jimmy Smith. At age 15, Ronnie started playing with George Benson on weekends, while still in school. After graduating from high school Ronnie began a two-year stint with The Billy Wooten Trio. Eventually, Ronnie began playing New York clubs. At 20 he got a call from New York that Saxophonist great Stanley Turrentine was looking for a new organist. He did one gig with Stanley. Word of Ronnie was traveling fast.
While he waited for the call about the next Turrentine gig, guitar legend Grant Green heard that Ronnie was in New York. Green hired Ronnie to go on the road. This event would prove to be a turning point for Ronnie as it offered him his first recording session experience; “Grant Green Alive.” This important session led Ronnie to a recording contract of his own with Blue Note Records.
As a recording artist Ronnie's solo discography consists of 5 albums for Blue Note, 2 albums for Columbia Records and 1 album for Projazz. Ronnie Foster recorded his first album for Blue Note “The Two Headed Freap,” in January of 1972. Ronnie's follow-up album, “Sweet Revival” was recorded in December of that same year. He cut “Live at Montreux,” in July of 1973, which was followed in 1974 by “On the Avenue,” and in 1975 by “Cheshire Cat,” his final album for Blue Note.
He then moved to Columbia, where he released “Love Satellite” in 1978 and “Delight” in 1979. Ronnie’s solo style favored funky vamps instead of risky improvisation. Jazz purists dismissed Ronnie during the peak of his early career; the first half of the '70s. However, as such a talented mainstream funk and soul-jazz keyboardist Ronnie was able to cultivate a very successful career as both a sideman (working frequently with George Benson, in particular) and producer.
Beginning in the late '70s, and throughout the '80s and '90s, Ronnie’s career and influence has spanned many varied artists and recordings as he began concentrating on session work. Some of those artists include: George Benson, Stevie Wonder, Roberta Flack, Earl Klugh, Jimmy Ponder, Stanley Clarke, Lalo Schifrin, Harvey Mason, Jimmy Smith, Stanley Turrentine, David Sanborn, Lee Ritenour, The Temptations and Grover Washington, Jr.
Of late, Ronnie’s own records have been rediscovered by a new generation of both 90’s listeners and recording artists alike. Many of his records are currently used as source material for sample-heavy acid-jazz and hip-hop records. In 1998/9 Ronnie enjoyed chart success as the producer of Roger Smiths #1 Smooth Jazz album “Both Sides,” and the Will Downing/Gerald Albright release “Pleasures Of The Night.”
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Ronnie Foster Interview
by Steven Roby
This episode of Backstage Jazz features an interview with the legendary jazz/funk organist Ronnie Foster. We discussed his latest album, Reboot.Ronnie Foster's return to Blue Note Records is an event of synergistic quintessence, completeness, and cool. The organ great's dynamic new album, Reboot, arrives upon the 50th anniversary of his 1972 Blue Note debut Two Headed Freap, which is also being reissued this year as part of the label's Classic Vinyl Series.The album opens with the ...
read moreChance Hayden: Shag Bag
by Geno Thackara
Warm springtime, sunshine, good friendsit must be time for a party. Chance Hayden is certainly feeling the joy and ready to kick off something fun. Working around pandemic restrictions left him and his colleagues ready to bounce and blow off some steam, and bagging (sorry) the iconic Ronnie Foster on keys made the perfect funk-fusion topping. The standalone single Shag Bag" packs a drum-and-conga groove to get the backyard shaking, slathers on a dash of bright horns, then ties it ...
read moreRonnie Foster Trio at Nighttown
by C. Andrew Hovan
Although he came along at the end of an era in terms of the popularity of jazz organ, Ronnie Foster has led a varied and colorful career having studied with the iconic Jimmy Smith and worked with a wide variety of artists including George Benson, David Sanborn, Stevie Wonder, Stanley Turrentine, and Djavan. Currently leading his own trio featuring guitarist Jake Langley and drummer Jess Gopen, Foster is based in Las Vegas but recently headed east for stops in jny: ...
read moreRonnie Foster: Emotion, Excitement, Energy, and Passion
by C. Andrew Hovan
When it comes to jazz history, few would argue that the years between 1950 and 1970 were a golden era filled with exciting music crossing many stylistic genres. From the concert stage to the Chitlin' Circuit, the era was ripe with talented musicians of all persuasions, many of whom have since faded from memory. Rarely is this due to talent or lack thereof, but more likely a result of many factors including substance abuse, changing trends, and the fickle nature ...
read moreRonnie Foster: Two Headed Freap – 1973
by Marc Davis
The critics hated Blue Note in the 1970s, and that might be an understatement. Me, I'm kind of intrigued. Fans of good old hard bop, or even soul jazz, were largely left out in the cold. Blue Note in the '70s was a label struggling for its very existence, desperate to find a niche and snag some sales. All of which drove the critics and jazz purists nuts. Richard Cook, in his 2001 book Blue Note ...
read moreRonnie Foster: On the Avenue & Cheshire Cat
by C. Andrew Hovan
While it's true that the declining years of the Blue Note label saw many releases of a lesser quality when compared with the golden gems of the label's heydays, sweeping generalizations lead to value judgments that might not always be applicable. Up through the mid '70s, artists like Horace Silver and Gene Harris continued to record viable albums even if they didn't quite reach the heights of earlier accomplishments. During this same era, a few uniquely talented young artists made ...
read moreRonnie Foster: Two-Headed Freep
by AAJ Staff
Like organs and jazz? I love the old Wes Montgomery/Jimmy Smith stuff, and even the classic Walter Wanderley latin material like Summer Samba" and O Barquinho". Ronnie Foster’s Two-Headed Freep" is definately an organ of another color. It’s hip, alive, groovy. The whole album, originally recorded in 1972, has that whole funky 70’s thang goin’ on! Check out some of the titles: Chunky", Mystic Brew", Kentucky Fried Chicken", and the title track of course. It’s definitely got the same kind ...
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