Herman Foster

Who was Herman Foster?

Herman Foster was an American bebop jazz pianist.

He was blinded during childbirth through the carelessness of a doctor. He began his musical career early playing the violin, clarinet, saxophone, and piano. He became a self-taught pianist. His family moved to New York City in 1947 where he began to attend jam sessions and then played with Eric Dixon, Dick Carter and the big band of Herb Jones. Then he met Lou Donaldson and they played together from 1953 to 1966. He also worked with King Curtis, Bill English, and Seldon Powell in the 1950s, and with Al Casey in the 1960s, in addition to playing with his own trio. He returned to work in Donaldson's quartet in the 1980s.