Last Show: Tuesday 2 nd May 2023
The band — Mo Foster & Friends — comprises a sparkling line-up including Jim Watson on keyboards, Ray Russell on guitar, Chris Biscoe on saxes, Nic France on drums, Corrina Silvester on percussion, and Mo on bass-guitar.
"It’s surely one the best jazz albums of 2021"
Dmitri Epstein (Let It Rock)
In the early Seventies my Jazz/Rock band — Affinity with Linda Hoyle — was managed by Ronnie Scott. We played at the club often, playing opposite such major attractions as Stan Getz, Gary Burton, Horace Silver, Elvin Jones, and Ian Carr’s Nucleus.
Since that time I have had the privilege of touring all over the world with major artists such as Jeff Beck, Phil Collins, Gil Evans, and Joan Armatrading. In the studios I have performed on over 300 albums with artists like Gerry Rafferty, Jeff Beck, Brian May, Simon Phillips, Gary Moore, Frida (of ABBA), the London Symphony Orchestra, and George Martin.
Although I have played bass guitar with many of the finest musicians over the years, it is not until now that I have been able to bring together my favourite players — my dream-team — to play my favourite music. These players are: Ray Russell on guitar, Jim Watson on keyboards, Nic France on drums, Chris Biscoe on reeds, and Corrina Silvester on percussion — some of the finest jazz soloists in the country. Chris Haigh later joined on fiddle. It has been a joy for me to play with such wonderfully creative players.
The programme features works by legendary jazz composers such as Michael Gibbs, Gil Evans, George Gershwin, Wayne Shorter, John Lewis, Jaco Pastorius, Steve Swallow, and Carla Bley.
I had been a fan of Gil’s music for many years and in 1983 I was extremely thrilled to get a call — whilst on tour in the USA with Phil Collins — inviting me to tour with the Gil Evans British Orchestra. The band consisted mainly of luminaries from the UK jazz scene, including John Marshall, Stan Sulzman, Ray Russell, John Taylor, John Surman, and Henry Lowther.
Gil’s sound world left such a lasting impression that when I put together this new band the idea I was aiming for was Gil Evans in miniature: structured, with beautiful harmonies and melodies, and with room for great soloists.
My new double CD — Mo Foster and Friends in Concert — was released on Friday 26th March 2021. The album took 5 years to record and 15 months to mix.
Jim Watson (keyboards)
Ray Russell (guitar)
Chris Biscoe (saxes)
Mo Foster (bass-guitar)
Corrina Silvester (percussion)
Nic France (drums)