Bill Foster
Bill Foster has promoted Jazz for almost seventy years and has been a strong advocate of Jazz and the arts in the metro Detroit area. He was raised in Detroit, Michigan and graduated from Southeastern High School. Bill continued his higher education at Wayne State University, Cleveland State University and Cleveland Advertising School.
In 1956, he promoted his first concert. The concert headlined two future Jazz Masters, the late Harold Mc Kinney and the late Roy Brooks. The performance, which included Kenny Burrell and Willie Bobo was featured in Jet magazine. During the early nineteen sixties, Bill moved to Cleveland, Ohio, promoting local artists: Joe Alexander, The Alter Brothers, Roy Ayers, Eddie Baccus Sr. Bobby Few, “Jacktown”, and Rahsaan Roland Kirk. He booked national acts with John Coltrane, Dizzy Gillespie Johnny Hartman, Donny Hathaway, Joe Henderson, Cecil Mc Bee, Billy Paul, Shirley Scott, Nina Simone and Stanley Turrentine just to name a few. During this time, he also hosted a live Jazz radio show on WCUY-FM on Mondays and recorded Jazz on WERE-FM on Sundays.
Upon returning to Detroit in the nineteen seventies, Bill continued to promote Jazz and ventured further into artwork collaborations. He has developed and established venues in Detroit such as the SereNgeti Ballroom and SereNgeti Galleries to showcase local, national and international artists. Most of his efforts have been facilitated through The Jazz Network Foundation, which he founded thirty five years ago. Through the foundation, Bill has presented numerous Jazz concerts, Jazz workshops, art shows, dance performances, poetry and plays.
A brief list of Jazz artists presented by the Jazz Network Foundation include: Dwight Adams, Pepper Adams, Geri Allen,
- D. Allen, Gene Ammons, Greg Bande, Bill Banfield, Marcus Belgrave, Ben’s Friends Big Band, Cindy Blackmon, Ron Blake, Terrance Blanchard, George Bohanon, Thomas “beans” Bowles, Oscar Brown, Jr., Buddy Budson, Jeannine Bryson, Betty Carter, James Carter, Vincent Chandler, Gerald Cleaver, Kenn Cox, Teddy Edwards, Tommy Flanagan, FRA FRA Sound, Charlie Gabriel, Roy Hargrove, Winard Harper, Dr. Teddy Harris, Bob Hurst, Ali Jackson, Milt Jackson, Kris Johnson, De’Sean Jones, Sean Jones, Rene Marie, Eugene Maslov, Mulgrew Miller, Steve Nelson, Johnny O’Neal, Greg Osby, Cecil Payne, Nicholas Payton, Michael Rabinowitz, Kareem Riggins, Vanessa Rubin, Straight Ahead, Donald Walden, Ursula Walker, Rodney Whitaker, Lenny White, Buster Williams, Charles Wilson, Gerald Wilson, Spanky Wilson, Michael Wolff and many more.
As Director of the National Jazz Orchestra of Detroit, the orchestra performed at the Detroit Jazz Festival for four consecutive years. His efforts to keep Jazz alive are well known in the Detroit metro area and in other cities throughout the world. Bill is synonymous with Jazz and continues to revitalize Detroit with his efforts. And his efforts have been noticed and rewarded. Bill has been honored by the Detroit Jazz Festival as
a recipient of the Jazz Guardian award, recognized by the City of Detroit with a Spirit of Detroit award, designated as a Jazz Hero and a recipient of a Knight Foundation Arts Challenge award.
His concept for the Knight Foundation Arts Challenge was presented as Jazz-Off Detroit, assembling two Jazz groups through performance competitions. One group consisting of musicians 30 years of age or older and the other group consisting of musicians under 30 years of age.
The Jazz Network Foundation, under Bill’s leadership, has produced numerous memorable events over the years. One stand out event was a Jazz cruise that included a birthday celebration for Gerald Wilson. At that celebration, Bill was able to provide Gerald Wilson with his high school diploma from Cass Technical High School and totally surprising the bandleader, as Gerald Wilson missed his graduation when he left Detroit to start touring as a Jazz musician.
Earlier this year, Bill produced a tribute to Dr. Teddy Harris and Teddy Edwards. Pulling together a big band orchestra to perform musical arrangements written by Teddy Edwards.
Bill has organized countless concerts, special events and collaborations that have left a lasting impact on the Jazz music scene. His work has been about building community, celebrating culture, and making sure that Jazz remains a vital, unifying force.
Bill Foster and the Jazz Network Foundation are dedicated to keeping the legacy of Jazz alive.
