The Jazz Heritage Orchestra: The Music of Frank Foster

The Jazz Heritage Orchestra performs a musical tribute to Ohio’s quiet musical genius, saxophonist Frank Foster. Perhaps best known for his work with the Count Basie Orchestra, Foster also wrote and arranged music for Sarah Vaughan, Frank Sinatra, and Dizzy Gillespie, and he performed with jazz greats, including Elvin Jones and Snooky Young. The Jazz Heritage Orchestra \(JHO\) was formed in 1998 in residence with the Cleveland State University Black Studies Department. The mission of the JHO, under the artist direction of Dennis Bradley Reynolds, is to preserve and perpetuate the heritage of the great African American jazz masters through educational programming coupled with elite performance. This mission continues today through a partnership with Open Tone Music. Based in Akron, Ohio, the JHO has performed with many acclaimed artists, including Clark Terry, Benny Golson, Nancy Wilson, John Morton, Evelyn Wright, and Vanessa Rubin. “In a thoroughly contemporary twist on the classic jazz lore tradition of the territory band, the Jazz Heritage Orchestra reflects the contributions of an impressive range of musicians from several points on the midwestern map.” —Willard Jenkins, Journalist \(JazzTimes, DownBeat, BET on Jazz, WPFW\)