The evolution of a songsmith

Jazzman Jesse Foster

By James DeKoven

The slow screech of a braking bus. Two voices in conversation. Police sirens and fire alarms and honking car horns. It’s noise to many, but singer-songwriter Jesse Foster finds these sounds of urban life inspiring.

“I discover ideas for harmony and melody in the sounds of everyday life,” he says.

Part of his everyday life is spent here in the neighborhood. You’ll often find him hanging out with the locals at Peet’s on Fillmore, tapping out a rhythm and shooting the breeze: politics, sociology — and music, of course. Pull up a chair and you might learn about his evolution as a musician, a 30-year journey of refining his craft and keeping the faith that has paid off with the release his first album and regular live performances in local clubs.
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Yoshi’s opens, a dream comes true

Photograph of opening night at Yoshi's by Mina Pahlevan

The night the neighborhood has been waiting for arrived November 27, 2007, when the first horns blew at Yoshi’s, the elegant new jazz club in the Fillmore Heritage Center at 1330 Fillmore Street. A grand opening celebration the next night featuring legendary drummer Roy Haynes and an all-star band officially opened the two-level 420-seat club — and brought back big-time jazz to the Fillmore.

From Jimbo’s to Yoshi’s: a musical journey through the years on Fillmore