Art Foxall was born in Houston’s Fourth Ward April 21, 1925 after his family moved from Louisiana to Texas. Mr. Foxall’s childhood was spent attending Blackshear Elementary and then Jack Yates High School. Mr. Foxall was one of many luminaries to surface from the music department at Yates. His musical career began with his playing the clarinet in the high school band under the direction of Mr. Abner Jones. After a short while Mr. Foxall decided to play the saxophone exclusively.
Mr. Foxall developed a strong work ethic associated with his music. Throughout his career he never had difficulty securing work in a variety of venues including clubs, festivals and cruise ships; culminating in his goal to play with a symphonic orchestra. He is on record as saying that his primary objective in music is play what makes people happy and that doing this, he knew he would be able to always find work.
Following his service with the United States Navy from 1943 to 1946, Mr. Foxall continued to play professionally and received additional formal training when he attended the Schillinger School of Music, which is now known as the Berklee School of Music in Boston, Massachusetts. Fellow Berklee alumnus, Quincy Jones associated with Mr. Foxall in Bremerton, Washington in their early years.
Mr. Foxall his discussed his style of playing music as the ‘Texas tenor’ sound which remained with him throughout his life. As of 2007 Mr. Foxall continues to bring joy to audiences with his unique style of ‘spirited basic mainstream jazz’.
From the guide to the Art Foxall Collection MSS 397., 1925 to 1990, 1940s-1950s, (Houston Metropolitan Research Center, Houston Public Library)
