Art Foxall Collection MSS.0397


Descriptive Summary
	Creator	Foxall, Art
	Title:	Art Foxall Collection
	Dates:	Bulk, 1940-1959
	Dates:	1925 to 1990, 1940s-1950s
	Identification:	MSS.0397
	Quantity:	0.5 Linear feet,1 doc. box, 2 cassette tapes, 2 cassette oral history interviews, 1 VHS videotape
	Language:	Materials are in English.
	Repository:	Houston Metropolitan Research Center, Houston Public Library

Biographical Note

Art Foxall was born in Houston’s Fourth Ward on 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 to play what makes people happy and that by doing this, he knew he would always be able to 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 has 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.'

Scope and Contents

The material in the Art Foxall Collection chronicles Mr. Foxall's life and his musical career. The collection consists of a comprehensive taped interview OH470 of Mr. Foxall on February 9, 1990. The interview is completely transcribed to 40 pages of text. The oral history interview tape is housed with the Oral History Collection. The collection also includes publicity photographs, Mr. Foxall’s recorded music and a video-taped performance.


Arrangement
	The oral history tapes are housed with the Oral History Collection OH 470, separate from MSS 397, the Art Foxall Collection. The materials in the Art Foxall Collection are arranged in four series by format.

		Series 1: Oral History Interview
		Series 2: Promotional Materials
		Series 3: Photographs
		Series 4: Recordings

Restrictions

Access Restrictions

None.

Use Restrictions

Permission to publish or reproduce materials from the Art Foxall Collection must be obtained from the Houston Metropolitan Research Center or the appropriate copyright holder.


Index Terms

		Berklee College of Music (Boston, Mass.)
		Booker T. Washington High School (Houston, Tex.)
		Bostick, Earl
		Bridgewater, Joseph
		Cobb, Arnett, 1918-1989
		El Dorado Ballroom (Houston, Tex.)
		Everett (Wash.) Symphony Orchestra
		Foxall, Art
		Gee, Matthew, 1925-1979
		Hughes, Howard, 1905-1976
		Jack Yates High School (Houston, Tex.)
		Jacquet, Russell
		Johnson, Clarence
		Jones, Abner
		Jones, Quincy, 1933-
		Milburn, Amos
		New England Conservatory of Music (Boston, Mass.)
		Phyllis Wheatley High School (Houston, Tex.)
		Rosedale Pharmacy (Houston, Tex.)
		Shaw, Artie, 1910-
		Smalley, Jr., Isaah H.
		United States. Navy
		Vinson, Eddie
		Ye Olde College Inn (Houston, Tex.)
		African Americans--Texas
		Fourth Ward (Houston, Tex.)
		Freedman’s Town (Houston, Tex.)
		Jazz musicians--Texas--Houston
		Musicians--Texas--Houston
		Race discrimination--20th century
		Saxophonists--Texas--Houston