Saxophonist Rob Foster had a few goals in mind when he put together his current jazz combo, Pulsar. He wanted a band small enough to be agile, a sound big enough to be engaging, and players polished enough to handle a variety of challenging styles.
He feels like he got it right on all counts.
Pulsar, which plays at 7:30 p.m. today at the Grover C. Maxwell Performing Arts Theatre at Augusta State University, builds its sound off a foundation of Mr. Foster on saxophone and Matthew Whittington on guitar.
He said he wanted to experiment with those two instruments because tonally, they can sound quite similar.
"The blend is such that it can sometimes be hard to distinguish one from the other," he said during a recent telephone interview. "It sounds really cool and leaves a little more room to be free. It's a little more spacious."
The sound is augmented by a rhythm section that includes bass and a pair of percussionists -- a traditional jazz drummer and a conga player.
He said that while conga is primarily a Latin instrument, Pulsar isn't stuck in a Latin Jazz groove.
"There is a really strong rhythmic element," Mr. Foster said. "We can do Latin, but we can also do fusion, funk -- all kinds of things."
Mr. Foster said Pulsar differs from a lot of bands he has played in because he finds himself functioning as elder statesman.
He said that while he was more accustomed to being one of the younger players in a group, he loves the idea of filling this new function with young musicians.
"It's part of the responsibility of jazz," he said. "It's part of the traditions. You pass it along. Besides, I like having that input of younger, fresher energy. It gives you a sort of musical open-mindedness."
Reach Steven Uhles at (706) 823-3626 or steven.uhles@augustachronicle.com.
TODAY AT WESTOBOU
PULSAR, WITH WYCLIFFE GORDON: 7:30 p.m. today, Grover C. Maxwell Performing Arts Theatre, Augusta State University, 2500 Walton Way; $5; free for Augusta State students, faculty and staff; Pulsar will follow the performance with a set at 10:30 p.m. at Soul Bar, 984 Broad St.
KEB' MO': 8 p.m., Imperial Theatre, 745 Broad St.; $25 orchestra, $15 general admission; imperialtheatre.com
CREATIVE IMPRESSIONS CONCERT: 7 p.m., Gilbert-Lambuth Memorial Chapel, Paine College, 1235 15th St.; paine.edu
ORGAN SERIES FEATURING LAURA LOWE: 4 p.m., St. John United Methodist Church, 736 Greene St.; free; (706) 495-4855
KAREN GORDON: Augusta Canal Moonlight Music Cruise, 6:15-7:45 p.m., $24; departs from Enterprise Mill Petersburg Boat dock; check in at Canal Interpretive Center; (706) 823-0440, ext. 4
AUGUSTA STATE UNIVERSITY STUDENT SHOWCASE RECITAL: 1 p.m., Grover C. Maxwell Performing Arts Theatre, Augusta State University, 2500 Walton Way; free; westoboufestival.com
STORIES FOR THE YOUNG AT HEART: 4:30 p.m., Union Baptist Church, 1104 Greene St.; with storyteller Jan Cribbs; $7 adults, $5 seniors, $3 children; southernorderofstorytellers.org
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