About Me
Kendra Foster was born and raised in Tallahassee, FL where she decided to attend college at Florida A&M University. Like many, she started singing in church, but her career began while at F. A. M. U.
While still a freshman at F. A. M. U., Kendra met Whitney Russell, trumpet/keys player, after "sittin' in" with his jazz combo at a local coffeehouse. Kendra had already developed an interest in jazz in high-school learning jazz standards and studying some of her influences, Sarah Vaughan, Dinah Washington, Nancy Wilson, Billy Holliday, and Ella Fitzgerald. So, when she "sat-in" and sang an obscure jazz standard, Whitney immediately made Kendra his protégé. He trained her through helping set-up, "sit-in" on, and helping breakdown his straight-ahead jazz and R&B gigs. Simultaneously, he introduced her to his roommate, Michael Patterson, who was primarily a funk musician extraordinaire. After minimal trial rehearsals, Mike invited Kendra to be in his band, Smoke, performing their originals and Parliament/Funkadelic covers (Mike being a P-Funk fanatic). Kendra was becoming more experienced by performing with Smoke and any gig Whitney assembled. Also, with an eleven-year background in ballet, Kendra joined Orchesis Contemporary Dance Theatre at F.A.M.U. and took part in the Urban Bush Women Institute learning and performing mostly african diasporal dances and modern technique. So, when Whitney formed the fusion-styled group, Fish -N- Grits, he made Kendra the lead vocalist.
As Fish -N- Grits gained more local acclaim and Smoke began their hiatus, Kendra decided to change her major in school from Math/Chemistry to Jazz Studies/Commercial Music and joined F.A.M.U. 's jazz big band (devoting most her time to music). Meanwhile, Mike Patterson discovered that George Clinton
of Parliament/Funkadelic established a studio in Tallahassee, FL and acquired an engineering job there.
Though they gained much local notoriety, Fish -N- Grits had problems being unified and disbanded. Kendra continued to gig continuously on other various performances with Whitney. Meanwhile, Mike was working more regularly at George Clinton's studio. He and Theresa Corbitt (employee of P-Funk and Kendra's dance classmate) recommended that George hear Kendra. Kendra began, little-by-little, recording at the studio. In parallel motion, she met outstanding musicians in the music department at school, one being Robin Phillips a.k.a. Jew'EL. Kendra, along with Jew'EL, became vocalists for a neo-soul band composed of other students, Concept. With the gigs Whitney continued to find, the rapidly increasing gigs with Concept, and a flood of school work, Kendra was still creating music in George Clinton's studio every chance given.
After 1-2 years, the substantial amount of material Kendra recorded finally caught George's attention, and he signed her and asked her to come on tour. Leaving school and Tallahassee behind, she continued the creation of her album, "Myriadmorphonicbiocorpomelodicrealityshapeshifter", and went on the road with P-Funk. Through her membership in P-Funk, Kendra has performed all over the world and on television specials/programs like the Grammys, Jerry Lewis Telethon, the B.E.T. 25th Anniversary Special, The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, and Late Night with Carson Daly.
On the road, she befriended and began to work very closely with Sativa and (now) members of Children of Production. Through the "whenever-wherever" sessions and adventures in trying to perform, Kendra grew a passion for Children of Production and became a part of it's formation. While still performing with P-Funk and other bands, Kendra is a very active member of Children of Production as a vocalist, co-management, and promotions assistant.
