Photo by Andrea Canter

Marcus Strickland © Andrea Canter

Born in 1925 in the Roxbury section of Boston, Roy Haynes taught himself to play drums, fascinated by the talents of Jo Jones, Sid Catlett and Chick Webb. Older brother Doug played trumpet, studied for a time at the New England Conservatory, and introduced Roy to Jo Jones; listening to his brother’s record collection and the big bands on radio were early influences on young Roy. “Doug knew everybody. He was my main connection to jazz.” Still in high school, Haynes played drums for various bands around town. In 1942—at only 17—Haynes began his professional career with guitarist Tom Brown, bandleader Sabby Lewis, and Kansas City blues-shout alto saxophonist Pete Brown. In 1945 he was asked to join legendary bandleader Luis Russell at New York's legendary Savoy Ballroom, and between gigs absorbed the lessons of bop along 52^nd Street and at the legendary Minton’s. Along the way, and after his stint with Russell ended in 1947, Roy Haynes became the favorite drummer of many bop-era titans, including Louis Armstrong, Billie Holiday, Lester Young, Charlie Parker, Bud Powell, Thelonious Monk, Lennie Tristano, Dizzy Gillespie, Miles Davis, Sonny Rollins, and John Coltrane. His chops led Young to dub him “The Royal of Haynes”; Bird and Coltrane regarded him has among the very best they worked with, Coltrane regarding Haynes as his preferred substitute for the late Elvin Jones in the historic Coltrane Quartet (1961-65).

Roy Haynes, Photo by Andrea Canter

Over the last 30 years, Haynes has primarily free-lanced when the sideman opportunities appealed to him, as well as spending more and more time leading his own bands. He supported the great Sarah Vaughan for many years (touring 1954-59), and at one time or another, he has managed the trapset for Eric Dolphy, Stan Getz, Gary Burton Chick Corea, Pat Metheny, and Michel Petrucciani; he led the jazz-rock Hip Ensemble with George Adams and Hannibal Peterson. More recently he has mentored younger artists such as saxmen Ralph Moore, Craig Handy, and Marcus Strickland; his own son, trumpet/cornet player Graham Haynes; and now his grandson, drummer Marcus Gilmore.

Numerous accolades and honors have been awarded to Haynes, including the “Living National Treasures of Jazz” (Museum of American History) in 1988; an honorary Doctor of Music degree from Berklee College of Music in 1991; the 1993 inductee into the International Academy of Jazz Hall of Fame (University of Pittsburgh); the French Chevalier des l'Ordres Artes et des Lettres; numerous Down Beat polls. His Dreyfus release, a tribute to Charlie Parker aptly titled Birds of a Feather, received a Grammy nomination in 2002. In 2004, he released the explosive, live Fountain of Youth (Dreyfus), featuring his current quartet of Marcus Strickland, Martin Bejerano, and John Sullivan. Of Haynes’ then-approaching 80^th birthday, Lloyd Sachs (Amazon.com) remarked, “Signs of slowing down? Forget it. The only one trying to catch any breath is the listener.”

Time, for Roy Haynes, never stands still--he always has something new to say. Hear what 81 years behind the drum kit has to offer every jazz fan, of any age, why Roy Haynes is both the elder statesman and youthful core of the Fountain of Youth.

“Every time I get on the bandstand, it's going to be something different. I want to do something that I've never done before.”– Roy Haynes

The Roy Haynes Quartet will be on stage at Chicago's Jazz Showcase, August 1st throuth August 6th, visit www.jazzshowcase.com for information.