Roy Haynes – born in Boston, Massachusetts on March 13, 1925 – is one of jazz’s most recorded drummers. From swing to fusion, bebop to avant-garde, he has forged a career as a leader as well as working as a sideman for many of jazz’s most iconic performers including Lester Young, Stan Getz, Miles Davis, Cal Tjader, Sarah Vaughan, Sonny Rollins, Thelonious Monk, Kenny Burrell, Ray Charles, Chick Corea, and many others. Roy Haynes made his professional live debut in 1942 and became a full-time musician three years later. He then worked with saxophonist Lester Young (1947-1949) before becoming a member of Charlie Parker’s quintet (1949-1952). Between 1953 and 1958, Roy Haynes recorded and toured with vocalist Sarah Vaughan. Roy Haynes’ first album as a leader was 1954’s Busman’s Holiday, which was followed by albums such as Roy Haynes Modern Group (1955), Just Us (1960), Out of the Afternoon (1962), Cymbalism (1963), Hip Ensemble (1971), Togyu (1975), Thank You Thank You (1977), Vistalite (1979), Homecoming (1994), Love Letters (2002), The Island (2007), and Roy-Alty (2011). He also collaborated with artists such as Paul Chambers and Phineas Newborn (1959’s We Three), Booker Ervin (1963’s Cracklin’), and Blue Mitchell, Charles Kynard, and Charles Williams (1974’s Booty). Later in his career, he also performed with artists as diverse as the Allman Brothers (2006) and Phish’s Page McConnell (2008). Roy Haynes received many honors over the course of his career including the DownBeat Reader’s Poll award for Best Drummer (2001, 2002, 2003, and 2004), the DownBeat Critics Award for Best Drummer (2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2007, 2008, 2009, and 2010). He’s also the recipient of three Grammy Awards: Best Jazz Instrumental Performance, Group (1989), Best Jazz Instrumental Performance, Individual or Group (2000), and Lifetime Achievement Award (2012). The most recorded drummer in the history has died on November 12, 2024, at the age of 99.
