Today, March 13th, is the 99th birthday of one of the greatest American musicians in history, drummer extraordinaire Mr. Roy Haynes.
No one has his career. He has never stopped playing music. He performed with Charlie Parker in the 1940s and pretty much everyone else since.
Here’s a few high lights.
With Sarah Vaughn in 1954. The drum break is improvised.
https://youtu.be/8BK4nC5zfy4?si=EZpcj1Uw4-oKnrVz
With Chick Corea on one of the most significant piano trio recordings made.
https://youtu.be/dZOprqPzpZY?si=IbxRx42qcGC3aljh
Live performance with a few “scrubs”. (That’s a joke. They are among the most well-known jazz musicians of all time)
https://youtu.be/wlSg2f58w_I?si=r9yi0f1mRX2ixG5H
He kept playing. Here he is with Pat Metheney in 1990
https://youtu.be/Afk_1eVjGoA?si=nkOqMirvYTp4fgh6
Age ain’t nuthin’ but a number….
https://youtu.be/4Y5dvEh0K98?si=mjz2UiJAtS22b9nc
And here’s my old friend, Joe Farnsworth, playing for Roy with Kenny Washington
https://youtu.be/0V326VfgEEs?si=y8C4roImTH_FqzbI
Happy Birthday Roy Haynes!