Adams/Stetz&Haynes
“A classic jazz piano trio”
Steve Adams, piano
Bill Stetz, acoustic bass
Phil Haynes, drums
The classic jazz piano trio, Adams/Stetz&Haynes performs: Scott Joplin's Pineapple Rag; Fat's Waller's Ain't Misbehavin' and Jitterbug Waltz; Duke Ellington's Come Sunday, African Flower, and Caravan; Bud Powell's Crazyology, Tempest Fugit, and Un Poco Loco; Dave Brubeck's Blue Rondo ala Turk; Bill Evan's For Nanette, Nardis, and Very Early; Chick Corea's Matrix and LaFiesta, along with dozens of other carefully arranged and memorized works by pianist/composers such as Joanne Brackeen, Allen Broadbent, Vince Guaraldi, Herbie Hancock, Hampton Hawes, Kenny Kirkland, Keith Jarrett, Horace Silver, Billy Strayhorn, Bobby Timmons, McCoy Tyner, Randy Weston, Mary Lou Williams, and original new works by Steve Adams and Phil Haynes.
Phil Haynes’ No Fast Food
“The tough tenor trio”
Tim Warfield, tenor and soprano saxophones
Drew Gress, acoustic bass
Phil Haynes, composer/percussionist
The international saxophone/bass& drums trio, No Fast Food, performs the new music and jazz compositions of Phil Haynes, with "jazz standards" reserved for student workshops.
In addition to providing concerts, both trios are comfortable teaching public workshops and master classes on various aspects of jazz history, it's harmony, it’s composers, arranging techniques and performance practices, whether for university, high school, or elementary audiences. Additionally, Haynes enjoys introducing all levels of musicians to "pure improvisation" to include classically-trained, rock-based, or even self-taught folk performers the essentials of “spontaneous composition”.
Faculty and student ensembles will especially benefit from the "insider artistic knowledge" of performance practices, interpretation, and repertoire, while History of Jazz presentations are appropriate for most general audiences.
Speaking of Phil Haynes: "In addition to displaying as much taste as another drummer named [Roy] Haynes, Phil turns in such varied and colorful scores that nothing here sounds like a percussion concerto, except the gorgeous "Ballad for Heike," which is supposed to. 'A'. "- Francis DavisThe Village Voice
Modern jazz master and educator Phil Haynes’ recording debut, The Paul Smoker Trio's QB with Anthony Braxton, was named the #1 recording of 1985 by Kevin Whitehead in Coda Magazine. Within a few years of this international debut, critics readily compared his drumming to Jack DeJohnette, Roy Haynes and Elvin Jones, and his compositions to Ellington, Ives, Mingus and the Art Ensemble of Chicago. Of his more than 40 commercial CD appearances, Haynes has 10 significant recordings as a leader. His new "tough tenor trio", No Fast Food, with virtuoso bassist Drew Gress and saxophone titan Tim Warfield, carries on the great tradition of Sonny Rollins’ famed Way Out West and Elvin Jones’ pivotal Puttin’ It Together recordings. In a more familiar context, Haynes' Pennsylvania-based classic piano trio, Adams/Stetz&Haynes, features great compositions by the famed pianists throughout the history of jazz, from Scott Joplin through Keith Jarrett and beyond. As a leading instructor of improvisation, Phil Haynes' mission for the last five years has been to introduce audiences in the Susquehanna Valley of Pennsylvania to world-class jazz. In 2003 Haynes moved his full time residence from New York City to Lewisburg, PA, and was appointed producer for his esteemed concert series, Jazz at Bucknell, presenting international improvising masters to the region. He is also currently serving as Bucknell University Jazz Artist in Residence, Bill Boswell's Production Coordinator for the Janet Weis Cabaret Jazz Series, and Director of the University's Pep Band. As a freelance musician, Haynes is highly sought after in the region, performing with resident musicians such as David Liebman, Steve Rudolph, and Tim Warfield. Haynes has appeared on dozens of commercial CDs with artists in the "vanguard of jazz" including Anthony Braxton, Dave Douglas, Mark Dresser, Marty Ehrlich, Ellery Eskelin, Mark Feldman, Drew Gress, Mark Helias, Ed Jackson, David Kikoski, Frank Lacy, Andy Laster, Tony Malaby, Hank Roberts, Herb Robertson, Ned Rothenberg, Ted Rosenthal, Rich Rothenberg, Michelle Rosewoman, Paul Smoker, Gebhard Ullmann, and Tom Varner, among many.
"Speaking of Phil Haynes . . . the technical side of his playing is no issue at all . . . He uses his great dexterity for intensive communication and intricate networks among his fellow players . . . he will be one of the great drummers of the 1990's in the line of Jack DeJohnette."- George KleinertJazz Podium
Corner Store Syndicate Press Release
This idealistic four year association served to establish most of our international careers:
The Corner Store Syndicate is a community of composer/improviser/band leaders who are dedicated to true group music, where the personality of the individual performers contributes an integral part to each ensemble's distinctive sound. Each group is a separate musical democracy, given definitive character by the aesthetics of its leader(s).
Not unlike Duke Ellington, the Syndicate's leaders compose new jazz by writing with each member's originality in mind, while challenging them to negotiate new forms and concepts. As a result, the musicians involved are used because of the strength of their unique voice and unselfish dedication to expanding the communities' music rather than for commercial considerations.
Together the Syndicate's family of musicians have been featured on over fifty released recordings which pay homage to the entire history of music. They are a non-exclusive community bonded by a common dedication to: developing new improvised forms, aesthetics, and languages; continuing jazz's evolution/ expansion as art; and acting as a model for actualizing the potential of true, collective, democratic freedom.
Whatever you choose to call this music, whether "neo-conservative" or "post-radical", one hearing should convince you that the musics of the Syndicate are powerful, creative, vital, and challenging: music "on the edge."
- The Corner Store Syndicate
Assorted Press Quotes and CD Introductions:
Continuum
"I listened to the music of Phillip Haynes with pleasure. It has character, it communicates thoughtfulness, and very evident are long intricate and compelling lines of musical discourse. It is music written for the ear but finely molded by a highly developed musical intelligence . . .
The performance throughout is highly professional and I believe will delight listeners."
- Lorin Maazel, conductor, The Pittsburgh Symphony
" . . . Phil Haynes not only proved worthy of the [solo] opportunities accorded him,
[his] sharply contrasting tunes ranked among the evening's highlights."
- Mike Joyce
The Washington Post, January 11, 1989
The Phil Haynes Continuum is a culmination of artistic influences I encountered during my first three years of living in New York. The Passing, my debut recording as a leader, was conceived after meeting Mark Feldman in the fall of 1984. The excitement of our first duet sessions led me to compose this music for his violin, providing Mark with a richly deserved first New York recording debut.
My music for this ensemble combines traditional jazz interactions between the rhythm section and soloists with modern tonal harmony – often with serial root progressions – as in Shramba and Concerto for Jazz Quartet. The mixture of strings, piano, and percussion produces a distinctive sound ideal for realizing my "mostly jazz, sometimes classical" approach.
- Phil Haynes
4 Horns & What?
"The group . . . used neither a bassist nor a pianist, and either would have destroyed
the debut of an extremely promising band . . . an ideal band."
- Peter Watrous
The New York Times, June 1988
" . . . belligerent . . . polished . . . bits of brass band music . . . jazz . . . chamber music . . .
free improvisation, with piles of sound heaped on each other, writhing . . . "
- Peter Watrous
The New York Times, May 4, 1991
"In addition to displaying as much taste as another drummer named [Roy] Haynes,
Phil turns in such varied and colorful scores that nothing here sounds like a percussion concerto,
except the gorgeous "Ballad for Heike," which is supposed to. A"
- Francis Davis
The Village Voice, August 20,1991
When I first considered forming a second band in late 1986, I was trying to reconcile an interesting set of aesthetics: I wanted a band that could play most situations without amplification, a band that would whisper one moment and raise the roof the next, an ensemble built around the intimate dialogue of a good duet, a small group with wide instrumental color, a big band inspired contrapuntal ability, and a format where I would be challenged to assume equality with the front line. The prospect of combining two brass players with two saxophonists and drums became the irresistible solution.
4 Horns & What? utilizes the African concept of direct conversational interplay between rhythm and melody. By excluding other rhythm section players, the intimacy of the drum/horn dialogue becomes the norm. In this format, harmony returns to its polyphonic roots as an extension of the collective blowing. The result is a wide-open, acoustic, improviser's band, where everyone shares equal responsibility for solos, accompaniment, and time keeping.
- Phil Haynes
"Speaking of Phil Haynes . . . the technical side of his playing is
no issue at all . . . He uses his great dexterity for intensive communication
and intricate networks among his fellow players . . . he will be one of the
great drummers of the 1990's in the line of Jack DeJohnette."
- George Kleinert
Jazz Podium, June 1989
"Remarkable is Phil Haynes: just like Jack DeJohnette or Bob Moses he is
broadening the beat by means of a significantly melodic component.
You don't have to be a prophet to forsee a great future . . ."
- Heinrich Oehmsen
Szene, Hamburg, March 1991
Free Country
When I first performed with cellist Hank Roberts on Andy Laster’s CD Twirler, I thought how Hank’s Appalachian barn dance roots - performing bluegrass with his fiddling grandfather - would be a perfect match with guitarist Jim Yanda’s Iowa-grown country & western dance hall beginnings. A few years later, my good friend Christian Kvech said “Why don’t you get a string band together to play all of that old pre-1900 American Folk music you wanted to arrange for 4 Horns & What? It might very well gain a wider ‘non-jazz’ audience and become a popular success.” At that moment, Free Country was born.
Either Hank Roberts or Jim Yanda should have put this band together for themselves as it is a unique expression of their earliest musical influences. My leading role here as a producer, arranger, and drumming “sideman” in this romantic context creates a “looking glass” at our American roots, as well as our future. How could the “NPR crowd” resist?
-Phil Haynes
Sanctuary
“Unbelievable…your music sounds like Avant-Garde Zen!”
- Kenji Yastake
Corner Store Productions, February 2002
After recording Trad Corrosion with Gebhard Ullmann at the SFB studios in the former East Berlin, the producers for German radio invited me to record my first solo percussion recording. The SFB studio had been built in the 1920’s to house rehearsals and recordings of the Berlin Philharmonic. The 40’ ceilings of this cavernous studio created an environment ideal for my “too soft for live performance” percussive creations, as well as a powerful ally in the traditional “drumming thunder” of my instrumental lineage. I had dreamt of such a project for years, inspired by the solo alto saxophone performances of Anthony Braxton, but had never pursued this daunting artistic challenge.
Though improvised, this was not a going to be a jazz recording, but rather a new music statement for percussionists and composers alike. My strategy was simple, record four one-hour “concerts” of improvisations for the radio, then edit a new combined set for the record. Each hour would be made up of continuous suites of tightly constructed “spontaneous compositions.” The original four recorded hours were fabulous, but editing together a new performance, of similar internal logic, proved a startling challenge. Though not quite in final published format, I feel this is some of my most important work.
-Phil Haynes
Michael Friedman bio on Phil Haynes
I first met Phil Haynes in 1984 at the 55 Bar in New York City. We were both new drummers to the scene trying to make a name for ourselves. He was friendly (somewhat unusual in the ultra-competitive world of early 1980s New York jazz drummers), intelligent, a great conversationalist, and incredibly passionate about music.
At that time, Phil's main gig was working with trumpeter Paul Smoker's Trio. The band had just recorded its first record, entitled "QB" (featuring Anthony Braxton), which would go on to be picked the #1 Jazz album of 1985 by Kevin Whitehead for Coda Magazine. Smoker was, and is, Phil's primary influence. When Phil was a student drummer at Iowa's Coe College, intent upon showing off his Oregon State Percussion Champion chops (in a decidedly Buddy Rich-like style), Smoker saw potential in Haynes' fire. He encouraged him to play hard, study composition and most importantly, look for his own sound. Phil took that ball and ran with it.
Since then, his musical output has been extraordinary. He has been a big part of a movement of new jazz that has developed in New York over the last ten years. This new jazz, sometimes called "downtown," is focused on composer/improvisers. The improvisation borrows heavily from the free jazz techniques of the 1960s. The composition is informed by jazz structures and harmony, contemporary classical music approaches and often employs influences from world music. It is uncompromising, challenging, powerful and vital. Important contributors to this scene such as Dave Douglas, Mark Feldman, Tim Berne, Don Byron, Ellery Eskelin, Herb Robertson, Lindsay Horner, Frank Lacy, Michele Rosewoman, Ed Schuller, David Taylor, Tom Varner, Andy Laster, Mark Helias, Gebhard Ullmann, Vinny Golia, Mark Dresser and others, have all participated in sessions, working out their sounds, at the Brooklyn-based, converted corner store/rehearsal space Phil calls home. During this time, Haynes has appeared on more than [40] albums. New music labels such as JMT, HatArt, Soul Note, Owl, Open Minds, Enja, Sound Aspects, Alvas, Nine Winds, New World and CIMP all have either a Phil Haynes led session or a collective groups featuring Haynes in their catalog.
As he does for all his releases, Haynes brings a personal approach to the producing/arranging/recording process. “My overall goal for the session was to allow musicians who love playing together to truly improvise as a unit. I dictated the tempos, feels, soloists and conception so that there was organization within the freedom."
In a recent conversation, Haynes told me that he felt he had found a group of musicians who had tapped into the same heartfelt romance he felt for this material. "These guys performances should remind us of how truly rich our musical heritage is in this country and how much our roots need to guide us in the next century."
Sixteen years later, Phil Haynes retains the same qualities that I remember from the first time we met. He is a great friend. He consistently offers to the world an original and intelligent style of music. And his passion for music has only grown stronger.
-Michael Friedman, Premonition Records