Updated: July 18, 2025
Born: June 15, 1961
A veteran artist based in New York for 25 years, Phil Haynes is featured on more than 85 LP, CD, and DVD releases by numerous American and European record labels. Haynes’ debut, The Paul Smoker Trio’s QB with Anthony Braxton, was named the #1 recording of 1985 by esteemed critic Kevin Whitehead. The international media have compared his drumming to masters Jack DeJohnette, Roy Haynes and Elvin Jones, and his compositions to Duke Ellington, Charles Ives, Charles Mingus and the Art Ensemble of Chicago. His performances were recently noted to be “The perfect middle between tradition and avant-garde, between power and sophistication, between accessibility and adventure. . . standards with a new sense of drama, dynamics, and true moments of fun.”
In addition to the critically acclaimed three recordings for Enja Records by the composer’s collective, Joint Venture, Haynes’ diverse and distinctive dozen recordings as a leader include: Continuum (violinist Mark Feldman’s jazz debut); the ground breaking and iconic ensemble 4 Horns & What?; his first recording of jazz standards, A Couch in Brooklyn (featuring Israeli born pianist Micu Narununsky and bassist Drew Gress); The Hammond Insurgency with B-3 organ virtuoso Jeff Palmer; Free Country’s trilogy of Americana with cellist/vocalist Hank Roberts; the singular solo drum-set recording, Sanctuary, as well as No Fast Food, a defining saxophone trio featuring NEA jazz master David Liebman.
Moving to central Pennsylvania in 2003, Haynes founded the nationally noted Jazz@Bucknell chamber series in 2005 and was subsequently appointed as Bucknell University’s Kushell Jazz Artist-in- Residence. From 2007-2012, Haynes taught courses in Jazz History, directed his multi-media/new music Bucknell Interdisciplinary Improvisation Ensemble (BIIE), coached the University Jazz Band rhythm section and soloists, worked with various small ensembles and recitalists, maintained a vigorous private studio, and led the Bison Band. Recent years have featured appointments as interim Director of Jazz Studies for both Susquehanna University, PA, and Nazareth College, NY.
Artists Haynes has appeared on CD with include Theo Bleckman, Anthony Braxton, Adam Caine, Joe Daley, Dave Douglas, Mark Dresser, Marty Ehrlich, Ellery Eskelin, Mark Feldman, Ken Filiano, Vinny Golia, Drew Gress, Thomas Heberer, Mark Helias, Lindsay Horner, Ed Jackson, Ritsu Katsumata, David Kikoski, Frank Lacy, Andy Laster, David Liebman, Tony Malaby, Denman Maroney, Michael McNeill, Micu Narunsky, Jeff Palmer, Hank Roberts, Herb Robertson, Ned Rothenberg, Rich Rothenberg, Ted Rosenthal, Michelle Rosewoman, Steve Rudolph, Steve Salerno, Ed Schuller, Paul Smoker, Michael Stevens, David Taylor, Andreas Willers, Gebhard Ullmann, and Tom Varner.
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Phil Haynes: Electricity Incarnate!
by Doug Collette
In the annals of jazz both short-term and long, the influence of drummer-led initiatives is immeasurable. There is Art Blakey and his Jazz Messengers, of course, plus Tony Williams' Lifetime and, in addition, numerous single-minded efforts like these two coincidental releases of Phil Haynes. Each is a largely freewheeling exercise in revisitation gestated during COVID lockdowns: Transition(s) is Haynes' reunion with one-time frequent jam partner guitarist Ben Monder, while Return To Electric constitutes a reprise of earlier excursions into vintage ...
Continue ReadingPhil Haynes: Return to Electric
by Glenn Astarita
Phil Haynes, a drummer who possesses an extensive and heralded resume, unleashes Return to Electric, a semiavant-garde fusion-fueled romp that feels like a love letter to the electric guitar's golden era, delivered with a sly wink. This album displays Haynes, guitarist Steve Salerno, and bassist Drew Gress capturing the experimental spirit of 1970s jazz-rock while demonstrating their mastery over modern styles. Haynes provides near-flawless support, punctuated by colorific cymbal accents, off-kilter deviations and polyrhythmic fills. The trio kicks ...
Continue ReadingPhil Haynes / Ben Monder: Transition (s)
by Dan McClenaghan
The call of the electric guitar has enticed drummer Phil Haynes to revisit his early passion for the instrument. Two albums have resulted: Return to Electric (review here), and now Transition (s), both on Corner Store Records. The former is a trio album that has Haynes teamed with guitarist Steve Salerno and bassist Drew Gress, the latter, the disc at hand, has the veteran drummer joined in a duo set with guitarist Ben Monder. Haynes pulled up roots ...
Continue ReadingPhil Haynes: Return to Electric
by Dan McClenaghan
The band Return to Forever was a seminal jazz fusion group led by pianist Chick Corea. The eponymous first album, on ECM Records, was released in 1972, opening doors for scores of other like-minded ensembles. Electricity was a main aspect of the move away from acoustic jazz. The Fender Rhodes piano and plugged-in bass and guitars of fusion took hold and, to some degree, seemed to be ushering the old (acoustic) guard out the door. But that did ...
Continue ReadingDay Dream: Duke & Strays Live
by Pierre Giroux
The Day Dream trio's album Duke & Strays Live is a two-CD release recorded at Bucknell University in September 2023. It is a sparkling exploration of the timelessness embedded in Duke Ellington and Billy Strayhorn's music. Lead by drummer Phil Haynes along with pianist Steve Rudolph and bassist Drew Gress, the trio deftly navigates the familiar Ellington-Strayhorn catalogue, offering a fresh examination of these standards without ever lapsing into well-worn paths. It breathes new life into the classics, creating an ...
Continue ReadingPhil Haynes: 4 Horns & What? – The Complete American Recordings
by Alberto Bazzurro
Con minime variazioni fra le diverse edizioni di questo suo gruppo così particolare (quattro fiati più batteria), sicuramente in grado di esprimere (verrebbe da dire “esporre") al meglio le sue doti di compositore e “demiurgo" musicale in senso lato, Phil Haynes, oggi sessantatreenne, riunisce tre sedute d'incisione (l'ultima dal vivo) datate rispettivamente 1989, 1991 e 1995, oltre tre ore e un quarto di musica serratissima (salvo i brevi parlati introduttivi dell'ultimo volume), ricchissima sia sotto il profilo, appunto, compositivo, che ...
Continue ReadingChasing The Masters: First Takes Of A Modern Drumming Artist
by David A. Orthmann
Chasing The Masters: First Takes Of A Modern Drumming Artist Phil Haynes 296 pagesISBN: #979-886-0200883 Self Published 2023 I recently attended several recitals by instrumentalists, composers, and arrangers from the renowned Jazz Studies Program at William Paterson University. The level of musicianship was uniformly high in these stimulating and thought-provoking performances, and the alleged homogeny of jazz in the academy was nowhere to be found. Hearing idealism and enthusiasm in the emerging, ...
Continue ReadingIf cinemascope applied to the drums, haynes would be its de facto Steven Spielberg. ~Ken Micallef, NYC Jazz Record
The perfect middle between tradition and avant-garde, between power and sophistication, between accessibility and adventure. Drummer Phil Haynes has more than 65 albums on his discography, having played with greats such as Dave Liebman, Ellery Eskelin, Dave Douglas, Mark Dresser, Vinny Golia and Herb Robertson, all musicians with superb technical skills, and it's no mystery they chose Haynes to perform with. Phil Haynes has established a reputation as one of the top drummers and composers of his generation. ~Jazz Ed Magazine
Primary Instrument
Drums
Location
Scranton
Willing to teach
Beginner to advanced
Credentials/Background
85 LP + CD drumming credits 40+ original compositions on record (15+ releases as a leader) Affiliate Artist, Bucknell University (2012-present) Kushell Artist-in-Residence, Bucknell U. Department of Music, (2006-2011) Interim Director of Jazz Studies at Nazareth U. (Rochester, NY) + Susquehanna U. (Selinsgrove, PA) Coaching improviser/composers on any instrument, as well as drummers & percussionists $100 first lesson fee (for out of town musicians for initial 2-3 hour lesson) $50 per hour $35 per 30 minutes (repeating weekly rates) Cash preferred (w/checks accepted for continuing lessons) Daily 10:00am - 5:00pm as well as weekends (by appointment)
Clinic/Workshop Information
Paul Smoker
trumpet
John Coltrane
saxophone
Jack DeJohnette
drums
Bill Evans
piano
Drew Gress
bass
Elvin Jones
drums
Philly Joe Jones
drums
Tony Williams
drums
Paul Lovens
percussion
