Jazz Articles about Phillip Haynes

Phil Haynes’ “No Fast Food” Trio: In Concert (2014)

by Victor L. Schermer
September 5, 2014

A jazz trio called “No Fast Food" is more likely to appeal to a sophisticated audience rather than attract the legion of average jazz fans, and this album will no doubt appeal to just such serious listeners who will take the time to digest it. Phil Haynes, Dave Liebman, and Drew Gress are seasoned players, all of whom strive for a synthesis of mainstream jazz with rich innovation, while mostly avoiding the free and avant garde connotations. This album, recorded ...

Michael McNeill Trio: Passageways

by Hrayr Attarian
March 11, 2013

The rhythm trio is a well-established and ubiquitous format in jazz. Its fluidity and flexibility allow for a wide range of expression from traditional to advanced with the majority of recordings being solidly in the mainstream. Pianist Michael McNeill's exhilarating and innovative debut recording Passageways pushes the harmonic boundaries of the ensemble into unique and intriguing territories.The classically trained Buffalo native leads his intimate group through five of his own originals that allow ample room for spontaneous creativity. ...

Michael McNeill Trio: Passageways

by Eyal Hareuveni
January 31, 2013

Michael McNeill's debut as a leader introduces a fresh perspective to the popular piano trio format. His compositions don't progress in a linear manner, nor do they strive to settle on time-tested harmonic or rhythmic structures; instead, they insistently explore the sonic possibilities within the immediate, fragile and equal interplay that the Buffalo, NY-based pianist-composer has with his improvisation-experienced trio mates, double bassist Ken Filiano and drummer Phil Haynes. McNeill has a mature, personal voice, developed through ...

Phil Haynes- Herb Robertson 5tet: Brooklyn-Berlin

by Derek Taylor
February 1, 2001

Haynes and Robertson are erstwhile leaders on this outing, but a steadfast sense of group administration pervades the entire program. Clarinets play a pivotal role in he music and virtually every bud on the branch of that particular reed family is represented in instrument inventories of Rothenberg and Golia. Paired with the brittle corrugated brass of Robertson the end effect is a very unique frontline. Add to the aggregation the whisper sharp traps work of Haynes and the panoramic bass ...

Phil Haynes - Herb Robertson 5tet: Brooklyn - Berlin

by Glenn Astarita
February 1, 2001

Additional accolades would seem redundant for this improvising crew! On Brooklyn – Berlin drummer Phil Haynes and trumpeter Herb Robertson spearhead a “5tet” featuring multi-reedmen Ned Rothenberg and Vinny Golia along with the always solid bassist Ken Filiano for a set brimming with emotional interplay, temperate themes and cunning improv.

On “Kiss Principle”, Haynes launches the proceedings with a medium-tempo swing pulse via his sweeping brush-work as Rothenberg and Golia performing solely on clarinets here and throughout, inject equal parts ...

Phil Haynes & Free Country: Phil Haynes & Free Country

by Glenn Astarita
March 1, 2000

On Gordon Bok’s “Rosin The Beau”, the great cellist Hank Roberts performs vocal harmonies with his earthy and wooden toned Cello lines as guitarist Jim Yanda kicks the proceedings into an affable all acoustic jazz motif. This and other imaginative renditions of Stephen Foster’s “Oh Susannah”, “Beautiful Dreamer” along with American traditionals such as “She ’ll Be Coming Down The Mountain” and “Shenandoah” comprise some of the 13 pieces on drummer Phil Haynes ambitious and thoroughly refreshing new release titled, ...