A 20 year veteran New York based artist, beginning in 1983, Phil Haynes is featured on more than 50 LP and CD 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. 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 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, as well as his singular solo drum-set recording entitled Sanctuary.
Moving to central Pennsylvania in 2003, his regional trio, Adams/Stetz&Haynes, features works by the great pianists of the history of jazz, from Scott Joplin through Keith Jarrett and beyond. In addition, Haynes performs regularly throughout the state with legendary Harrisburg pianist, Steve Rudolph, The Zeropoint Jazz Orchestra, as well as The Hammond Brothers – with organist Steve Adams and guest performers such as David Liebman, Herb Robertson, Paul Smoker, Tim Warfield and Jim Yanda.
After founding the nationally noted Jazz@Bucknell chamber series in 2005, Haynes accepted an appointment as Bucknell University’s Kushell Jazz Artist-in-Residence. Since 2007, Haynes teaches courses each semester in Jazz History as a guest lecturer, directs his multi-media/new music Bucknell Improvisation Intensive Ensemble (BIIE), coaches the University Jazz Band rhythm section and soloists, works with various campus small groups, maintains an active private studio, and leads the all volunteer Bison Pep Band.
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, Mark Helias, Lindsay Horner, Ed Jackson, Ritsu Katsumata, David Kikoski, Frank Lacy, Andy Laster, Tony Malaby, Denman Maroney, Micu Narunsky, Jeff Palmer, Hank Roberts, Herb Robertson, Ned Rothenberg, Ted Rosenthal, Rich Rothenberg, Michelle Rosewoman, Steve Rudolph, Steve Salerno, Ed Schuller, Paul Smoker, Michael Stevens, David Taylor, Andreas Willers, Gebhard Ullmann, and Tom Varner.
Other diverse performers that Haynes has appeared with in concert include John Abercrombie, Ralph Alessi, Tim Berne, Bobby Bradford, Don Byron, Bill Carrothers, Billy Childs, Marilyn Crispell, Joshua Davis, Jack Dejohnette, Marty Ehrlich, Jon English, Michael Formanek, Joel Frahm, Charles Gayle, Steve Gilmore, Ben Goldberg, Arnold Hammerschlag, Peter Herbert, Ingrid Jensen, Dean Johnson, David Liebman, Albert Manglesdorf, Tony Marino, Ron McClure, Tony Micelli, Ben Monder, Glenn Moore, Varden Ovsepian, Paul Plimley, Steve Rudolph, Eddie Severn, Louis Sclavis, Leni Stern, John Stowell, John Swana, Steve Swell, Greg Tardy, John Tchicai, Thomas Ullrich, Roseanna Vitro, J.D. Waters, Tim Warfield, Kenny Werner, Kenny Wheeler, Larry Willis and Andrea Wolper.