SKF NOTE: With Roy Haynes’s passing I’m reminded of several gems Haynes said in our interview in his home on this day, November 15, 46 years ago, when Haynes was 53 years old.
Having seen plenty of transcriptions of Haynes drum solos, presented on manuscript paper as so many triplet and other drum rudiment variations, I asked Haynes about favorite rudiment variations. He answered, “Not everything I play has a name.” And later, “I like sounds.”
Haynes was noted for freeing up the hi-hat. He didn’t often play his hi-hat on the standard 2 and 4 beats. Instead, his hi-hat was an independent voice within his overall drumset playing.
When I asked him about this innovation, Haynes laughed. He said he couldn’t play his foot in a continuous 2 and 4 on his hi-hat.
So, what some might consider a shortcoming became a signature part of the Haynes snap, crackle, pop sound.
Haynes said he dreaded playing drum battles with Papa Jo Jones. He said he, Haynes, could play the slickest drums ever, and Jones would have some trick – perhaps a facial expression, or a stick twirl – that would inevitably persuade the audience to vote Papa Jo the drum battle winner.
There was the time Roy Haynes was with a band sharing billing with Buddy Rich’s band. At one point, Haynes had to play a drum solo and he felt the great pressure of soloing with Rich in the house.
But, said Haynes, “everything went right” with his drum solo. And when Rich stepped onstage for his next set, he stepped up to the microphone, telling the audience about the sensational Haynes performance, and leading the audience in another round of applause for Haynes.
Roy told me that meant a lot to him.
I have several more memories of my time 46 years ago with Roy Haynes. But I will leave those for another day.
Scott K Fish 
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