The Concert That Could Have Been

Some time back, I went to a SF Jazz Festival concert celebrating the drummer Roy Hayne’s 80^th birthday. He had invited an all-star band that included Chick Corea on piano, Christian McBride on bass, Gary Burton on vibes, Josh Redman on saxophone, Nicholas Payton on trumpet and other guests. If you closed your eyes and listened to his drumming, you would have found it hard to believe that these sounds and that energy was coming from an 80-year old man! In jazz terms, he was killin’ it!!!

 

He began performing in the 40’s with the likes of Lester Young and Charlie Parker, in the 50’s with Bud Powell, Thelonious Monk and Sarah Vaughan, in the 60’s with Stan Getz and Gary Burton, the 70’s with Chick Corea and Pat Metheny and yet more, making his last recording in 2011—and  still performing past then! An extraordinary career, to say the least.

 

At that concert, Gary Burton spoke briefly before one of the pieces, telling how Roy had invited him to play, but Gary had at first declined because it was too difficult for his schedule. Roy persisted and Gary finally said, “Okay, here’s the deal. I’ll come out to play for your 80^th birthday if you promise to play for mine.” Gary was 62 years old. The audience did some quick math and laughed.

Yesterday was Roy Hayne’s birthday. He turned 99. That concert I went to that feels almost yesterday was 19 years ago! 

 

Last year, Gary Burton turned 80. Had Gary performed for the occasion, Roy would have kept his promise!!!! (Alas, due to health problems, Gary retired at a young 74 years old.)

So happy birthday, Roy Haynes! And everyone reading this, please mark the occasion by finding some Youtube clip of this American hero playing! And then stop complaining about getting old!