Stephen Haynes

Stephen Haynes is an improviser, arts organizer and recording artist. His practice ranges from small groups to large orchestras with a focus on working directly with composers in the development of new music. His work is featured on Pillars, Tyshawn Sorey’s groundbreaking work for octet released on Firehouse 12 Records. He is also a founding member of Adam Rudolph’s East Coast version of Go: Organic Orchestra.

Haynes records for New Atlantis Records, most recently releasing Pomegranate, a quintet with Joe Morris, Ben Stapp, William Parker and Warren Smith. His pocket brass band, Knuckleball, features three cornets, tuba and drums with Taylor Ho Bynum, Herb Robertson, Ben Stapp and Eric Rosenthal. Expect a new recording release by this ensemble during 2021.

Haynes’ primary focus – since 2013 – has been the cornet. He performs on Schilke XA1 Shepherds Crook and Eb Soprano cornets as well as the 1040 FL flugelhorn and X4L B^b trumpet. Across all of his instruments, he relies upon a set of custom-designed Schilke mouthpieces.

Over the past 40 years, he has worked with a range of vanguard composers including Bill Dixon, Cecil Taylor, George Russell, Butch Morris, Rhys Chatham, LaMonte Young and Earle Brown.