TBC introduces… Donovan Haffner

Tell us a bit about yourself. Where did you grow up, and how did you first get into jazz?

I grew up, and still live, in South East London. I got into jazz when I started playing the saxophone. I began learning how to improvise and then found Tomorrow's Warriors, where I discovered my passion for jazz while attending their sessions as an eleven-year-old.

Was it always the alto sax for you?

Piano was my first instrument. However, when I picked up the alto saxophone, it took over, and I became eager to be a saxophonist. I did consider switching to the tenor saxophone when I picked up a school horn in secondary school, but it didn't do it for me. The way I hear myself improvising is more suited to the register and key of the alto.

Who are your main influences now? Can you tell us your top three sax players?

My top three sax players right now are Kenny Garrett, Cannonball Adderley, and John Coltrane. My main influences also include Myron Walden, Freddie Hubbard, Immanuel Wilkins, Joe Henderson, Wayne Shorter, and Mulgrew Miller.

Can you give us the heads-up on an album or an artist you like that you think we might not have come across and should check out?

I’ve been checking out Joe Henderson Big Band Live at Alice Tully Hall (Live New York City '92) a lot lately, which is a bootleg of one of their big band shows.

Can you tell us a bit about Tomorrow’s Warriors? How important were they in giving you and other artists of your generation in London a platform?

Tomorrow’s Warriors has been key to getting me to where I am today. They provided opportunities to perform in various venues around London from when I joined them around twelve years ago.

Now, they help me play with various projects such as Nu Civilisation Orchestra and Jazz Jamaica, as well as giving me my own gigs for my band. They have always supported me and many other great musicians my age, such as Maddy Coombs, Sultan Stevenson, Cassius Cobbson, and Joseph Oti, to name just a few.

You’ve played with some great people, including touring Italy with Moses Boyd. How does playing as a member of someone else’s band compare to the buzz of playing your own music as a leader of your own quintet?

Playing in other people's bands, like Moses Boyd Exodus, has inspired me greatly in how to run a band properly. I’ve learned a lot from how he organises rehearsals and gig information. I loved playing in his band because I could be as free as I wanted in my improvisation, and the band and his compositions were really great.

With my own band, I write tunes that often challenge me in some way, which allows me to explore different approaches to playing and pushes me to improve.

Can you describe your music for those who are new to it and want to know if it’s for them? Are you working on anything new?

My music is a combination of all my jazz influences in some way. I'd say it blends contemporary jazz (coming from New York) with some straight-ahead as well. I am starting to write new material for the new year, which I’m excited to try out.

Who’s in your band, and how long have you all been playing together?

The band lineup for our show at The Bear includes Francisco Garcia De Paredes on guitar, Deschanel Gordon on piano, Harry Pearce on double bass, and Luke McCarthy on drums. This project has been going for five years.

Donovan joins us with his quintet on Saturday 23 November 2024