The last year has seen Louis Hayes notch a number of estimable career achievements. In July, he was named an NEA Jazz Master, an honor he will receive at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C. next April. In May, he marked his 85th birthday. And in 2021, he released his 18th album as a leader or co-leader—Crisis (Savant)—with a title inspired by the current political and social climate, and a talented multigenerational lineup that speaks to his continuing stature: Steve Nelson, Camille Thurman, Dezron Douglas, David Hazeltine, Abraham Burton. His schedule remains steady—busy but comfortable: Hayes still hits the road to perform and to teach (in Denver and at McGill in Montreal in October) and appears at one of his usual Manhattan haunts, Smoke Jazz Club, in December.
Hayes’ history impresses both with its highlights and its musical consistency. A product of the postbop wave of the early ’50s, he kicked off his professional career at the ripe age of 15 in his native Detroit, where he rapidly developed a reputation for a distinctively melodic and economic approach to the drum kit; his skill providing complementary backing of soloists stood out from the start. His first big break came early—in 1956, at 19, when he was recruited to take on the drum chair in Horace Silver’s groundbreaking quintet, bringing him to New York City (he’s never left) and elevating him to the top rank of the jazz scene (he’s still there too). In his first two decades in the spotlight, he proved his flexibility supporting a wide range of headliners: Silver, Yusef Lateef, Cannonball Adderley, Oscar Peterson, McCoy Tyner. He also developed a reputation as
