Born in Brooklyn, New York on September 16, 1960, Graham Haynes is a cornetist, trumpeter, and composer. Known for his work in nu-jazz, which mixes jazz with hip-hop and electronic music, he is the son of jazz drummer Roy Haynes. During his course of his career, he collaborated with artist such as Roy Haynes, The Roots, Cassandra Wilson, Bill Laswell, Vernon Reid, Vijay Iyers, and many others. In 1979, he met alto saxophonist Steve Coleman and the duo formed the electronic music-influenced band Five Elements. This new project helped launched M-Base Collective, which was an influential group of musicians. He also formed his own group, Graham Haynes and No Image, and released his first album as a leader, What Time It Be?, in 1991. Relocating to France in 1990, he took some of his world music influences and recorded the albums Nocturne Parisian (1992) and The Griots Footsteps (1994). Inspired by the hip-hop scene back in his home town, Graham Haynes returned to New York in 1993, releasing the sample-heavy nu-jazz album Transition in 1995, followed by Tones for the 21st Century (1996). Influenced by the burgeoning drum ‘n’ bass scene, he began working with producers and DJs in the UK and U.S. His 2000 album BPM combined the beats of drum ‘n’ bass with the classical works of Richard Wagner. In 2003, he released the album With a Heartbeat, which was a collaboration with saxophonist Pharoah Sanders. Graham Haynes returned in 2007 with the album Full Circle. He also became involved with multi-media projects, composing the scores for the films Flag Wars and The Promise.
