Biography
Joe Hayman, whose surname recalls a casual greeting favored in certain circles, evidently found the key to extended vitality by reaching his hundredth birthday during 2003. Those favoring restraint in personal habits might credit the milestone to his exit from the bandstand, since he had practiced as a pharmacist from the mid-1940s forward, allowing his saxophones to sit idle. Though not the best-known reed player to emerge from Little Rock—that honor belongs to Pharoah Sanders—Hayman delivered reliable work in several ensembles directed by pianist Claude Hopkins, appeared with singer Josephine Baker, and performed in a large group formed by Louis Armstrong.
His musical employment started in the opening years of the 1920s. Time spent alongside bandleader, pianist, and composer Alex Hill offered clear stimulation, while engagements with a unit led by Eugene Crook may have felt less inviting on account of the leader’s singular surname. Somewhat later Hayman aligned himself with another musician sharing that uncommon first name, Eugene Kennedy.
Substantial momentum arrived, however, through continued association with Hopkins, which included a European tour in 1925 that featured backing for Baker’s vocal displays. Upon reentering New York City the following year, the saxophonist sustained his connection to Hopkins while also linking up with Wilbur De Paris. In the late 1920s he crossed the Atlantic once more as part of the Blackbirds revue. Although Hayman performed stateside in the early 1930s, European prospects remained attractive, leading to an extended stint with Willie Lewis that ran from 1934 through 1938. Trumpeter Bill Coleman shared bandstands with him during this span, producing effective horn sections. Membership in the Harlem Rhythm Makers took the group on an Egyptian tour, a route seldom followed by jazz musicians of the era. Early in the 1940s both Armstrong and Hopkins again drew on his abilities before Hayman exchanged improvising for the dispensing of medicine.
His musical employment started in the opening years of the 1920s. Time spent alongside bandleader, pianist, and composer Alex Hill offered clear stimulation, while engagements with a unit led by Eugene Crook may have felt less inviting on account of the leader’s singular surname. Somewhat later Hayman aligned himself with another musician sharing that uncommon first name, Eugene Kennedy.
Substantial momentum arrived, however, through continued association with Hopkins, which included a European tour in 1925 that featured backing for Baker’s vocal displays. Upon reentering New York City the following year, the saxophonist sustained his connection to Hopkins while also linking up with Wilbur De Paris. In the late 1920s he crossed the Atlantic once more as part of the Blackbirds revue. Although Hayman performed stateside in the early 1930s, European prospects remained attractive, leading to an extended stint with Willie Lewis that ran from 1934 through 1938. Trumpeter Bill Coleman shared bandstands with him during this span, producing effective horn sections. Membership in the Harlem Rhythm Makers took the group on an Egyptian tour, a route seldom followed by jazz musicians of the era. Early in the 1940s both Armstrong and Hopkins again drew on his abilities before Hayman exchanged improvising for the dispensing of medicine.
Singles