KEVIN HAYS TRIO

Kevin Hays piano
Thomas Morgan bass
Jeff Ballard drums

One of America’s preeminent upper-middle generation pianists, fifty-six-year-old Kevin Hays has had a rich career as both a leader of his own ensembles and a sideman for the great names of jazz America. He will come to Brno with a new, superbly cast trio.

Born in 1968 in New York into a musical family, he was largely destined for a career as a musician. That he chose the piano is the work of his father, an amateur pianist. Kevin Hays learned the instrument from the age of six, although he was initially fascinated by rock music, but he switched to jazz fairly early on and began taking lessons from both private teachers and educational institutions. He began playing publicly in 1985, when he was still in high school, and made his solo debut five years later.

Many of Hays’ recordings have been highly praised by critics at The New York Times and in Downbeat and Jazz Times magazines. The pianist has recorded with Chris Potter, Bill Stewart, Joshua Redman, Nicholas Payton, Al Foster, Lionel Louek, among many others. His most notable collaborations include a piano duo project with Brad Mehldau captured on the Modern Times album for the Nonesuch label, as well as world tours with James Taylor, Sonny Rollins, John Scofield, Joe Henderson and Roy Haynes.

Kevin Hays is quite exceptional on the jazz scene because, in addition to playing piano and composing, he also sings well and can be considered a jazz songwriter. In 2015, he released the well-received album New Day on the Sunnyside label, which showcases his own songwriting. He followed this work in 2019 as a member of the Steve Gadd Band, which won a Grammy Award for the eponymous album. Here, Kevin Hays not only writes several instrumental tracks, but also Spring Song, the album’s only vocal number.

Kevin Hays has, of course, recorded and toured in various lineups, but one was exceptional among them: the trio with bassist Doug Weiss and drummer Bill Stewart lasted for fifteen long years. However, the trio will come to Brno with a changed personnel, but certainly with names that ring no less. The double bass is held by Thomas Morgan, with a wealth of experience, especially on the New York avant-garde scene, and a portfolio including work with Bill Frisell, John Abercrombie, Steve Coleman, Sylvia Courvoisier and many others. Jeff Ballard, one of America’s greatest contemporary drummers, best known for his work with Chick Corea and his longtime membership in Brad Mehldau’s trio, but also, for example, an occasional collaborator with Czech guitarist David Dorůžka, whose collaboration is captured on Andromeda’s Mystery (Bivak Records 2022).

When on sale?

You can buy the concert on its own or as part of the “CREATE YOUR OWN” season subscription from 9 June 2025 (8am) when non-renewed subscriptions are released.

The concert can be purchased as a part of the SUBSCRIPTION (Filharmonie in the Theatre I) ONLINE from 29 April and at the Ticket Office of Filharmonie Brno since 12 May 2025.

SUBSCRIOPTION RENEWAL is possible immediately when confirmed by email about the reservation in the 70th season.