Donovan Haffner Quintet at Leeds Jazz Festival

Jazzleeds present Donovan Haffner Quintet at Leeds Jazz Festival 2026.

Alto saxophonist Donovan Haffner could have be described as one of the best-kept secrets on the UK jazz scene but all this has hanged with the award of Jazz Newcomer of the Year in this year’s UK Parliamentary Jazz Awards

Donovan joined the highly respected Tomorrow’s Warriors Young Artist Development Programmeaged 11, and was mentored by Gary Crosby OBE, Binker Golding, and Alex Davis. He proved to be a stand-out talent and, by the age of 18, he was invited to tour Italy with multi-award-winning drummer Moses Boyd.

Since then, Donovan has played with Jay Phelps, Charlie Stacey, and Balimaya Project. He has also performed with the Danish jazz pianist/composer Rasmus Sorenson and was selected by Tony Kofi to be part of American jazz legend Charles Tolliver’s Big Band, headlining at the Barbican as part of the EFG London Jazz Festival.

Donovan is still very much part of the Tomorrow’s Warriors musical family, performing with both Nu Civilisation Orchestra and Jazz Jamaica. However, it is his growing reputation as a bandleader and composer in his own right that is seeing Donovan come to the attention of jazz fans across the country.

If you have already been lucky enough to catch Donovan play live in a venue you will have been struck not just by the drive and sophistication of his playing, but also how he interprets his own compositions. To see him leading his quartet is to go on a journey with him through the music he loves, straight ahead and contemporary jazz – drawing on the inspiration of the musicians that have influenced him, including Kenny Garrett, Freddie Hubbard, Immanuel Wilkins, Joe Henderson, Wayne Shorter, and Walter Smith III – but enhanced with his own distinctive compositional style.

Recorded with his quintet, Donovan’s debut album “Alleviate” is a vitally exciting contemporary jazz recording, that reflects Donovan Haffner’s burgeoning talent in a glowing light.

His Quintet features Francisco Garcia De Paredes on guitar, Jay Verma on piano, Harry Pearce on double bass, and Harry Ling on drums. Donovan blends straight-ahead contemporary jazz to innovative compositions in his own unique style. Don’t miss this chance to catch one of the UK’s brightest young talents

Music : https://donovanhaffner.bandcamp.com/album/alleviate

Support is from Miles Hardy Quartet. Miles is a young drummer from Leeds – he was part of the Roundhay School jazz band that JazzLeeds supported. He’ll be playing 7.30-8pm

£20/18/10 plus fees in advance, £20 OTD