Studio Jazz: Donovan Haffner

Donovan Haffner: Alto Sax

Paul Cornish: Piano

Jermaine Paul: Double-bass

Gary Jones III: Drums

Already a ‘veteran’ of two SoundCellar appearances, Donovan is a south-east London born and bred alto saxophonist. He was the recipient of the 2025 Parliamentary Jazz Awards ‘Jazz Newcomer of the Year’ and the 2026 Jazz FM ‘Breakthrough Act of the Year’.

Aged 11, Donovan joined the highly respected Tomorrow’s Warriors Young Artist Development Programme 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 studied a jazz performance undergraduate degree at the Royal Academy of Music. He has played with Jay Phelps, Charlie Stacey, and Balimaya. He has also performed with the Danish jazz pianist/composer Rasmus Sorenson, Joshua Redman’s pianist Paul Cornish as part of the EFG London Jazz Festival, 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 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 set to see Donovan come to the attention of jazz fans across the country. In 2025 and 2026, he toured with his band across various different jazz venues in the UK, receiving many plaudits and continues to do so.

Donovan brings this brand new lineup of American stars, including Joshua Redman’s pianist Paul Cornish, Pat Metheny’s bassist Jermaine Paul and Dezron Douglas’ drummer Gary Jones lll.

If you have already been lucky enough to catch Donovan play live in a venue (including SoundCellar, London’s Ronnie Scott’s, The Jazz Café, Pizza Express Live), or at a festival (We Out Here, Love Supreme), then 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 ensemble 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, Joel

Ross, Immanuel Wilkins, Joe Henderson, Wayne Shorter, and Walter Smith III – but enhanced with his own distinctive compositional style.