Donovan Haffner Quintet
Donovan Haffner Quintet
Fri 21 November 2025
Stage time / 7:00pm
Doors / 6:30pm
Celebrating the Jazz Clubs
Join us for an early evening show curated by legendary jazz talent development organisation Tomorrow's Warriors featuring breakthrough alto sax talent Donovan Haffner and his Quintet playing selections from his acclaimed debut album Alleviate, and beyond!
Alto saxophonist Donovan Haffner has been one of the best kept secrets on the London jazz scene for the last 3 or 4 years, but that is set to change with the release of his debut album, Alleviate.
Part of the Tomorrow’s Warriors Emerging Artist Programme, Donovan has been mentored by Gary Crosby OBE, Binker Golding and Alex Davis.
He has toured Italy with multi-award-winning drummer Moses Boyd and played with Jay Phelps, Charlie Stacey, Balimaya and Rasmus Sorenson. He was selected by Tony Kofi to be part of Charles Tolliver’s Big Band, headlining at the Barbican as part of the EFG London Jazz Festival. Donovan is still also very much part of the Tomorrow’s Warriors family, performing with both Nu Civilisation Orchestra and Jazz Jamaica. Now with his solo quintet he has wowed audiences at London's Ronnie Scott's and Pizza Express, as well as the We Out Here and Love Supreme festivals.
His debut album Alleviate is a vitally exciting contemporary jazz recording drawing on influences such as Kenny Garrett, Freddie Hubbard, Immanuel Wilkins and Wayne Shorter – but enhanced with his own distinctive compositional style. It will undoubtedly position Donovan as a rising jazz star and one of 2025’s breakthrough artists.
For over 30 years, Tomorrow’s Warriors has played a vital role within its community and the wider music industry and has been credited with literally changing the face of UK jazz.
A Black-founded and Black-led organisation, they are based at Southbank Centre in London and offer a pioneering programme of learning and training which champions and supports young Black and female talent and those who come from challenging circumstances that could be a barrier to pursuing a music career. Musicians whose nascent talents were developed by this programme include Mercury Prize 2023 winners Ezra Collective, Moses Boyd, Nubya Garcia, Shabaka Hutchings and Sons of Kemet, ESKA, Jason Yarde, Denys Baptiste...the list goes on.
Alto saxophonist Donovan Haffner has been one of the best kept secrets on the London jazz scene for the last 3 or 4 years, but that is set to change with the release of his debut album, Alleviate.
Part of the Tomorrow’s Warriors Emerging Artist Programme, Donovan has been mentored by Gary Crosby OBE, Binker Golding and Alex Davis.
He has toured Italy with multi-award-winning drummer Moses Boyd and played with Jay Phelps, Charlie Stacey, Balimaya and Rasmus Sorenson. He was selected by Tony Kofi to be part of Charles Tolliver’s Big Band, headlining at the Barbican as part of the EFG London Jazz Festival. Donovan is still also very much part of the Tomorrow’s Warriors family, performing with both Nu Civilisation Orchestra and Jazz Jamaica. Now with his solo quintet he has wowed audiences at London's Ronnie Scott's and Pizza Express, as well as the We Out Here and Love Supreme festivals.
His debut album Alleviate is a vitally exciting contemporary jazz recording drawing on influences such as Kenny Garrett, Freddie Hubbard, Immanuel Wilkins and Wayne Shorter – but enhanced with his own distinctive compositional style. It will undoubtedly position Donovan as a rising jazz star and one of 2025’s breakthrough artists.
For over 30 years, Tomorrow’s Warriors has played a vital role within its community and the wider music industry and has been credited with literally changing the face of UK jazz.
A Black-founded and Black-led organisation, they are based at Southbank Centre in London and offer a pioneering programme of learning and training which champions and supports young Black and female talent and those who come from challenging circumstances that could be a barrier to pursuing a music career. Musicians whose nascent talents were developed by this programme include Mercury Prize 2023 winners Ezra Collective, Moses Boyd, Nubya Garcia, Shabaka Hutchings and Sons of Kemet, ESKA, Jason Yarde, Denys Baptiste...the list goes on.
