Always on the move as one of Portland’s most trusted string-slingers, Hayden has performed avidly since the mid 00s throughout the pacific northwest and beyond, as both a bandleader and sideman to diverse acclaimed artists including Jarrod Lawson, Farnell Newton, Darrell Grant, Devin Phillips, Shelly Rudolph, Andy Stokes, Lloyd Jones, LaRhonda Steele, Mel Brown and many more.

 

In 2022, Hayden played over 160 gigs, appearing with everyone from bayou soul singer-songwriter Marc Broussard to Chicago blues survivor John Primer and doo-wop greats The Drifters. Furthermore, Hayden filled opening slots for modern jazz-fusion heroes Marbin and soul icon for Booker T. Jones, alongside vocal collaborator Sarah Clarke.

 

Hayden's albums Get Somethin’ (2018) and Grab & Go (2020) were most recently followed by the stand-alone single Shag Bag (2022) which features iconic keyboardist Ronnie Foster (of 70s era George Benson fame) and has garnered international acclaim as a classic groove piece sounding like an early to mid 70s CTI or Blue Note recording.

 

Hayden’s songs have appeared in major motion pictures and television, including the Sony Pictures #1 box office film The Perfect Guy and BET series Being Mary Jane.

 

As a graduate of the PSU Jazz Studies program, Hayden's guitar stylings are deeply informed through the jazz tradition while equally steeped with blues, funk and soul: the authentic mixture is a result of a lifetime's listening, learning, teaching, practicing and performing.

 

“Hayden comes on strong but sweetly on his latest album, Grab & Go, a neo-soul-jazz outing with nods to historical roots, but also lined with modern twists and ear-grabbing harmonic rope-a-dope. This is party-ready jazz, but with brains and nimble guitar venturing in the bargain.” -Josef Woodard (longtime contributor to DownBeat & Jazziz)