Recording: Jean Martin

Artist: Jean Martin

Piece: Justin's letter to a promoter

Recorded at The Tranzac's Main Hall (Service for Justin Haynes), April 19, 2019.

Jean Martin - Justin's letter to a promoter

Some things are hard. In the aftermath of a sudden loss, family, friends and collaborators joined together to celebrate the life and music of Justin Haynes. Famously banned from The Tranzac, the sad smiles at the fact of his return were indicative of the vibe: shock and sadness with a grimly-funny streak. Hopefully being together helped some people move forward in processing this tragedy, and hopefully Justin's music and spirit will be remembered and celebrated. Over the course of the afternoon and evening, many of his fellow-travelers paid tribute by revisiting Justin's material or offering some new tributes. Here's a few of the sounds from the day.

In sharing stories and memories, all of the day's speakers brought Justin's personality to fill the room, but near the event's end, Jean Martin brought perhaps the most cathartically transgressive burst of pure joy. Although Martin was reading this, anyone who knew him could hear Haynes' voice in every line in this gig-securing missive – sly, backhandedly-revealing, pushing a joke too far and then pausing before kicking it onward down the field.