Recording: Barnyard Drama

Artist: Barnyard Drama

Song: Improvisation for Justin + We'll Be Okay

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

Barnyard Drama - Improvisation for Justin + We'll Be Okay [composer: Justin Haynes]

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.

Starting with Christine Duncan's voice and Jean Martin's percussion, this farewell grew to encompass most of the day's performers as it slowly transformed into Haynes' hymn to hard-won okayness, serving as a benediction to close out the event.

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.

Recording: John Southworth

Artist: John Southworth

Song: Simple Simple Boy

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

John Southworth - Simple Simple Boy

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.

Haynes was a longtime member of singer/songwriter John Southworth's backing band, reaching back from his brand new album all the back to this one from 2004, which Southworth described as the first song they played together.

Recording: Nick Fraser & Tania Gill

Artist: Nick Fraser & Tania Gill

Song: Thank You and Goodnight [composer: Lina Allemano]

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

Nick Fraser & Tania Gill - Thank You and Goodnight

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.

Away on one her now-frequent working sojourns to Berlin, Lina Allemano was unable to be in Toronto to take part in this event, so instead she sent this spare and melancholic new piece to be played by two more of Haynes' close friends.

Recording: Ryan Driver

Artist: Ryan Driver

Song: Sorry About My Friend

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

Ryan Driver - Sorry About My Friend

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.

Ryan Driver was a steadfast friend to Justin Haynes and they played together in countless projects, one of which shared the name of this song, a moving celebration of the ups and downs of companionship with a unique, forceful and sometimes-challenging individual.

Recording: Myk Freedman and Friends

Artist: Myk Freedman and Friends

Song: Justin Haynes

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

Myk Freedman and Friends - Justin Haynes

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.

Among the many projects Jean Martin and Ryan Driver shared with Justin Haynes, they recorded a couple albums and toured as Freedman, playing Myk Freedman's compositions. In return, a couple years later in 2012, Freedman wrote this piece in tribute. The performance notes for this piece are "driving, inspiring, intense", encapsulating Haynes' spirit. Joined by Karen Ng, Mike Overton and Jake Oelrichs, they put those instructions into action in a joyous blast.