An irrepressible force who remained relevant over the course of a seven-decade career, he had a hand in every major development in modern jazz.

Jazz musician Roy Haynes, whose eclectic drumming style helped define the genre, has died, according to reports. He was 99. Haynes died Tuesday in Nassau County, New York, following a brief illness, his daughter Leslie Haynes-Gilmore confirmed to The New York Times and The Washington Post. A cause of death was not disclosed.

The legendary jazz drummer Roy Haynes challenged the idea that a percussionist's primary function was to keep time.