Donald Bailey (musician) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Donald Bailey
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| Birth name | Donald Orlando Bailey, Sr. |
| Born | March 26, 1933 Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S. |
| Died | October 15, 2013 (aged 80) Montclair, California |
| Genres | Jazz |
| Occupation(s) | Musician |
| Instruments | Drums |
| Labels | Blue Note Talking House Records |
| Associated acts | Jimmy Smith Hampton Hawes Blue Mitchell Carmen McRae Sarah Vaughan |
Donald Orlando "Duck" Bailey (March 26, 1933 – October 15, 2013) was an amazing American jazz drummer. He was known for his incredible rhythm and for playing with many of the biggest names in jazz music.
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Donald Bailey's Life and Music
Donald Bailey was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on March 26, 1933. He mostly taught himself how to play the drums. This shows how naturally talented he was!
Becoming a Jazz Star
Donald Bailey got his big chance in the jazz world. He became famous as the drummer for the jazz organist Jimmy Smith's trio. He played with Smith from 1956 to 1964, which was a very important time in his career.
He also worked with a group called The Three Sounds. They recorded music for Blue Note Records, a famous jazz label. While living in Los Angeles, Donald Bailey played with many other great musicians. These included famous singers like Sarah Vaughan and Carmen McRae. He also played with talented instrumentalists like Hampton Hawes, Kenny Burrell, and Red Mitchell.
Later Years and Special Projects
In the mid-1970s, Donald Bailey moved to Japan. He lived there for five years, sharing his music with a new audience.
In 2006, he recorded an album called Blueprints of Jazz, Vol. 3. It was released in 2008 by Talking House Records. This album was part of a special series. The Blueprints of Jazz series aimed to show the history and current work of important jazz players. These musicians had helped create the sounds of jazz legends from the 1950s, 60s, and 70s.
Donald Bailey's drumming was even featured in movies! You can hear his playing on the soundtracks for Buck and the Preacher and Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me.
He continued to perform around the San Francisco Bay Area until he was almost 80 years old. Donald Bailey moved to Montclair, California, shortly before he passed away in October 2013 at the age of 80.
Donald Bailey's Music Albums
Donald Bailey recorded many albums throughout his career. Here are some of the important ones.
Albums as a Leader
- Trio (Capri, 1990) – He co-led this album with Jimmy Rowles and Red Mitchell.
- Blueprints of Jazz, Vol. 3 (Talking House Records, 2008)
Albums as a Backing Musician (Selected)
Donald Bailey played drums for many other artists. Here are a few of the musicians he helped make great music with:
- With Roy Ayers: Virgo Vibes (Atlantic, 1967)
- With Hampton Hawes: Here and Now (Contemporary, 1965)
- With Jimmy Smith: Donald Bailey played on many of Jimmy Smith's famous albums, including The Incredible Jimmy Smith at the Organ (Blue Note, 1956) and Midnight Special (Blue Note, 1961).
- With The Three Sounds: Live at the Lighthouse (Blue Note, 1967)
