Victor Bailey (musician)
Victor Bailey | |
|---|---|
 Bailey in 2008 | |
| Background information | |
| Born | March 27, 1960 Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S. |
| Died | November 11, 2016 (aged 56) Stafford, Virginia, U.S. |
| Genres | Jazz, jazz fusion, pop |
| Occupation | Musician |
| Instrument | Bass |
| Years active | 1980–2016 |
| Labels | Atlantic, Zebra, ESC, Chesky |
| Website | victorbailey |
Victor Bailey (March 27, 1960 – November 11, 2016) was an American bass guitar player.[1] He was the bassist for Weather Report during their final years from 1982 to 1986, and launched a solo career in 1988. As a musician, Bailey was known for his signature scat-bass solos[2].
Biography
Born in Philadelphia, on March 27, 1960, Victor Randall Bailey was raised by a highly musical family. His father, Morris Bailey Jr., was an active musician and composer, while his uncle, Donald "Duck" Bailey, was a jazz drummer, who played on numerous Blue Note records (e.g., Jimmy Smith Trio, Hampton Hawes, Carmen McRae, Dizzy Gillespie).[3] As a child, Bailey played the drums, but ultimately switched to bass guitar after the bassist in his neighborhood band walked out of a band practice. Because young Victor took an immediate liking to the instrument, his father encouraged him to become a bass player.[4] Beginning in 1978, at the age of 18, Bailey attended the Berklee College of Music in Boston after being disqualified from naval service due to asthma.[5]
Like his father, Bailey suffered from Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease for most of his adult life. As the disease progressed, Bailey began using a cane to offset his weakened legs. The weakness finally spread to his upper body, necessitating his 2015 retirement from performing and from his teaching position at Berklee College of Music.[6] He died on November 11, 2016 in Stafford, VA,[7] likely from complications from Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease and Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (Lou Gehrig's disease).[8]
Fender released a Victor Bailey Signature acoustic bass guitar,[9] as well as the Victor Bailey Jazz Bass (Artist series), available in 4, 5-string, fretted and fretless versions.[10] Bailey also used Markbass amplifiers.
Discography
As leader
- Bottom's Up (Atlantic, 1989)
- Petite Blonde (with Dennis Chambers, Mitch Forman, Chuck Loeb, and Bill Evans) (1992)
- Low Blow (Zebra, 1999)
- That's Right! (ESC, 2001)
- Electric (with Larry Coryell and Lenny White) (Chesky, 2005)
- Traffic (with Larry Coryell and Lenny White) (2006)
- Slippin' 'n' Trippin' (2010)
Weather Report
- Procession (Columbia, 1983)
- Domino Theory (Columbia, 1984)
- Sportin' Life (Columbia, 1985)
- This Is This! (Columbia, 1986)
Joe Zawinul
- Faces & Places (2002)
- Weather Update (2005, DVD video)
- Brown Street (Heads Up International, 2006)
References
- ^ "CBW: Larry Coryell/Victor Bailey/Lenny White "Traffic" Chesky". The Washington Post. February 9, 2007. Retrieved June 16, 2008.
- ^ Harris M. Lentz III (2016). Obituaries in the Performing Arts, 2016. McFarland. p. 24. ISBN 978-1-476-67031-7.
- ^ "Passing of Donald Bailey". Retrieved 12 November 2016.
- ^ "Biography". Retrieved 12 November 2016.
- ^ "Interview with bass player Victor Bailey". For Bass Players Only. 2010-02-15. Retrieved 2016-04-26.
- ^ "Victor Bailey". October 30, 2015. Retrieved November 1, 2015.
- ^ "Victor Bailey, RIP". VictorBailey.com. Retrieved 12 November 2016.
- ^ "Health Update, Sept. 27th 2016". Retrieved 12 November 2016.
- ^ "Gear and equipment". Victor Bailey. Retrieved July 9, 2014.
- ^ Fender (2008-03-05), Fender® Victor Bailey Signature Basses, retrieved 2016-04-26
External links
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
| Artists | |
| Other | |
- American bass guitarists
- Berklee College of Music alumni
- Weather Report members
- 1960 births
- 2016 deaths
- Jazz fusion bass guitarists
- 20th-century bass guitarists
- 21st-century bass guitarists
- American jazz bass guitarists
- Deaths from motor neuron disease
- Chesky Records artists
- Guitarists from Philadelphia
- 20th-century American guitarists