Benny Bailey

Ernest Harold "Benny" Bailey (August 13, 1925 – April 14, 2005) was an American jazz trumpeter.[1]

For the Kentucky politician, see Benny Ray Bailey.

Benny Bailey
Dexter Gordon, left, with Bailey at the Village Vanguard, June 1977
Dexter Gordon, left, with Bailey at the Village Vanguard, June 1977
Background information
Birth nameErnest Harold Bailey
Born(1925-08-13)August 13, 1925
Cleveland, Ohio, U.S.
DiedApril 14, 2005(2005-04-14) (aged 79)
Amsterdam, Netherlands
GenresJazz
Occupation(s)Musician
Instrument(s)Trumpet
Years active1940s–2000s
LabelsArgo, Candid, Concord, MPS, Freedom, Enja, Ego, Gemini, Jazzcraft, TCB, Laika

Biography

A native of Cleveland, Ohio, Bailey briefly studied flute and piano before turning to trumpet. He attended the Cleveland Conservatory of Music.[2] He was influenced by Cleveland native Tadd Dameron and had a significant influence on other Cleveland musicians, such as Albert Ayler, Bob Cunningham, Bobby Few, Bill Hardman, and Frank Wright. Bailey played with Tony Lovano, father of Joe Lovano.

In the early 1940s he worked with Bull Moose Jackson and Scatman Crothers.[1] He later worked with Dizzy Gillespie and toured with Lionel Hampton.[3] During a European tour with Hampton he remained in Europe and spent time in Sweden, where he worked with Harry Arnold's big band.[1] He preferred big bands over small groups, and he became associated with several big bands in Europe, including the Kenny Clarke/Francy Boland Big Band. His time with Quincy Jones led to a brief return to the United States in 1960. He was invited to the studio as part of Freddie Redd's sextet to record Redd's Blues after meeting the pianist during a tour in Sweden, and played at the 1960 Newport Jazz Festival. He returned to Europe, first to Germany, then the Netherlands, where he settled permanently.

In 1969 he played on Eddie Harris and Les McCann's album Swiss Movement, recorded live at the Montreux Jazz Festival, although it was not his usual style of music. In 1988 he worked with British clarinetist Tony Coe[1] and recorded albums until 2000 when he was in his mid-70s.

Bailey died at home in Amsterdam on April 14, 2005.[1]

Discography

As leader
  • Quincy - Here We Come (Metronome, 1959) also released as The Music of Quincy Jones by Argo in 1961
  • Big Brass (Candid, 1960)
  • Soul Eyes (MPS 1968)
  • Folklore in Swing (MPS, 1966)
  • The Balkan in My Soul (MPS, 1968)
  • Soul Eyes: Jazz Live at the Domicile Munich (MPS 1968)
  • Mirrors (The Amazing Benny Bailey) (Freedom 1971)
  • Islands (Enja 1976)
  • Serenade to a Planet (Ego, 1976)
  • East of Isar with Sal Nistico (Ego, 1978)
  • Grand Slam (Jazzcraft, 1978)
  • While My Lady Sleeps (Gemini, 1990)
  • No Refill (TCB, 1994)
  • Angel Eyes (Laika, 1995)
  • Peruvian Nights (TCB, 1996)
  • I Thought About You (Laika, 1996)
  • The Satchmo Legacy (Enja, 2000)

As sideman

With Count Basie

With Berlin Contemporary Jazz Orchestra

With the Kenny Clarke/Francy Boland Big Band

With Eric Dolphy

With Stan Getz

With Benny Golson

With Dexter Gordon

With Quincy Jones

With Billy Mitchell

With Freddie Redd

With Charlie Rouse

With Sahib Shihab

With Randy Weston

With Jimmy Witherspoon

With Phil Woods

See also

References
  1. "Benny Bailey - Obituary". The Telegraph. May 11, 2005. Retrieved December 23, 2010.
  2. Yanow, Scott. "Benny Bailey". AllMusic. Retrieved January 7, 2019.
  3. Cook, Richard (2005). Richard Cook's Jazz Encyclopedia. London: Penguin Books. pp. 27–28. ISBN 0-141-00646-3.
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