Derek Bailey, Highlights?

[bedouin]

Had some LPs in the early 80s (a few so'n'so with Company, and one I adored with Tony Coe Time). Didn't pursue his music much because Bailey sounded a little defacto to me then.

Recently I got to listen to a few more discs (mainly because of the blogs mentioned in another thread) but he still sounds a little underwhelming to me. I mean it's interesting but perhaps too much meandering to figure where it's going. Maybe that's not the point when listening to Bailey(?).

Exceptions have been the Music Improvisation Company discs and 2 Guitar/Drums Ore (with Prevost - did Bailey ever play with the AMM?) and my favorite so far LLaer (with Ingar Zach). Interestingly this last one is a live setting, and it's much better than the studio album by the same duo, which seems to fall into predictable patterns all too easily.

Any obvious highlights I'm missing?

[jon abbey]

Any obvious highlights I'm missing?

your taste doesn't usually overlap much with mine, but my favorites are almost all from 1978-1980 (funnily enough all related to his trip to Japan or involving Japanese musicians), specifically:

New Sights, Old Sounds
Duo and Trio Improvisation
Music and Dance
Aida

I also like his duo with John Stevens, Playing. I've sold the rest of my Bailey discs, I used to have 50 or so.

good discographies here:

http://www.efi.group.shef.ac.uk/" onclick= "window.open(this.href);return false;

[jcg]

Dart Drug, his duo with Jamie Muir from 1981 (Incus LP41/CD19) is OUTSTANDING!!!
Easily the best of his guitar/percussion duo recordings and perhaps my all-time favorite from Bailey!

Totally seconded: Aida (1980), a beautiful solo acoustic guitar album that was re-released on CD by Dexter's Cigar (probably OOP at this point)

Not mentioned yet: No Waiting (1998), a very fine duo with Joelle Leandre that is also the first Potlatch release

A couple of Tzadik records that are quite weird in Bailey's discography but still recommended:
Mirakle (2000), trio with Jamaaladeen Tacuma and Calvin Weston = free skronk funk!!!
Ballads (2002), Bailey covering jazz standards (in his own way obviously)!!!

Free improv fundamentalists might not like these last 2 but I think they show other sides of Bailey that are much more interesting than some other Zorn-curated recording sessions (see Derek & The Ruins, Guitar, Drum & Bass, Viper, etc)

[faster]

Didn't pursue his music much because Bailey sounded a little defacto to me then.

I'm assuming you mean "de facto," but that makes no sense whatsoever.

[simon reynell]

I agree with jcg that Dart Drug (with Jamie Muir) is great, my favourite non-solo Bailey disc. For me his collaborations work best with either percussionists or with low string instruments. In relation to the latter in addition to 'No Waiting' (with Joelle Leandre, which jcg recommended) I'd also add 'Figuring' (with Barre Phillips on Incus), his two duos with Simon Fell (one a 3" cd from Sound 323, the other a piece on the Company in Marseille double CD), and the very early 'Duo' with David Holland (LP on ECM).

Of his numerous discs with reed players, I like most of all 'The London Concert' with Evan Parker (Incus LP,re-issued on cd on psi) and his two albums with Steve Lacy ('Comapny 4' LP on Incus and 'Outcome' on Potlatch), though the track with John Butcher on 'Vortices and Angels' (Emanem) is also pretty strong.

But in the end I like his solo discs most, which is ironic because Derek thought that improvisation was best as a collaborative act, and I fundamentally agree and much prefer virtually every other improviser's work in small groups to their solos. All his solo discs have some great pieces on them (I tend to skip the tracks where he speaks as well), but I particularly like the early 'Incus Taps' (re-issued on Organ of Corti), the 'Improvisation' disc on 'Cramps' (re-issued on Alga Marghen), 'New Sights and Old Sounds' (which Jon mentioned above), Solo Guitar Volume Two (Incus, 1991), 'Drop me off at 96th' (Scatter, 1994) and the Incus LP 'Notes' (still unissued on cd).

He was the first improviser I heard (back in 1973) and has remained a huge figure for me. It may be unfashionable to say so, but I still get great pleasure from hearing a highly-skilled instrumentalist extracting beautiful sounds from the most extended corners of his or her instrument. Derek's discs still offer plenty of that.

[Richard Pinnell]

Wow, we agree on a lot about Bailey Simon, even though I was only two when you first heard him play

For me his collaborations work best with either percussionists or with low string instruments.

Very much agreed. "Playing" with John Stevens mentioned above by Jon is my favourite collaborative disc involving Bailey, really brilliant stuff. When I go back and pull an "old school" improv disc off of the shelves its very often this one.

'No Waiting' (with Joelle Leandre,

Yeah another strong one.

duos with Simon Fell (one a 3" cd from Sound 323,

and again

But in the end I like his solo discs most,

Yep, me too!

'Drop me off at 96th' (Scatter, 1994) .

This is my favourite of all, so good. I generally prefer Bailey playing acoustic, Aida is another big favourite, as is Music and Dance.

[Richard Pinnell]

did Bailey ever play with the AMM?)

No, I'm pretty sure he didn't. Aside from the Ore disc there was also a meeting of Prevost and Bailey in a trio with Jim O'Rourke in a late eighties /early nineties Radio 3 session I have on a tape someplace but who knows where. I'm pretty sure that was their first meeting.

[Salty Swift]

Any obvious highlights I'm missing?

your taste doesn't usually overlap much with mine, but my favorites are almost all from 1978-1980 (funnily enough all related to his trip to Japan or involving Japanese musicians), specifically:

New Sights, Old Sounds
Duo and Trio Improvisation
Music and Dance
Aida

I also like his duo with John Stevens, Playing. I've sold the rest of my Bailey discs, I used to have 50 or so.

good discographies here:

http://www.efi.group.shef.ac.uk/" onclick= "window.open(this.href);return false;" onclick= "window.open(this.href);return false;

Music and Dance was a highlight to me for years as well [perfect for a rainy day], though I wouldn't say
his output with Japanese musicians were his strongest work.
Early Incus stuff was good - duos with various percussionists - Oxley & co.
His duo with Braxton [Victo] from late 80's was quite solid.
Playing was a highlight for me as well.
I loved Village Life - a duo with Louis Moholo and Thebe Lipere.
Even his duo with Gregg Bendian - Banter [OO Discs] - was very rewarding.
Obviously both volumes of Solo Guitar remain quite essential too......

[free math]

did Bailey ever play with the AMM?)

No, I'm pretty sure he didn't. Aside from the Ore disc there was also a meeting of Prevost and Bailey in a trio with Jim O'Rourke in a late eighties /early nineties Radio 3 session I have on a tape someplace but who knows where. I'm pretty sure that was their first meeting.

not AMM per se, but there's this from the british sound archive:
http://www.bl.uk/catalogues/sound.html" onclick= "window.open(this.href);return false;

Item title: [Trio improvisation]
Performer: Rowe, Keith, 1940- (electric guitar, electronics, etc)
Performer: Bailey, Derek, 1930-2005 (guitar)
Performer: Prévost, Eddie, 1942- (percussion)
Collection title: Michael Gerzon Collection
Recording date: 1989.08.12
Live rec. indicator: live
Recording location: Oasis Wine Bar, London E5
Recordist: Michael Gerzon
Recording equipment: Casio DA-1 DAT recorder, Calrec CM1050C microphones at 120 degrees, 2" overlap, on 7ft stand.
Recording notes: Recordist noted 'wind rumble from fan.'
FIND FORMAT: C236/815

[bedouin]

Didn't pursue his music much because Bailey sounded a little defacto to me then.

I'm assuming you mean "de facto," but that makes no sense whatsoever.

His playing sets a standard from the outset from which he rarely deviates. Almost like his improvisation becomes subservient of his style. On one hand this made for an instantly recognizable voice (and one with a lot of possibilities), but on the other hand there is an element of the inevitable on the (few) discs I heard.

But, I'm revising my views. Last night I played Aida, and was very absorbing end to end. I'll be checking more from this list.

[Richard Pinnell]

not AMM per se, but there's this from the british sound archive:
http://www.bl.uk/catalogues/sound.html" onclick= "window.open(this.href);return false;" onclick= "window.open(this.href);return false;" onclick= "window.open(this.href);return false;

Item title: [Trio improvisation]
Performer: Rowe, Keith, 1940- (electric guitar, electronics, etc)
Performer: Bailey, Derek, 1930-2005 (guitar)
Performer: Prévost, Eddie, 1942- (percussion)
Collection title: Michael Gerzon Collection
Recording date: 1989.08.12
Live rec. indicator: live
Recording location: Oasis Wine Bar, London E5
Recordist: Michael Gerzon
Recording equipment: Casio DA-1 DAT recorder, Calrec CM1050C microphones at 120 degrees, 2" overlap, on 7ft stand.
Recording notes: Recordist noted 'wind rumble from fan.'
FIND FORMAT: C236/815

[/quote]

Wow, I had no idea that happened, thanks for pointing it out. Thats very close in time to the BBC recording I heard, which I am pretty sure describes the set as the first meeting between Prevost and Bailey, so maybe they played with Rowe soon after. I wonder what on earth this sounded like...

I wonder if the fan that caused the wind rumble was in Keith's hand or not?!!

[Richard Pinnell]

Also, that recording sits in the British Library, so in theory it should be possible to get hold of a copy.... I will investigate.

Edit: Hmmm, too complex and expensive to get a copy, though may be worth a visit to take a listen.

[Dohol]

My favorite Bailey is his early stuff, up until 1974 or so. He was still exploring and his playing style wasn't written in stone yet.. And I'm also a fan of his solo playing. Solo Guitar volume 1, Improvisation ( the Cramps release ) Music and dance..
MIC, the duets with Dave Holland and his playing on the early Iskra 1903 recordings are all pretty high on my list. Of his latter solo stuff, Aida and Solo Guitar vol2 are my favorites.

[faster]

Didn't pursue his music much because Bailey sounded a little defacto to me then.

I'm assuming you mean "de facto," but that makes no sense whatsoever.

His playing sets a standard from the outset from which he rarely deviates. Almost like his improvisation becomes subservient of his style. On one hand this made for an instantly recognizable voice (and one with a lot of possibilities), but on the other hand there is an element of the inevitable on the (few) discs I heard.

But, I'm revising my views. Last night I played Aida, and was very absorbing end to end. I'll be checking more from this list.

Huh? What's "de facto" about that? You're only confusing me further.

As for the thread, I, too, prefer him solo. Aida and Drop Me Off at 96th are the most exciting of the maybe 8-12 I've heard.

I also like when he told stories. Violinists can't smile, after all.

[Richard Pinnell]

I also like when he told stories.

My favourite of these is on the track "George" a piece on the otherwise pretty bad "Playbacks" disc of Bailey remixes. He doesn't play at all on the track, the (not really that interesting) music comes from Jim O'Rourke and Loren Mazzacane Connors, but Derek just talks over the top of it, telling how much he likes the name George, names all his guitars George and gets in trouble when making love with his wife for calling out the name George in the throes of passion. So funny.

[Dohol]

I also like when he told stories.

My favourite of these is on the track "George" a piece on the otherwise pretty bad "Playbacks" disc of Bailey remixes. He doesn't play at all on the track, the (not really that interesting) music comes from Jim O'Rourke and Loren Mazzacane Connors, but Derek just talks over the top of it, telling how much he likes the name George, names all his guitars George and gets in trouble when making love with his wife for calling out the name George in the throes of passion. So funny.

I love the "interview" tacked on the end of the "Tap's" CD.

He goes on for ten whole minutes without coming to a single point...

" It wouldn't give me any greater pleasure..than um..it's not often that I feel that it's necessary to.. uh.. I mean that occasionally one does want..to..to express something..but its not..apart from the that the opportunity doesn't offer itself..well let's no beat about the bush sometimes you can't think of what to say..

Ten minutes of it..

And the bit on Lot 74, when he marvels at Peter Brotzmann's capacity for beer (" he could drink thirty pints!" )

[faster]

Hehe yeah, George rules. Not enough to redeem that disc, but hey I got it used.

Like Raymond Carver, though, Bailey had a legion of imitators who suck some of the glow off his accomplishments. It's a shame--he was a titan.

[barry]

my favorite derek bailey recording - in fact one of my favorite improv recordings by anyone - is Pleistozaen Mit Wasser with cecil taylor. especially the acoustic half where derek really stretches & explores some new things and cecil, once he gets to the piano, plays inside. a really great set from them both. they also played at tonic but i dont have a recording of that - if anyone does, i would be eternally grateful

[mudd]

I also like when he told stories.

My favourite of these is on the track "George" a piece on the otherwise pretty bad "Playbacks" disc of Bailey remixes. He doesn't play at all on the track, the (not really that interesting) music comes from Jim O'Rourke and Loren Mazzacane Connors, but Derek just talks over the top of it, telling how much he likes the name George, names all his guitars George and gets in trouble when making love with his wife for calling out the name George in the throes of passion. So funny.

hell yes, awesome story. i would also stand up for the john oswald bailey collage on that disc, but otherwise it's fairly boring.

another favorite spoken piece is 'dead she dances' off 'takes fakes and dead she dances'. it's a reading of recitation of a poem, and it works really well with the music.

m

[nhennies]

I've never been way into Bailey's stuff but I've always really enjoyed his record, "String Theory" if anything, because it's so different from his usual plinky-plonky guitar improv. It's an all feedback record, very minimal and restrained but also about as far from 'meditative' as you can get while still being 'minimal'.