Derek Bailey has died

[EKE BBB]

A very reliable source has just announced in another list that Derek Bailey has died today.

RIP

[EKE BBB]

[7/4]

Wow. RIP.

[Soul Stream]

Who's Derek Bailey?

[7/4]

Who's Derek Bailey?

Guitarist, one of the founders of the European free improvisation scene. Among his many recordings, he recorded a 3 CD set with Pat Metheny.

Edited December 25, 2005 by 7/4

[gnhrtg]

Peh. RIP, Mr. Bailey.

[Aggie87]

R.I.P. Mr. Bailey.

[Rosco]

This is very sad news indeed.

RIP Derek.

[P.L.M]

Sad news.

On of the few who reinvented his instrument.

RIP Mr BAILEY.

[Nate Dorward]

That's very sad news, though not unexpected -- a friend of Derek's had told me how ill he was.

I saw him once, in Cambridge at a poetry festival (invited by his friend the poet Peter Riley). He played solo acoustic, with a TV set onstage. Halfway through he explained that he had recently done a TV feature & for some reason they had filmed his left hand & right hand separately--there were no shots of him from a distance. So he played, as a kind of intermission, the tape of the performance, which simple showed one hand or the other but never the two at once. -- There was a pamphlet of poems that accompanied the conference; Bailey & Simon Fell were also asked for contributions; Derek's was a page of what looked like an impenetrable biology/chemistry paper; I believe it was a page from an article pubished by his son.

Never saw him again thought I would very much have liked to; did correspond with him a bit when I did a book of essays on Peter Riley, though he didn't end up contributing something (but very kindly sent me Takes Fakes & Dead She Dances, which contains a track with Derek reading chunks of gravesite excavation records out of Peter's book Excavations).

In terms of checking out Bailey, I've always found his solo work the best entry-point: Drop Me Off at 96th & Lace are favourites; the former includes an unexpected stretch of 1930s-style rhythm guitar at one point & a snatch of "I Didn't Know What Time It Was". The album with Metheny should be avoided as a first point of entry, I'd think, unless you're a big fan of brutal noise onslaught.

[clifford_thornton]

Ouch, this hurts.

RIP, Mr. Bailey, and thanks for all the sonic peace you have given us...

Man, oh man, oh man.

[Guest Chaney]

Holy shit! I had no idea he was ill. What an unexpected and awful thing to have happened.

Not to sound insensitive but I wonder what'll become of Incus.

Rest in peace, dear Derek.

Edited December 26, 2005 by Chaney

[mikeweil]

clementine said it all ........

Very sad news. His book on improvisation has something to say for everybody, regardless of style.

R.I.P.

[7/4]

In terms of checking out Bailey, I've always found his solo work the best entry-point: Drop Me Off at 96th & Lace are favourites; the former includes an unexpected stretch of 1930s-style rhythm guitar at one point & a snatch of "I Didn't Know What Time It Was". The album with Metheny should be avoided as a first point of entry, I'd think, unless you're a big fan of brutal noise onslaught.

You're right about the Metheny album and the solo work too.

[7/4]

hopefully, after Bach Fest, WKCR will do a Derek memorial & hopefully this thread won't get TOO solemn. for all the brilliant rigor of Derek's inventions, he was a very funny raconteur, the music always playful.

They have to! 24 hours should be about right, it would be cool if they did more.

[Guest Chaney]

For the uninitiated, sample of Derek Bailey's playing.

Also, listen HERE.

[DTMX]

Wow. And to think that the last thing I did today before leaving for the office was to download Derek Bailey's And recording (with Pat Thomas & Steve Noble) to my iPod. Guess I'll cue it up right about now...

[Evonce]

I got into Bailey about six years ago. Favorites include Mirakle, The Last Wave, Ballads, and the duet album with Gregg Bendian called Banter.

As has been said, Bailey's IMPROVISATION book is essential reading for all kinds of musicians.

RIP Derek, and thanks for your courage.

[ep1str0phy]

What a trailblazer. Courage is right... courage, gusto, and joy. Seldom have I heard a musician--a guitarist--so insouciantly brave, uncompromising. As one in a long tradition of improvising axmen, forver chafing at the laws of principle, I'll always cherish those jagged, acidic lines. Here's to a liberator, one of the greats... the proverbial twanger just lost one more string.

Edit to second recommendations on the "Improvisation" book--looks like a good time to break it out. Truth is marching in, baby.

Edited December 26, 2005 by ep1str0phy

[Alexander Hawkins]

Another recommendation for the 'Improvisation' book. It should probably be pointed out that it's extremely readable - easily recommended to someone who doesn't like Bailey's own playing, for instance.

Everyone speaks so highly of Derek who's played with him. Apparently a top bloke, as well as musician.

And an inspiration. He's scaled down his playing a lot in recent years, but I know there was still quite a number of us young guys holding out for the opportunity to play with him (he would frequently have people over to jam).

I love 'Ballads', too (thoroughly non-idiomatic? REALLY? Listen e.g. to 'Body and Soul'!).

I've recently also been enjoying 'Pieces for Guitar', and his playing on some of those early Brotzmann FMPs - e.g. 'Fuck De Boere'.

[7/4]

The word seems to be he died of motor neuron disease/ALS.

[EKE BBB]

From the same source:

Funeral and cremation will be in a week. His ashes will be spread on the Lower East Side of New York, at the time of a big tribute concert John Zorn is organizing.

[AllenLowe]

it's ineresting to contrast his book on improv with Berlins' book about same - while Berlin's was full of academic double talk and re-statements of the obvious, Bailey's was quite illuminating, spiritual and practical at the same time - indispensible, even for non-musicians -

Edited December 27, 2005 by AllenLowe

[WD45]

Sad news hearing that.

His recordings made me hear ALL music in a different way.

Another plug for his book here. I may have to re-read it soon...

[brownie]

Le Monde carries this report - in French only - on the death of Derek Bailey (in London) on its website:

http://www.lemonde.fr/web/article/0,1-0@2-...1-725095,0.html