Donald Bailey (musician)

Bailey was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on March 26, 1933.^[3] He was largely self-taught as a drummer.^[3]

Bailey got his big break in the jazz world and he is probably best known as the drummer in the trio of jazz organist Jimmy Smith from 1956 to 1964 and also for his work with The Three Sounds on Blue Note Records.^[4] While based in Los Angeles, Bailey also worked as a sideman for musicians including Sarah Vaughan, Carmen McRae, Hampton Hawes, Kenny Burrell, and Red Mitchell.^[5] In the mid-1970s, Bailey moved to Japan, where he lived for five years.^[6]

His album Blueprints of Jazz, Vol. 3 was recorded in 2006 and issued by Talking House Records in 2008.^[7][8] It features Charles Tolliver (trumpet), Odean Pope (tenor saxophone), George Burton (piano), and Tyrone Brown (bass). The album is part of the Blueprints of Jazz series conceived, produced and recorded by Talking House Productions^[9] with an aim to expose the histories and current work of important but often lesser-known jazz players who had contributed to the sounds of jazz legends from the 50’s, 60’s, and 70’s. Production and recording of the albums was helmed by Talking House producers Marc Weibel and Stephen Smith.^{[10][11][12][13][14]}

Bailey's playing also featured on the soundtracks of the films Buck and the Preacher^[15] and Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me.^[16]

Bailey performed around the San Francisco Bay Area^[17] until his late seventies and moved to Montclair, California, shortly before his death at age 80 in October 2013. He had suffered from asthma, seizures, and back problems.^[18][19]