Colin Bailey

Colin Bailey

Colin Bailey is a jazz drummer from New Zealand, also known as a guitarist and a member of Mi-Sex. He is born in Swindon, England, and studies drums from childhood, starting formal lessons at age seven.

Career

Bailey lives in Australia from 1958 into the early 1960s, during which he works with Bryce Rohde and the Australian Jazz Quartet. When the Australian Jazz Quartet tours the United States, he is hired by Vince Guaraldi. He plays with Guaraldi, Jimmy Witherspoon and Ben Webster until 1963, and later returns to work with Guaraldi on the Charlie Brown television specials in 1965.

After settling in California, he works with Clare Fischer from 1962 to 1964, Victor Feldman in 1964, Joe Pass from 1963 to 1964, and Miles Davis in 1963. He tours worldwide with Benny Goodman in 1964 and 1965, appears on a television programme with Terry Gibbs, and tours with George Shearing in 1966 and 1967. His other collaborators include Chet Baker, Ray Brown, João Gilberto and Blossom Dearie, with whom he works in 1975.

Later work

Bailey becomes an American citizen in 1970. He spends six years as Ed Shaughnessy’s backup in the Tonight Show band, and appears in a drumming role in Fernwood Tonight in 1977 and 1978. After moving to Texas in 1979, he joins the faculty of North Texas State University from 1981 to 1984. His later work also includes time with Richie Cole, Jimmy Rowles, Red Mitchell, Stefan Scaggliari, Joe Pass again, Ron Affif, John Pisano and Weslia Whitfield.