Dave Bainbridge

Dave Bainbridge

Dave Bainbridge is a British guitarist and keyboard player from Darlington, in the United Kingdom. He is best known for co-founding the Christian progressive and Celtic folk-influenced band Iona with Dave Fitzgerald in 1989, and for his later work with Strawbs, with whom he plays from 2015.

Early training and education

Bainbridge comes from a musical family. He starts piano lessons at the age of 8 and learns guitar from his father at 13. He studies at Leeds College of Music, where he attends one of the few courses then offering jazz and popular music studies. While there, he wins two performance awards: the Sam Hood Rosebowl for Outstanding Performance and the BBC Radio 2 Best Jazz Soloist Award for piano.

At college he develops a strong interest in recording and synthesisers, especially through work with the college groups The Leeds Synthonia and the Hyperspace Rock Orchestra.

Session work and collaborations

After college, Bainbridge works through the 1980s in jazz-rock, classical-rock, soul and blues groups. His work includes extensive collaboration with singer-songwriter Adrian Snell, along with projects involving Snake Davis, Gary Boyle, Jack Bruce and Gloria Gaynor. He also does session work and writes and produces music for advertising companies.

Iona and related work

In 1989, Bainbridge and Dave Fitzgerald form Iona, a band associated with progressive rock, Celtic rock and Christian themes. He produces numerous albums, including all nine Iona albums, and his work with the group is a major part of his career. The verified band list also places him in The Project, Lifesigns and Celestial Fire.

Solo albums and label work

Bainbridge releases his first solo album, Veil of Gossamer, on the Open Sky label in 2004. He follows it with two duo albums with Troy Donockley: From Silence and When Worlds Collide. His solo piano albums include The Remembering and To the Far Away.

He and his wife run the Open Sky record label and Open Sky Studios.