Interview with drummer Colin Bailey, who worked with Winifred Atwell in the 1950s

Mckay, GA

Abstract

Bailey was born in Swindon in 1934. Now lives in California. In Australia in the early 1960s he was a member of the Australian Jazz Quartet. Became an American citizen in 1970. Playing, recording and touring nationally and internationally with Atwell in the early 1950s was a major early break in his music career. As he said to me more than once, ‘I wouldn’t be where I am if hadn’t been for Winnie’.

In his jazz, recording and performing career in the US, Bailey has worked with Frank Sinatra, Joe Pass (with whom he recorded 14 albums), Miles Davis (depping for the teenaged Tony Williams who was too young to get a club licence—‘one of the thrills of my life’), George Shearing, Benny Goodman, and many others. He is author of influential drum technique books, and a former music lecturer at North Texas State University.

In 1978 (?) Bailey was flown out to Australia from the US as a special surprise guest for Atwell’s appearance on the Australian television version of This Is Your Life

• Other Type: Other
• Deposit Date: May 3, 2012
• Publicly Available Date: May 3, 2012
• Keywords: 1950s, popular music, Winifred Atwell, race,