Victor Bailey – Bass
Born in Philadelphia, on 27 March 1960, Victor Randall Bailey was raised by a highly musical family. His father, Morris Bailey Jr., was an active musician and composer, while his uncle, Donald “Duck” Bailey, was a jazz drummer, who played on numerous Blue Note records (e.g., Jimmy Smith Trio, Hampton Hawes, Carmen McRae, Dizzy Gillespie). Like another famous bass player, as a child, Bailey played the drums, but ultimately switched to bass guitar after the bassist in his neighborhood band walked out of a band practice. Because young Victor took an immediate liking to the instrument, his father encouraged him to become a bass player. Beginning in 1978, at the age of 18, Bailey attended the Berklee College of Music in Boston after being disqualified from naval service due to asthma.
Like his father, Bailey suffered from Charcot–Marie–Tooth disease for most of his adult life. As the disease progressed, Bailey began using a cane to offset his weakened legs. The weakness finally spread to his upper body, necessitating his 2015 retirement from performing and from his teaching position at Berklee College of Music. He died on 11 November 2016 in Stafford, VA, likely from complications from Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (Lou Gehrig’s disease).
Bailey had a series of remarkable contributions as the main bassist for American jazz fusion band Weather Report, for which he played on four of their studio albums between 1983 and 1986.
(biographical information from Wikipedia)
Bailey was the guy who followed Jaco into Weather Report. A tough act to follow, Bailey made the chair his own and there are some fantastic performances in the Weather Report canon but he also played with a host of other bands including stints with Steps Ahead, Michael Brecker and leading and co-leading a host of other ensembles. There are a number of Bailey solo recordings out there and his contribution was tempered only by his poor health.
The transcription featured here is interesting in so far as it moves from the most basic ‘root note on the one’ feel to some really interesting fills played with subtlety and profound musicality. The tune is called ‘I’ll Never Forget You’, Joe Zawinul’s dedication to his late parents, which was featured on the 1986 Weather Report album, ‘This Is This’. A beautiful ballad, featuring Zawinul’s imaginative synth work (love the tympani).