Photo: Graham Burnett, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Guitarists · 1930–2005

Derek Bailey

British guitarist (1930–2005)

Born: 29 January 1930
Sheffield
Died: 25 December 2005
London
Country: United Kingdom
Record labels: Incus, Samadhi Sound
Discography: 95 albums

Biography

Derek Bailey was a jazz musician who played guitar. Derek Bailey was born on 29 January 1930 in Sheffield and died on 25 December 2005 in London. The music is usually filed under free improvisation. Record labels: Incus and Samadhi Sound. The discography here lists 95 albums, from “Han Bennink & Derek Bailey” (1971) to “The Complete 15th August 2001” (2023).

Derek Bailey (29 January 1930 – 25 December 2005) was an English avant-garde guitarist and an important figure in the free improvisation movement. Bailey abandoned conventional performance techniques found in jazz, exploring atonality, noise, and whatever unusual sounds he could produce with the guitar. Much of his work was released on his own label Incus Records. In addition to solo work, Bailey collaborated frequently with other musicians and recorded with collectives such as Spontaneous Music Ensemble and Company.

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Discography

Studio and live albums

Han Bennink & Derek Bailey 1971 · Instant Composers Pool Solo Guitar 1971 · Incus Records Derek Bailey & Han Bennink 1972 · Incus Records Incus Taps 1973 Improvisation 1975 · Cramps Records The London Concert 1975 · Live · Incus Records New Sights, Old Sounds 1978 · Morgue Time 1979 · Incus Records Aida 1981 · Live · Incus Records Metalanguage Festival of Improvised Music 1980, Volume 2: The Science Set 1981 · The Beak Doctor Yankees 1982 · Celluloid Concert in Milwaukee 1983 · Live · [no label] Notes: Solo Guitar Improvisations 1985 · Incus Records

Compatibles 1986 · Live

Cyro 1988 · Incus Records Figuring 1988 · Incus Records Lace 1989 Solo Guitar Volume 2 1991 · Incus Records

Village Life 1991 · Live

Different Guitars 1992 Duo & Trio Improvisations 1992

Improvised Music New York 1981 1992 · Live

Moment Précieux 1993 · Les Disques Victo

Playing 1993 · Incus Records Wireforks 1993 · Shanachie Drop Me Off at 96th 1994 · Scatter Banter 1995 · OODiscs

Harras 1995 · Live

Saisoro 1995 · Tzadik Drops 1996 · New Tone Records Guitar, Drums 'n' Bass 1996 · Avant 寄り添い合いし秩序と無秩序の気配かな 1996 · J‐FACTORY And, 1997 · Rectangle

Music and Dance 1997 · Table of the Elements

Soho Suites 1997 · Incus Records The Sign of 4 1997 · Knitting Factory Works Trio Playing 1997 · Incus Records

Han 1998 · Incus Records

Takes Fakes and Dead She Dances 1998

Tohjinbo 1998 · Paratactile Viper 1998 · Avant Arch Duo 1999 · Rastascan Records Daedal 1999 · Incus Records Departures 1999 · Volatile Records

Dynamics of the Impromptu 1999 · Live

Fairly Early With Postscripts 1999 Play Backs 1999 · Bingo Records Post Improvisation, Volume 1: When We're Smilin 1999 Post Improvisation, Volume 2: Air Mail Special 1999 LOCationAL 2000 · Incus Records

Live in Okayama 1987 2000 · Live

Llaer 2000 · Sofa Mirakle 2000 · Tzadik Songs 2000 · Incus Records String Theory 2000 Bids 2001 Close to the Kitchen 2001 · Blue Chopsticks Duos, London 2001 2001

Fish 2001

Ore 2001

15 August 2001 2002

Ballads 2002 · Tzadik Barcelona 2002 · Hopscotch Records Derek Bailey & Franz Hautzinger 2002 · GROB

Live At Lamar's 2002 · Live

Pieces for Guitar 2002 Right off 2002 · Numérica Seven 2002 Tristan (Duo) 2002 · Incus Records Under Tracey's Bed 2002 · Foghorn Records Limescale 2003 · Incus Records

Nearly A D 2003

Soshin 2003 · Ambiances Magnétiques Meanwhile, Back in Sheffield 2004 · Discus Carpal Tunnel 2005 · Tzadik The Gospel Record (Reference Edition) 2005

Bruise with Derek Bailey 2006

Derek 2006 · Amulet Records

To Play: The Blemish Sessions 2006 · Samadhisound Standards 2007 · Tzadik

Good Cop Bad Cop 2009 · Live

Lot 74 Solo Improvisations 2009

And 2011 · Rectangle Derek Bailey Plus One Music Ensemble 2012 · [no label] Tout For Tea! 2013 · Rectangle

28 Rue Dunois Juillet 1982 2014 · Live

L'Astrolab 2016

Duo 2018 · Honest Jon’s Records

Topographie Parisienne (Dunois, April 2ⁿᵈ, 3ᵈ & 4ᵗʰ, 1981) 2019 · Live

Derek Bailey, Trevor Watts & Terry Day at LTC – Amazing Band at N.E.Poly 2020 · Live

Live At FarOut, Atsugi 1987 2020 · NoBusiness Domestic Jungle 2022 · Scatter New York 1982 2022 · Recital

Duo in Concert 2023 · Live

The Complete 15th August 2001 2023 · Confront

Also plays on

Albums where Derek Bailey is credited as a sideman

1970	The Topography of the Lungs — Evan Parker, Derek Bailey & Han Bennink	guitar
1970	4 Compositions for Sextet — Tony Oxley	guitar
1971	Improvisations for Cello and Guitar — Dave Holland & Derek Bailey	guitar
1973	Song for Someone — Kenny Wheeler	guitar
1975	Saxophone Special + — Steve Lacy	electric guitar, performer
1975	Dreams — Steve Lacy	guitar
1975	The Sinking of the Titanic — Gavin Bryars	guitar
1975	The Crust — Steve Lacy	guitar
1976	Guitar Solos 2 — Frith / Bailey / Fitzgerald / Reichel	guitar
1978	Groupcomposing — Misha Mengelberg, Peter Brötzmann, Evan Parker, Peter Bennink, Paul Rutherford, Derek Bailey, Han Bennink	guitar
1978	Fragments — Misha Mengelberg, John Tchicai, Han Bennink, Derek Bailey	electric guitar
1984	Royal Volume 1 — Anthony Braxton & Derek Bailey	electric guitar
1989	Pleistozaen mit Wasser — Cecil Taylor & Derek Bailey	acoustic guitar, electric guitar
2002	Cobra: John Zorn's Game Pieces, Volume 2 — John Zorn	guitar

Listen on Spotify

Frequently asked questions

What instrument did Derek Bailey play?

Derek Bailey is known for playing guitar.

When and where was Derek Bailey born?

Derek Bailey was born 29 January 1930 in Sheffield.

What are Derek Bailey's best-known albums?

Albums in our database include Han Bennink & Derek Bailey (1971), Solo Guitar (1971), Derek Bailey & Han Bennink (1972), Incus Taps (1973) and Improvisation (1975).

External links

Data compiled from open sources; see the source links below. Spotted an error? Let us know.