Derek Bailey (January 29, 1930 – December 25, 2005) was a free improvising … Read Full Bio ↴Derek Bailey (January 29, 1930 – December 25, 2005) was a free improvising avant-garde guitarist. The most noticeable feature of his style is what appears to be its extreme discontinuity, often from note to note: there may be enormous intervals between consecutive notes, and rather than aspiring to the consistency of timbre typical of most guitar-playing, Bailey interrupts it as much as possible: four consecutive notes, for instance, may be played on an open string, a fretted string, via harmonics, and using a nonstandard technique such as scraping the string with the pick or plucking below the bridge.
Many of the key features of his music –radical discontinuity, the self-contained brevity of each gesture, an attraction to wide intervals– owe much to Bailey's early fascination with Anton Webern, an influence most audible on Bailey's earliest available recordings, Pieces for Guitar (1966-67, issued on Tzadik).
Playing both acoustic and electric guitars (although more usually the former), Bailey was able to extend the possibilities of the instrument in radical ways, obtaining a far wider array of sounds than are usually heard. He explored the full vocabulary of the instrument, producing timbres and tones ranging from the most delicate tinklings to fierce noise attacks. (The sounds he produced have been compared to those made by John Cage's prepared piano.)
Typically he played a conventional instrument, in standard tuning, but his use of amplification was often crucial. In the 1970s, for instance, his standard set-up involved two independently controlled amplifiers to give a stereo effect onstage, and he often would use the swell pedal to counteract the "normal" attack and decay of notes. He also made highly original use of feedback, a technique demonstrated on the album String Theory (Paratactile).
Many of the key features of his music –radical discontinuity, the self-contained brevity of each gesture, an attraction to wide intervals– owe much to Bailey's early fascination with Anton Webern, an influence most audible on Bailey's earliest available recordings, Pieces for Guitar (1966-67, issued on Tzadik).
Playing both acoustic and electric guitars (although more usually the former), Bailey was able to extend the possibilities of the instrument in radical ways, obtaining a far wider array of sounds than are usually heard. He explored the full vocabulary of the instrument, producing timbres and tones ranging from the most delicate tinklings to fierce noise attacks. (The sounds he produced have been compared to those made by John Cage's prepared piano.)
Typically he played a conventional instrument, in standard tuning, but his use of amplification was often crucial. In the 1970s, for instance, his standard set-up involved two independently controlled amplifiers to give a stereo effect onstage, and he often would use the swell pedal to counteract the "normal" attack and decay of notes. He also made highly original use of feedback, a technique demonstrated on the album String Theory (Paratactile).
What's New
Derek Bailey Lyrics
We have lyrics for 'What's New' by these artists:
Al Hirt Do you know what it means to miss New Orleans And…
Allyson Karrin What's new How is the world treating you You haven't changed…
Anthony Braxton Do you know what it means to miss New Orleans And…
Armstrong Louis & Peterson Oscar What's new? How is the world treating you? You haven't cha…
Artie Shaw and His Orchestra When the bells all ring and the horns all blow And…
Ax and the Hatchetmen Why do you wear all that makeup? Maybe ′cause all of…
B.J. Jansen What's new pussycat whoa What's new pussycat whoa oh Pussy…
Beegie Adair Maybe it's much too early in the game Ah, but I…
Ben Besiakov Do you know what it means to miss New Orleans cnd…
Billie Holiday Do you know what is means to miss New Orleans I…
Billy Butterfield and His Orchestra When the bells all ring and the horns all blow And…
Billy Eckstine What's new How is the world treating you You haven't changed…
Birdland All-Stars Do you know what it means to miss New Orleans And…
Bob Crosby & His Orchestra When the bells all ring and the horns all blow And…
Bob Haggart What's new? How is the world treating you? You haven't chan…
Bobby Hackett Do you know what it means to miss New Orleans And…
Boz Scaggs What's new? How is the world treating you? You haven't chang…
Cannonball Adderley What's new? How is the world treating you? You haven't cha…
Carmen McRae & Betty Carter Why Him? What can I say about his face, Except his…
Charlie Barnet & His Orchestra When the bells all ring and the horns all blow And…
charlie mingus jackie mclean j.r. monterose mal waldron willie jones Couple zijn nu weg, die me zeiden got you Ze komen…
Chet Baker What's new? How is the world treating you? You haven't chang…
Chet Baker & Stan Getz What's new? How is the world treating you? You haven't cha…
Chet Baker & Stan Getz Quartet What's new? How is the world treating you? You haven't chang…
Chet Baker / Stan Getz Quartet What's new? How is the world treating you? You haven't cha…
Chet Baker/Stan Getz What's new? How is the world treating you? You haven't chang…
Chuck & Gap Mangione Do you know what it means to miss New Orleans And…
Clifford Brown What's new How is the world treating you You haven't chang…
Clifford Brown Feat. Max Roach What's new How is the world treating you You haven't changed…
Clifford Brown Max Roach and Sonny Rollins What's new How is the world treating you You haven't chang…
Dinah Washington What's new? How is the world treating you? You haven't chang…
Dr. James Polk My I have your attention, please? Uh, Mr. Anderson come to…
duke ellington Do you know what is means to miss New Orleans I…
Eddie Condon Do you know what it means to miss New Orleans And…
Ella Fitzgerald When the bells all ring and the horns all blow And…
Eydie Gorme What's new How is the world treating you You haven't chang…
Eydie Gormé What's new How is the world treating you You haven't changed…
Frank Sinatra What's new? How is the world treating you? You haven't chang…
Frank Sinatra with Nelson Riddle & His Orchestra When the bells all ring and the horns all blow And…
Getz Stan What's new? How is the world treating you? You haven't cha…
Haggart & Burke What's new? How is the world treating you? You haven't chan…
Helen Merrill What's new How is the world treating you You haven't changed…
J.A.J Entreprise The media controlling the Worlds perception The virus is the…
J.J. Johnson What's new? How is the world treating you? You haven't cha…
J.J. Johnson & Kai Winding What's new? How is the world treating you? You haven't chang…
J.J. Johnson Quartet What's new? How is the world treating you? You haven't cha…
J.R. Monterose Quartet Couple zijn nu weg, die me zeiden got you Ze komen…
Jack Jones What's new How is the world treating you You haven't changed…
Jackie Gleason So tell me babe, what's new? And how's the scene with…
James Moody And His Orchestra When the bells all ring and the horns all blow And…
James Polk & the Brothers I said, Go New York! Go New York! Go! I said,…
jess stacy and his all stars Do you know what it means to miss New Orleans And…
Jimmy Smith Cold empty bed, springs hard as lead Pains in my head,…
JJ Johnson Quartet What's new? How is the world treating you? You haven't cha…
Joanie Sommers What's new How is the world treating you You haven't changed…
Joe Williams What's new? How is the world treating you? You haven't chang…
Johnny Burke What's new? How is the world treating you? You haven't chan…
Johnny Smith What's new? How is the world treating you? You haven't chang…
Johnny Smith Q featuring Stan Getz What's new? How is the world treating you? You haven't cha…
Julie London What's new How is the world treating you You haven't changed…
Kenny Baker & His Orchestra When the bells all ring and the horns all blow And…
Les and Larry Elgart Do you know what it means to miss New Orleans And…
Linda Ronstadt What's new How is the world treating you You haven't changed…
Linda Ronstadt & The Nelson Riddle Orchestra What's new How is the world treating you You haven't chang…
Linda Ronstadt w/ Nelson Riddle Orchestra What's new How is the world treating you You haven't changed…
Lionel Hampton Do you know what it means to miss New Orleans And…
Louis Armstrong & Oscar Peterson What's new? How is the world treating you? You haven't chang…
Louis Armstrong & Oscar Peterson Trio Do you know what it means to miss New Orleans And…
Louis Armstrong and Oscar Peterson What's new? How is the world treating you? You haven't chang…
M.F.S. Fuck you, and fuck you, and fuck you, and fuck…
Marvin Gaye What's new? How is the world treating you? You haven't chang…
Max Roach What's new How is the world treating you You haven't changed…
Max Roach Quintet What's new How is the world treating you You haven't chang…
megan the stallion Ayy, ayy, look Badder than your favorite bad bitch (ah) Tur…
Merrill Helen What's new How is the world treating you You haven't changed…
Miles Davis & Stan Getz What's new? How is the world treating you? You haven't chang…
Mr. Sister What’s new Hey What’s new Are you ready for new New,…
O.PetersonH.EdisonE.Vinson What's new? How is the world treating you? You haven't cha…
Oscar Peterson What's new? How is the world treating you? You haven't chang…
Oscar Peterson Harry Edison Eddie "Cleanhead" Vinson What's new? How is the world treating you? You haven't cha…
Oscar Peterson & Louis Armstrong What's new? How is the world treating you? You haven't chang…
Oscar Peterson + Harry Edison + Eddie "Cleanhead" Vinson What's new? How is the world treating you? You haven't cha…
Pat Valentino & His Orchestra When the bells all ring and the horns all blow And…
Peggy Lee What's new How is the world treating you? You haven't change…
Perry Como What's new? How is the world treating you? You haven't chang…
Pilfers Well here we go on this again Going talk and like…
Rachel Gould - Chet Baker What's new? How is the world treating you? You haven't chang…
Ray Anthony & His Orchestra When the bells all ring and the horns all blow And…
Regal Cheer If a double decker bus crashes into us We might as…
Riddles What's new? How is the world treating you? You haven't chang…
Savemejack (What's new, what's new about you baby) (What's new, what's …
Silje Nergaard What's new How is the world treating you You haven't chang…
Smith Johnny What's new? How is the world treating you? You haven't chang…
Sonny Rollins What's new How is the world treating you You haven't changed…
Squintz What's new wake up at 7 Gotta reach work by nine Sideting…
Stan Getz What's new? How is the world treating you? You haven't chang…
Stan Kenton and His Orchestra When the bells all ring and the horns all blow And…
The Dukes of Dixieland Do you know what it means to miss New Orleans And…
The Four Freshmen What's new How is the world treating you You haven't changed…
The Romantic Strings and Orchestra When the bells all ring and the horns all blow And…
The World's Greatest Jazz Band Of Yank Lawson & Bob Haggart What's new? How is the world treating you? You haven't chan…
various artists What's new Pussycat, Woah, Woah What's new Pussycat, Woah, W…
Wyatt / Atzmon / Stephen What's new? How is the world treating you? You haven't chang…
We have lyrics for these tracks by Derek Bailey:
Head You go to my head And you linger like a haunting…
Laura You know the feeling of something half remembered Of somethi…
You Go You go to my head And you linger like a haunting…
You Go To My Head You go to my head And you linger like a haunting…
The lyrics are frequently found in the comments by searching or by filtering for lyric videos
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BA Charles
Been a Derek Bailey fan for a long time. He definitely has habits and go-to chords/phrases. The last chord in particular is a favorite. He does a lot of octave transposition to inject angularity into his phrases (e.g. playing a chromatic phrase with each pitch in a different octave). What I find the most striking is his absurdly deep knowledge of the guitar as an instrument and his guitar in particular. He knows the pitches of all of the open harmonics and of the strings plucked behind the nut/bridge and works them into his melodies and chords effortlessly.
Prog dog
Amazing, it wouldn't have occurred to me to know notes on strings behind the nut!
elusiveinsert
Yep
Roberto Zorzi
Absolutely true.
Philip Bellew
I love Dereck’s work, but I have to be in the mood for it. There’s an angular beauty in his playing. I would agree that his approach is more akin to that of an artist. He creates colours and shades with sound. Thanks for giving this peripheral artist an honest listen. Btw, Dereck recorded an album (Arc of Testimony) with Tony Williams and Bill Laswell. Interesting to hear what he does in a group format.
Dean G
You may want to be aware that Derek Bailey was a studio musician for some time in the 50's I believe. He played this style since the 60's and influenced countless free think guitarists and other musicians. I take exception to the label of "experimental" applied to everything outside the conventional tonal music spectrum. In D.B. 's case, after 60+ years of performance he is hardly experimenting, while listening to his music might be an experiment for you.
Gary Gomes
Derek is a totally unique player. I have been a fan of his since 1972, I reckon. He is always thinking, always changing, always new...an icon of integrity and humor and a relief from the sustain and decibel kings of the 70s (although I like some of them, too.)
Osso
Very interesting playing. His picking makes me very anxious. Can't tell if he knows exactly what he's doing or if he has no idea what he's doing and I'm loving it. Glad to see that you give music like this a chance
Prog dog
Haha, yes there is the anxious aspect to it. But I think art needs to make you uncomfortable sometimes
michael welch
Derek was the grandfather of European improvisation, that clip was totally improvised, he has a disc called “standards” you should hear his approach to that.