richard bailey

Guyanese-born, Richard Bailey started his drumming career in Trinidad age of nine, sitting in on percussion, drums and even bass guitar with his elder brother Robert(keyboard/hammond) Bailey’s group OSIBISA, the top band in Trinidad and Tobago performing TV/Live concerts.

At 16 Richard was recording and touring the UK and USA with Johnny Nash and the great Bob Marley. By 18 he had recorded Jeff Beck's biggest selling album Blow By Blow (1975, Epic/Sony Japan) to critical acclaim and appeared on the film soundtrack Tommy alongside Pete Townsend, Phil Chen and Roger Daltrey.

The next decade saw many recordings and tours varying in style from Rock to Reggae, Jazz to Pop and Latin, including two world tours with Billy Ocean and Basia.

Richard occupied the drumseat with the excellent British acid jazz/rock/soul fusion collective INCOGNITO for 15 years.

Most recently he has been an integral part of Steve Winwood's two important return-to-form recordings, 2003's About Time (Wincraft) and Nine Lives (Columbia) including tours.

Maintaining his unique style, his versatility keeps him in much demand and has made him a first-call kitman for four decades.

exclusive interview  

Q: WHAT WAS THE MOST RECENT WORK YOU WERE INVOLVED WITH IN 2019?

I did a short tour with Steve Winwood and Steely Dan. Four shows in the UK and one in Dublin, which was great. We’ve toured USA and Australia/New Zealand with the Dan before, as we were all familiar with each other. It’s great touring with people that get along together.

I then went straight into rehearsals with Cymande for two sold out shows at Ronnie Scott’s Jazz Club. It’s my first time playing with Cymande and it was a really good vibe at the club. I enjoyed it a lot. I have more shows coming up with Cymande including Womad 2019. I’m also doing a few things with Snowy White and sorting some gigs for the future with my band Sans Souci featuring Mike Bailey on bass, James Lascelles on keyboards and Jake Elkan on guitar.

Q: YOU CERTAINLY HAVE HAD AN EPIC CAREER THUS FAR. WHAT DOES SUCCESS MEAN FOR YOU?

Hmm…epic career? The Breakfast Band was totally about the music for me. I had been touring and recording constantly with various artists. What you would call success as a musician but I felt empty and needed to be creative and get back to myself and who I was as a drummer. So I cut back on sessions and concentrated on writing, playing and recording with The Breakfast Band. We had a little commercial success with LA 14 and our album Dolphin Ride, but I later realised that the true success was leading the way in Caribbean jazz fusion, acid jazz, world music and inspiring a whole generation of young musicians to do their thing. I also did two solo albums Fire Dance and Shanti Om, which was a chance to develop my ideas musically. A musician never stops learning and evolving.

Q: WAS THERE A PIVOTAL MOMENT IN YOUR CAREER?

After years of playing various styles of music with many artists and producers and earning some good wages, I became lost musically and began to not enjoy playing my drums. I did not read music and I was putting my heart and soul into playing for all these people and it left me empty and drained. So the option I took was to stop sessions and concentrate on my own music style and sound which for me worked because my love of playing returned and I still love playing and performing.

Q: IS THERE A PARTICULAR MUSICIAN YOU ADMIRE AND WOULD WORK WITH? 

Yes I have worked with a lot of fine musicians in various genres and I have enjoyed it and learnt a lot. Each musician brings something different to the music and that’s why it’s so rewarding. Not just for the musicians but for the audience as well. As regards playing with someone from the Caribbean, I love Luisito Quintero and a project with him and Edwin Sanz would be fantastic.

 Q: IS THERE ANY VALUABLE ADVICE YOU RECEIVED THAT YOU CAN SHARE ?

Ok. As a young drummer I was always kept in check by the older musicians. ‘Don’t do any fills; you’re speeding up; you’re slowing down; not so loud’, which was infuriating sometimes but that’s how you learned to play music and not just show off. I’m grateful for it now as a lot of musicians are technically competent but have no idea how to make good music and groove with their fellow musicians. As for advice for young musicians, the main one is to listen and listen again, to whoever you’re playing with and of course practice makes perfect.

Q: IS THERE ANOTHER INSTRUMENT YOU ENJOY PLAYING?

Although I’ve been around the steel pan for many years and playing for quite a few years, it’s only in the last two years I’ve started playing as a lead player. Eg. Playing standards and trying to improvise. I’d previously just played melodies and parts. Being a drummer gives you a head start with the wrists but harmonically it’s a matter of time for me to develop my ear. It’s an instrument I love because I’m now playing melody but with sticks. It’s a great feeling and also less gear to carry!

Q: WHAT DOES RUMBAND MEAN TO YOU? 

The Rumband are all my mates innit and playing for a local crowd with friends and family in the audience is the greatest feeling. We also know each other musically, so we can explore different grooves and genres.

 Q: IS THERE A MEMORABLE, FUNNY OR STAND OUT MOMENT YOU CAN SHARE?

While on tour in the USA with Johnny Nash/Bob Marley I was looking at Sly and The Family Stone perform after we’d finished our show and he was auditioning drummers on the actual concert. About six drummers were stage right and got a chance to play two or three songs.