Sheryl Bailey

Guitarist Sheryl Bailey is rated among the foremost bopbased guitarists to have emerged in the 1990’s. Her attack can be direct and hard swinging, but she also exudes subtlety, elegance of phrase and a pure, warm, liquid sound. Bill Milkowski has written about her: “ a modernist burner with an abundance of Pat Martino-style chops, Bailey prefers angular lines, odd harmonies and the occasional touch of dissonance as she sails up and down the fretboard with fluid abandon.” – JazzTimes Magazine, Februrary 2005

Her musical activities aren’t confined to groups working strictly in the orthodox, bop based jazz tradition, as she has toured and recorded with bassist, Richard Bona and is a member of David Krakauer’s Klezmer Madness. Other artists are tenor saxophonist, Gary Thomas, Urban Folk and Jazz artist, KJ Denhert, and pop diva, Irene Cara. While her mid 1990’s CD Little Misunderstood sees her playing with total familiarity and command of the fusion idiom, her latest releases, Reunion of Souls, The Power of Three, and Bull’s Eye represent her love of contemporary straight-ahead jazz.

In 1995 Sheryl was awarded third place in the Thelonious Monk International Jazz Guitar Competition, and has toured South America on behalf of the US State Department as a Jazz Ambassador, honoring the music of Duke Ellington. She currently leads her own trio, The Sheryl Bailey Three (Gary Versace on Hammond B3 and Ian Froman on drums). Her 2002 release, The Power of Three was critically acclaimed and charted in the top 20 of the Jazz Week radio charts. The trio conjures the essence of the Grant Green/ Larry Young/ Elvin Jones band of the late 60’s.

She is also in demand as an educator. Sheryl has been an Assistant Professor of Guitar at the esteemed Berklee College of Music since 2000, and has been a popular clinician at the National Guitar Summer workshop, The Stanford Jazz Workshop, The Duquesne Jazz Guitar Seminar, Uarts in Philadelphia, and at Southern Cross University in Lismore, Australia.

Sheryl’s latest release is titled, Bull’s Eye. The CD features nine new compositions and tightly woven improvisations from the trio. A track from the disc, “ Old and Young Blues” will be featured in the Master Anthology of Jazz solos, vol. IV by Mel Bay in January 2005. She is also working on a book for Mel Bay about modern approaches to jazz improvisation. She keeps a hectic itinerary touring, teaching, and recording.