# Alex Bailey (musician)

Alex Bailey is an American multi-instrumentalist. He is most known for performing with bassist Marcus Miller. He is also known for his drumming on the Walt Disney movie, Safety.

## Early life

Born in Kansas City, Kansas, raised in a musical based family, Bailey has become a two-time Grammy nominated multi-instrumentalist, educator, composer, producer, recording artist, and philanthropist. At ten years of age, Bailey began playing bass and drums in church. In middle school, he would practice and rehearse with the local high school jazz band and ensembles. By the beginning of his high school tenure, Bailey began his teaching career as a private instructor and mentor in his high school music programs where he played the drum set, concert percussion, electric bass, upright bass, and other musical instruments. He also created drills for the marching percussion and wrote music and cadences for the school's marching band.
Bailey gained significant exposure in his hometown. In 2006, Bailey was selected to be in the Grammy Band and performed with the Gibson/Baldwin Grammy High school Jazz Ensemble.

## Awards and honors

After Bailey performed at the Grammys, in May 2006, the Kansas City School District awarded Bailey a plaque and declared an Alexander Day in honor of both his local and national achievements.
By the summer of 2006, Bailey went on to receive the Steve Gadd Scholarship, awarded by Berklee College of Music and presented by Craig Zildjian.
Bailey has been twice Grammy Award nominated.

## Education

Bailey received a scholarship to attend the Berklee College of Music in Boston, Massachusetts, earning a dual major bachelor's degree in Music Performance and Professional Music, with an emphasis in Music Business.
Bailey is a longtime advocate for music education and specializes in teaching children with autism. Bailey has also participated in a number of benefit concerts, including the DrumsforCures Concert for DRUMSTRONG which raise awareness and funds in support of cancer survivorship, education, and research.

## Personal life

In 2011, right before Bailey graduated from Berklee College of Music, during his final semester, he broke and dislocated his right ankle leaving him to get multiple metal plates and screws surgically placed to repair the damage. They told Bailey that he had 12 weeks of recovery time. Determined to get back on the drumset and finish college on time, Bailey underwent rigorous physical therapy and recovered in half the time, having full ability to walk during his commencement ceremony. Some of the songs he wrote during that time were featured on his solo album, Searching For Something.

## Career

Bailey when on back to touring and recorded with Guggenheim Grant winner David Fiuczynski and Mononeon from 2009 to 2013. Bailey then toured with his own band in the spring of 2013. He later then toured with the soul singer Judith Hill in the fall of (2013–2014). Since 2015, Bailey toured extensively, performing, and recording with Marcus Miller.

## Artist residencies

* Yas Viceroy Hotel, Abu Dhabi, UAE (2014)
* The Hard Rock Cafe, Las Vegas (2015)
* The Cosmopolitan, Las Vegas (2015–2020)

## Albums

Bailey's debut album, entitled Searching for Something, was released in 2017. Bailey's single, "Figure It Out" (an homage to his mentor Marcus Miller), was released in 2020. Bailey's highly anticipated sophomore album is set to be released in fall of 2023.

## Musical instruments and genres background

Instrument(s): Drums•Bass•Fender Rhodes• Keys•Vocals•Guitar• Piano, Percussion•Upright Bass•Synthesizer
Genres: Jazz•Fusion•R&B•Pop•Funk•Rock•Country•Soul•Microtonal

## Film and television

* Safety Marshall, Jay Leno performing with Chiddy Bang

## Associated music groups

Marcus Miller, David Fiuczynski, Judith Hill, Mononeon, Elan Trotman

## Music gear

* Bass Drumhead: Superkick 10
* Snare Drumhead: Super 2
* Side Snare: Response 2
* Tom Top Drumheads: Super 2
* Floor Tom Drumhead: Force 10
* Drumhead Mute: Drumdots
* Drum Sticks: X55A
* American Classic, X5A – American Classic,
* American Classic 85A
* Marching Sticks: Ralph Hardimon Marching Sticks
* Brushes: Heritage Brushes
* Drum Set: Saturn V Exotic
* Drum Throne: Mapex
* Drum Heads: 2 Ply Coated on Toms
* Single Ply Coated on snares
* Single Ply clear on kick drums
* Cymbal Series: Heritage
* Absolute Brilliant
* Fusion, 21st Brilliant
* Cymbal Inch: 6"-10"
* Splashes 16"21"
* Crashes, 19"
* Chinas, 22"
* Rides, 15"
* Hi Hats
* SKB Case
* Gator
* Bass Guitar: Basses: Fender American Jazz Bass
* Custom Lakland Jazz Bass
* BassMods Custom Bass
* Hi- Beams
* Dunlop

## Affiliations

Marcus Miller, Judith Hill, Jack DeJohnette, Phil Perry, JoAnn Condury,Chick Corea, Euge Groove, Tim Bowman, David Sanborn, Elan Trontman, Gerald Albright, Kirk Whalum, George Benson, Kevin Whalum, Keiko Matsui, Jeff Lorber, Jonathan Butler, Peter White, Allen Toussaint, Tosha Cobbs, Paul Jackson Jr., Rudresh Mahanthappa, Julian Vaughn, Jon Barnes, Darryl Williams, Lalah Hathaway, Adam Hawley, Joey DeFrancesco, Patrice Rushen, Tawanda, Matt Garrison, David Fiuczynski, Selah Sue, Alex Han, Vincent Reid, Jeffrey Osborne, Janelle Monae, Marcus Anderson, BK Jackson, Take 6, Tom Kennedy, Mike Stern, Gerald Veasley, Andre Ward, Richard Smallwood, Christian Sands, WAR, Bebe Winans, Ashmont Hill, Tony Ferrari, Brent Jones, Clint Holmes, MonoNeon, Lin Roundtree, Grace Kelly, James Carter, Eric Darius, Candy Dulfer, Phil Perry, Chiddy Bang, Wayne Lindsay, Aubrey Logan, Robert Glasper, Ravi Coltrane, Cory Henry, Russell Gunn, Chris Mann, Eric Marienthal, Gregory Porter, Oscar Peterson, Gabriela Martina, and many more.