Michael Baird

Since: 2009 | Position: Contributor | Location: Amsterdam | Page Views: 4,132

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About Me

Drummer/composer/producer, born in Zambia, British nationality, resident in Holland, created his own 'voodoo-jazz' style.

Drummer/composer/producer/field-recordist From 1975-83 drummer in all played Gijs Hendriks' (NL) groups from trio to 12-piece, and played and recorded with amongst others, Slide Hampton (USA), Kenny Drew (USA), Raul Burnet (CUR), Sonny Grey (JAM), Siegfried Kessler (D), Michel Herr (B), Michel Grailler (F), Joe Diorio (USA), Jan Akkerman (NL), Wim Overgaauw (NL), Stan Tracey (GB), Kenny Wheeler (CAN). Founded own label SWP Records in 1986. Led own group Sharp Wood from 1986-96, developing an own style of melodic percussion combining Jazz with African rhythms - concerts had an exorcist character, causing a German journalist to pose the question in his review: “Is it jazz, or is it voodoo?” Other own groups: octet Utrecht Deep Artment 1997-99, quintet CapeAbility in 2000, sextet Trendy 3D Junk in 2000- 02, solo concerts Gongs And Bells in 2002-3, sextet African Abstractions in 2004-05, various other projects and composition commissions. Initiator Rhythm Orgy series in Utrecht, 2008-'11, searching for a new pan-african music. Sextet TranceMission in 2009, combining jazz,/punk/africa. Octet Utrick City Improvisors Guild 2012-13, solo project Logo Rhythms 2014, Ferrari Safari percussion duo with Pino Basile 2021-22, solo project Resonance Vibration Frequencies 2023, Trio CBD 2025. Also played in the André Jaume (F)/Rémi Charmasson (F) Quintet, in the quintet Vogelvijf led by Tjitze Vogel (NL), in the Dick de Graaf (NL)/Serge Lazarevitch (F) Quartet, in various settings with Arend Nijenhuis (NL), and the sextet MOT led by Steven Kamperman (NL). In own groups played and recorded with amongst others: Arnold 'Broer' van den Bogaart (NL), Hans Hasebos (NL), Albert van Veenendaal (NL), Jogi Gillis (SUR), Michiel Borstlap (NL), Ben Gerritsen (NL), David Tronzo (USA), Vitold Rek (PL), Michael Moore (USA), Michel Massot (B), Marianne Pousseur (B), Michel Godard (F), Mark Lotz (D), Tjitze Vogel (NL), Paul Weiling (D), Russell 'Konkie' Halmeyer (CUR), Kofi Ayivor (GHA), Ousmane Seye (SEN), Jeroen van Vliet (NL), Zoumana Diarra (MALI), Rick van Heerden (SA), Kamal al Hors (MAR), Patrick Votrian USA), Abdoulaye 'Oké' Sène (SEN), Mamour Seck (SEN), Layba Diawara (GUI), Yvonne 'Niobe' Cornelius (D), Marianne Noordink (NL), Andy Moor (GB), Pino Basile (IT), Rémi Charmasson (F), Philippe Deschepper (F). Compiled and produced 22-cd series 'Historical Recordings by Hugh Tracey' of African music from the 40s and 50s, released on SWP Records. Made own field recordings in Zambia, Zimbabwe, Lesotho - also released on SWP Records. ”I see myself as a 'modernist', but all that means is that I am in a position to steal from all over the place. People ask me what kind of music I make - what can one say, other than you have to hear it. So these days I say: It's a bit jazzy, a bit African, and a bit abstract, which I mix up as I want - all ingredients which may be as old as the world, but it is still my soup!”

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Michael Baird

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My Jazz Story

A defining moment was one evening in 1970 after my parents had gone to bed, I put on the television and switched to the BRT Belgian station (this was possible because we lived in Eindhoven in the south of the Netherlands and could get Belgian and German tv) - and there was the Francy Boland/Kenny Clarke Big Band in concert. As a young blues-rock drummer, I was completely knocked out! Klook made everything look so effortless, and he looked so happy behind the drums. How did he do it?! The next day after school I went and bought the lp 'Faces' by the FB/KC Big Band.....