Victor Bailey Group

Since the late seventies, as a teenager, Victor Bailey has been hailed as one of the worlds greatest bass guitarists. He gained international recognition in the early nineteen eighties when he joined the innovative jazz fusion supergroup Weather Report. He has made three of the most highly acclaimed solo records ever by any bassist. As a studio musician he has played on over one thousand records. He has toured and recorded with artists as diverse as Joe Zawinul, Mary J. Blige and Madonna.

He recorded and toured with artists like Weather Report, Weather Update, Steps Ahead, Bill Evans, The Zawinul Syndicate, Madonna, etc…

Influences:
Stanley Clarke, Alphonso Johnson, Jaco Pasturius, Larry Graham, Joe Zawinul, Wayne Shorter, Miles Davis, Charlie Parker, John Coltrane, Stevie Wonder.

Victor Bailey, already hailed as one of the world's greatest bass players as a teenager, stormed the music scene back in the early eighties when, as a nineteen year old fresh out of school he joined the innovative jazz fusion giants, Weather Report. He immediately became a major player on the world music scene.

He was also a member of another jazz fusion innovator, the legendary band Steps Ahead. As a studio musician he has appeared on over one thousand recordings. Those recordings range from Joe Zawinul to LL Cool J to Mary J Blige. As a bassist he has appeared with an astounding array of artists from all genres, such as Sonny Rollins, Wayne Shorter, Micheal Brecker and The Joe Zawinul Syndicate. During the nineties he took a huge leap into the pop world as bassist for megastar Madonna.

He has now released three highly acclaimed solo records "Low Blow", "That's Right" and "Bottom's Up" which one major music magazine called arguably the best solo record ever by a bass guitarist. He is currently residing in Brooklyn New York. He is touring as a leader, working with the trio CBW, which features Larry Coryell on guitar and Lenny White drums. And he is constantly busy writing for various movie and television projects.

Poogie Bell (drums): The sound of Poogie Bell's drums is what you hear on many of the world's finest jazz, neo-soul, R&B and hip-hop records. Performer, record producer, composer, and arranger, you've heard his work with artists including Chaka Khan, Marcus Miller, Roberta Flack, Erykah Badu, David Bowie, David Sanborn, Al Jarreau, Vanessa Williams and Randy Crawford.

Native of New York and a second generation musician he has been immersed in music since he was born. Taking cues from his father, a jazz musician and professor of music, Poogie has always had an inherent connection to music. As hard as it may be to believe, he started playing at the age of ten months old and made his concert debut when he was two and half at Pittsburgh's Carnegie Hall with his father. By the ripe old age of five he'd already appeared on The Mike Douglas Show with Pearl Bailey.

As a kid it wasn't unusual for Poogie to see the likes of drummer Max Roach, saxophonist Ornett Coleman, pianist Marylou Williams, bassists, Paul Chambers, Ron Carter and Richard Davis in his living room jammin' with his father. Growing up he hung out with fellow musicians Omar Hakim, Marcus Miller, Lenny White and Bernard Wright, Weldon Irvine all of whom supported and influenced each other musically.

Poogie's first "real" gig was with Tom Brown, Weldon Irvine and Hugh Masakela. Then came a tour with one of the creators of what we know as hip-hop, Afrika Bambaata and the Soulsonic Force and then with the Force MD's, a Temptations-style vocal group who were the first to incorporate R&B and hip-hop. "Touch and Go", a song written by Poogie for the Force MD's, won him the ASCAP Writer's Award for Top 10 Singles in 1998.

From his hard work, Poogie was able to break into the traditional R&B world touring and recording with artists Freddie Jackson, Phyllis Hyman and Chaka Khan. He came into the New Jack Swing era working with Kieth Sweat, Teddy Riley, SWV and New Edition. He continues to tour and record with Marcus Miller, Alex Bugnon, Victor Bailey and Erykah Badu, among others.

Peter Horvath (keys): Performed, toured and recorded with: Bobby Hutcherson, Joe Henderson, Aretha Franklin (arranged and performed the National Anthem for Aretha for the 1993 World Series) Lalah Hathaway, Melba Moore, Keith Washington, Richie Cole, Ernie Watts, Oakland Symphony, Ray Obiedo.