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ABOUT

about

"Mr. Bailey, who lives in East Hampton, is an accomplished drummer, guitarist and songwriter, but his connection to the African drum is personal."

"To us, it felt a lot more Caribbean island than Long Island.  Or Montauk beach bash meets tribal dance party."

     Dan Bailey Tribe presents soul funk reggae inspired by the wanderlust of an endless summer. A native of New York’s infamous Hamptons, Bailey’s South African roots and his command of the West African djembe channel a vibration of celebration. 
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     Bailey grew up in a loving family of starving artists, living in harsh contrast to the extravagant wealth of the surrounding Hamptons.  As a boy, he taught himself guitar and received the gift of rhythm from his godfather Babatunde Olatunji, world-renowned Master Drummer and cultural ambassador.  Bailey studied Olatunji’s unique method of teaching West African djembe and by the age of 13, was hosting his own drumming workshops and performing for African dance classes.  The positive influence of music at a young age saved Bailey from a potentially dark path of drug abuse and delinquency that trapped many of his childhood friends.  Instead, he channeled his creative energy into rhythm, guitar and songwriting.  He had already written over 200 songs when he decided to embark on an around the world journey at the age of 19.
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     On his year long walkabout, Bailey gained a lifetime of experience that continues to fuel his songwriting today.  He surfed the North Shore of Oahu in Hawaii, worked on an organic farm in New Zealand and carved his own didgeridoo in Australia.  He taught drum workshops in South Africa, travelled overland from Cape Town to Kenya, and studied with master drummers in Ghana.  He sang on the news in London, drummed at a peace rally in Madrid and made the pilgrimage to Bob Marley’s home in Jamaica.  He also drove a converted truck from New York to El Salvador, living a nomadic life of writing music and surfing.
HAMPTONS MAGAZINE
     Filled with inspiration from the world over, Bailey returned to New York and released two albums of his original songs (The Light of One and Rise Wild Stepper) and three albums of traditional African drum music.  He continues to teach drumming and his workshops were featured in the New York Times, where he was dubbed the “Beat Master.”  This rising success led to an explosion in the Hamptons drum circle scene.  The weekly summer gatherings soon became a beach party phenomenon that grew so wildly popular, the police had to intervene after it attracted over 1500 revelers and appeared in New York Times as “A Rich People's Woodstock.”
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     Bailey is currently expanding his band Dan Bailey Tribe in the international conscious music festival circuit.  The Tribe has recently performed at Flow Fest in Hawaii, Jungle Jam and Envision Festival in Costa Rica, Unifier Festival in New England and BaliSpirit Festival in Indonesia.  Bailey has opened for Bob Marley’s Original Wailers, Culture, Maxi Priest, the English Beat and Thievery Corporation.  His latest project brings together music he is carefully crafting into an album that features performances from superstars Chad Smith of the Red Hot Chili Peppers, Bakithi Kumalo from Paul Simon’s Band and G. Love.  The much anticipated release is sure to bring the Tribe to new levels of success and to more exotic corners of the world.
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