Dan's Papers - September 26, 2008

At the age of 26, Dan Bailey, of Sag Harbor, has traveled solo around the world and driven across practically the entire continent of Africa.

In addition to being a world traveler, Bailey is also a singer/songwriter, composer, drummer, break dancer, African dancer, photographer, graphic designer, clothing designer, curator, surfer, skater, snowboarder and pranic healer, who practices yoga and Reiki, and who is an aficionado of fine cooking and wines.

"I see myself as a modern-day Renaissance man, because I enjoy doing a lot of different things," said Bailey, claiming he is "never bored."

Undoubtedly, Bailey's eclectic upbringing in East Quogue inspired many creative abilities and interest in other cultures. His parents, Andrew and Susan Bailey, were born in England, and raised in South Africa. While he was growing up, Andrew was a musician/producer and drummer in bands, including "Deja Voodoo," an African-voodoo group. Susan is a massage therapist and long-time professional dancer, who performed jazz, ballet, and modern dance on New York stages, and who has been teaching African dancing for years in the Hamptons.

Bailey's godfather happens to be the world-famous master African drummer, Baba Olatungi, who started teaching Bailey African drumming as a child, when Bailey attended his workshops at Omega Institute.

"My parents were great friends with Baba, who is also the Ambassador for Peace from Nigeria," said Bailey. "Growing up, I was always around a lot of music, with my family playing and performing. I started teaching drumming when I was 13."

After Bailey graduated from Westhampton Beach High School at age 19, something happened that changed his life's direction. It was 2001, and he was out surfing without a care in the world - but then he returned from the Montauk beach to hear the tragic news about 9/11.

"It was so horrible to me that this could happen, and yet instead of staying at home, like many people did, I had a desire to travel around the world and see the different cultures first-hand," he said. "So I bought an 'around the world' ticket on several different airlines, and I mapped out my trip, deciding to go west." A few months later, Bailey drove to California, and then flew to Hawaii for surfing and skating. He then spent about three months in New Zealand, where he worked on an organic farm, and did a five-day trek, including rock-climbing.

"I made money by playing my guitar in the street, and I also recorded an album in New Zealand," said Bailey.

In Australia, Bailey learned his next feat: fire dancing. "We were in the magical Byron Bay, and there was this amazing fire show," he recalled. These dancers were spinning sticks with fire on each end, so they looked like streaks and circles of fire, and I had to learn how to do it."

Bailey then went on to Bali where he surfed and did yoga, and traveled to South Africa, where he met his mother in Capetown and Johannesburg, and surfed in the famous spot of Jeffries Bay.

He then got the opportunity to join a group on an adventurous overland tour of Africa, traveling thousands of miles over a month and a half, and going from Capetown to Kenya, through the countries of Zimbabwe, Namibia, Botswana, Zambia and many others.

During this tour, he spent much time in Ghana, where he went to learn the art of African drumming and dancing.

"I was in a small fishing village called Kokrobite, and I asked the people to take me to the best drum teacher. They took me to a man named Oko," he said. Bailey studied with Oko every day, and spent five weeks in Ghana. When he eventually returned to the U.S., he arranged for the students at the Ross School in East Hampton, where he taught drumming, to go over to Ghana and study with Oko. This past summer, the Ross School brought Oko here to teach African drumming and dance.

"While on this tour of Africa, I also wrote many of the songs on my new CD, Rise Wild Stepper," said Bailey, who also designed the album cover with a drawing of a lion, from his trip. "These songs are about going on a spiritual journey." The CD features a Caribbean style of fresh, original sounds.

Bailey also started his own independent record label, Idris Records. His diverse musical styles include reggae, blues, ska, Latin, jazz, world, bossanova, folk, rock, tribal, African, and Indian. His band has opened for the Wailers, Culture, Maxi Priest, Inner Circle and others.

Bailey recently held his record release party at the Kramoris Gallery in Sag Harbor, which is also displaying his African photos. He has two more albums of African drumming coming out this fall, and has been teaching African drumming at numerous places, including the Ross School, Hayground School, the Country School, the Montessori School, Bridgehampton School and Westhampton Beach High School.

For several years, Bailey has been teaching African drumming and dance classes on Thursday nights at the Water Mill Community House. And one of the most popular events he has been involved with is the popular Monday night drumming sessions at Sagg Main Beach in Sagaponack, where his African drum group follows the Samba Boom group.

"I started to play with Richie Siegler of Samba Boom last winter, and I had this vision of an African Samba super-group," Bailey said. "We play every Monday from 6 p.m. till 9 p.m."

Bailey and Living Rhythm will be playing African drum music at the Surf Lodge in Montauk on September 27, at 5 p.m. There will also be an African drum and dance demo, plus an African art show at the Quogue Library on September 28 at 3 p.m.

And the beat goes on. "I am now planning to have a drumming festival in the Hamptons next summer, called Summer Drummer," said Bailey.