Judith Mary Bailey (3 October 1935 – 8 August 2025) was a New Zealand-born pianist, classical jazz musician, composer, arranger and senior lecturer who lived in Australia from 1960.
Life and career
Bailey was born in Auckland on 3 October 1935, and raised in Whangārei. As a young child she learned ballet, followed by piano and theory when she was 10 years old. She graduated from Trinity College London when she was 16.
Bailey moved to Australia in 1960, spending most of her time in Sydney. She performed on TV, music venues such as the El Rocco, and on many recordings.
She served with Tommy Tycho's orchestra on the Seven Network.
Bailey was a senior lecturer in jazz composition and jazz piano at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music where she commenced in 1973, and was also musical director of the Sydney Youth Jazz Ensemble (Jazz Connection).
In 1973, Bailey became the pianist on the Australian Broadcasting Corporation children's radio show Kindergarten, which often featured presenters from Play School
In 2017, rapper Rick Ross with producer Bink sampled Bailey's "Colour of My Dreams" from the Judy Bailey Quartet album Colours. The sample was used on Ross's track "Santorini Greece" on the album Rather You Than Me.
Bailey was a represented artist of the Australian Music Centre.
She died in Willoughby, Sydney, New South Wales on 8 August 2025, at the age of 89.
Discography Albums + List of albums, with selected details Title Details The Wind (The Errol Buddle Quartet featuring Judy Bailey) Released: 1962 Format: LP Label: His Master's Voice (OCLP 7594) You & The Night & The Music Released: 1964 Format: LP Label: CBS (BP233126) My Favourite Things Released: 1965 Format: LP Label: CBS (BP233263) One Moment Released: 1974 Format: LP Label: Philips (MX173238) Colours Released: 1976 Format: LP Label: Eureka (E-103) Solo Released: 1978 Format: LP Label: Eureka (E-107) Notwithstanding Released: 1992 Format: CD Label: ABC JAZZ (510 600-2) Sundial Released: 1993 Format: CD Label: ABC JAZZ (4797182) The Spritely Ones Released: September 2001 Format: CD Label: Tall Poppies (TP159) Speakeasy Released: 2001 Format: CD Label: Judy Bailey Jazz Legends: Judy Bailey Released: 2011 Format: 4×CD Label: ABC Jazz (476 4515) Another Journey Released: August 2018 Format: 2×CD, digital Label: Sydney Conservatorium Of Music
Awards and honours 2004: Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) "for service to jazz music and education." 2008: Award for Distinguished Services to Australian Music at the Annual Classical Music Awards. 2017: Awarded an Honorary Doctorate from the University of Sydney 2022: Australia Council Don Banks Music Award
ARIA Music Awards The ARIA Music Awards are annual awards which recognise excellence, innovation and achievement across all genres of Australian music. They commenced in 1987.
! |- | 1993 | Notwithstanding |rowspan="2"| Best Jazz Album | |rowspan="2"| ARIA Award previous winners. |- | 1994 | Sundial
Sir Bernard Heinze Memorial Award The Sir Bernard Heinze Memorial Award is given to a person who has made an outstanding contribution to music in Australia.
! |- | 2018 || Judy Bailey|| Sir Bernard Heinze Memorial Award || ||
Australian Jazz Bell Awards The Australian Jazz Bell Awards, also known as the Bell Awards or The Bells, are annual music awards for the jazz music genre in Australia. (wins only) |- | 2014 | Judy Bailey | Hall of Fame
Mo Awards The Australian Entertainment Mo Awards (commonly known informally as the Mo Awards) were annual Australian entertainment industry awards. They recognised achievements in live entertainment in Australia from 1975 to 2016. Bailey won one award in that time. (wins only) |- | 1991 | Judy Bailey | Jazz Performer of the Year (Female)
References
External links
AudioCulture profile