SWP Records
Michael Baird
Hugh Tracey
I.L.A.M.

Curriculum Vitae


1954 born in Lusaka, Zambia (then Northern Rhodesia).
1954-64 grew up in Zambia, but also visitied Zimbabwe, Botswana, South Africa, Congo, Tanzania, Zanzibar, Kenya, Aden, Egypt, England.
1964 moved to England.
1967 moved to Holland.
1968 started playing the drums.
1972 passed HBS-A exams (A-levels), Lorentz Lyceum, Eindhoven (NL).
1973 started studying Philosophy, Leicester University (GB);
freelance musician in London, playing with amongst others Stan Tracey (GB), Harry Miller (SA), Veryan Weston (GB).
1974 quit study Philosophy;
free-lance musician in Holland;
followed workshops by Afro-Caribbean percussionist Raul Burnet (CUR).
1975-83 drummer with Gijs Hendriks (NL), winner of the national Wessel Ilken Jazz Award, playing in all his groups, from trio to 12-piece band – also with Slide Hampton (USA), Kenny Drew (USA), Siggi Kessler (D), Sonny Grey (JAM), Raul Burnet (CUR), Michel Graillier (F), Michel Herr (B), Joe Diorio (USA), Stan Tracey (GB), Kenny Wheeler (CAN), Jan Akkerman (NL), Wim Overgaauw (NL) – concerts in Holland, Germany, Belgium, France, Poland, England, Scotland;
recorded and co-produced six lps with Gijs Hendriks (NL);
radio-broadcasts for VPRO, VARA, TROS, KRO, AVRO, NOS radio (all NL), BRT (B), Radio France, Polish radio;
festivals of Laren x 2 (NL), Northsea x 4 (NL), Meervaart (NL), Lille (F), Balver Höhle (D), Jazz Jamboree (PL);
two private lessons with jazz-drummer Art Taylor (USA);
concerts in Holland with the Boy Edgar Combo (NL);
committee member of the Stichting (= Foundation) Gijs Hendriks Band;
co-founder of the Stichting Jazz Utrecht (NL);
led many workshops for the Stichting Jazz Utrecht.
1983-84 free-lance musician in Holland;
created the multi-media band The One Voice Ensemble (NL), with Broer van den Bogaart, Ralph Wingens, Kees Meurs, Huib Wingens (all NL), performances in Holland.
1985 created the percussion duo Sharp Wood (NL), with Broer van den Bogaart (NL);
concerts Sharp Wood in Holland;
VPRO radio-broadcast (NL) with Sharp Wood;
led drum-workshops in Utrecht and Rotterdam (NL).
1986 concerts Sharp Wood in Holland and Germany;
Festival Theatre a/d Werf (NL) with Sharp Wood plus actor Ralph Wingens (NL);
recorded and produced Sharp Wood lp Percussion – with Broer van den Bogaart (NL) and Hans Hasebos (NL).
1987 concerts Sharp Wood trio in Holland, Germany, France;
Festival de Bollène (F) with Sharp Wood;
Stigma Festival Hilversum (NL) with Sharp Wood.
1988 concerts Sharp Wood in Holland, Germany, Belgium, France;
Festival Jazz Grenoble (F) with Sharp Wood;
VPRO radio-broadcast (NL) with Sharp Wood;
Northsea Festival (NL) with Sharp Wood;
Paradiso Percussion Festival (NL) with Sharp Wood;
RTBF tv-broadcast (B) with Sharp Wood.
1989 concerts Sharp Wood in Holland;
SJU Jazz Festival (NL) with Sharp Wood quartet.
1990 group subsidy for Sharp Wood from the Dutch National Jazz Foundation;
concerts Sharp Wood in Holland and Germany;
recorded and produced Sharp Wood cd Splinters – with Jogi Gillis (SUR), Albert Veenendaal (NL), Hans Hasebos (NL) and guest Michel Massot (B);
VPRO tv-broadcast (NL) with Sharp Wood;
Festival de Martigues (F) with André Jaume/Jean-Marc Montera Quintet (F);
member of the Programme Committee, Utrecht Jazz Foundation.
1991 group subsidy for Sharp Wood from the Dutch National Jazz Foundation;
concerts Sharp Wood in Holland, Germany and France;
Leverkusen Jazz Festival (D) with Sharp Wood;
music-theatre production Want Matches inThéatre des Bernadines, Marseille (F) with Sharp Wood, Jean-Marc Montera (F) and vocalist Marianne Pousseur (B) with texts by William Blake;
concerts in Italy with Dick de Graaf/Serge Lazarevitch Quartet (NL/F);
concerts in France with Jaume/Montera Quintet (F);
member of the Programme Committee, Utrecht Jazz Foundation.
1992 concerts Sharp Wood in Holland and Belgium;
Jazz Festival Liège (B) with Sharp Wood;
RTBF radio-broadcast (B) with Sharp Wood;
concerts in Holland and France with De Graaf/Lazarevitch Quartet (NL/F);
concerts in Holland with Quintet Vogelvijf, quintet led by Tjitze Vogel (NL);
SJU Jazz Festival (NL) with Vogelvijf (NL).
1993 concerts Sharp Wood in Holland;
VPRO radio-broadcast with Sharp Wood;
recorded and produced Sharp Wood cd – Twig it, with Jogi Gillis (SUR), Michiel Borstlap (NL), Ben Gerritsen (NL) and guest Michael Moore (USA);
recorded cd This Side Up – with Vogelvijf (NL);
Middelsee Festival (NL) with De Graaf/Lazarevitch Quartet (NL/F);
VPRO radio-broadcast with De Graaf/Lazarevitch Quartet (NL/F);
concerts in Holland with Vogelvijf (NL);
invited to the Baden-Baden New Jazz Meeting (D), with Rabih Abou-Khalil (LEB), Jasper van 't Hof (NL), Howard Levy (USA), Arkady Shilkloper (RU), Bardo Henning (D), Vitold Rek (PL) amongst others, several Süd-West Funk radio broadcasts (D);
guest-workshop Groningen Conservatory (NL).
1994 concerts Sharp Wood in Holland and Germany;
Northsea Festival (NL) with Sharp Wood;
Herford Festival (D) with Sharp Wood;
concerts in Holland with Vogelvijf;
music-theatre production Permanent Extinction in Utrechtse School Theatre (NL), with Willy van der Griendt (NL).
1995 'Pygmees & Elephants' project, Sharp Wood plus two tuba's, Michel Massot (B) and Michel Godard (F), concerts in Holland;
composition commission by National Fund for Composing (NL) for 'Pygmees & Elephants'.
NPS radio-broadcast (NL) with 'Pygmees & Elephants';
composition commission by painter Marijke Nielen (NL) for project The World is full of Ideals (in an purposely-built pavillion large canvasses were viewed from a revolving stage with each person listening to the music through headphones);
1996 recorded and produced cd Michael Baird – On Remote Patrol, with Vitold Rek (PL), David Tronzo (USA), Michel Massot (B), Michael Moore (USA), Hans Hasebos (NL), Mark Lotz (D);
music for nature film 'The War of the Ants', together with Bert Barten (NL);
solo-percussion performances in Holland;
scholarship from Dutch Ministry of Culture to study his musical roots - the music of Zambia and Zimbabwe - and spent 3 months in southern Africa researching and recording music, and jamming with the locals;
research at International Library of African Music, Grahamstown, South Africa;
guest-workshop Dept. of Music, Rhodes University, Grahamstown, South Africa;
field-recordings of music from Zambia and Zimbabwe for VPRO-radio (NL).
1997 compiled programme of African music for VPRO radio (NL);
created octet Utrecht Deep Artment;
composition commission by National Fund for Composing (NL) for Utrecht Deep Artment;
produced cd Batonga Across the Waters of own recordings of the Batonga people from the Zambesi valley;
created 'soundscape' of Zambezi Valley sounds and music for travelling exhibition about the Batonga;
composition commission by Utrecht Jazz Foundation (NL) for 11-piece band.
1998 concerts Utrecht Deep Artment in Holland;
NPS radio-broadcast (NL) Utrecht Deep Artment;
recorded and produced cd Sirenians – with Utrecht Deep Artment, with Janice Jackson (CAN), Mark Lotz (D), Hermien Schneider (NL), Paul Weiling (D), Henk Raven (NL), Tjitze Vogel (NL), Nikos Tsilojannis (GR);
research at International Library of African Music, Grahamstown, South Africa;
concerts in South Africa with the group Itolofiya, and with Monwabisi Sabani;
compiled and produced first four cds in series 'Historical Recordings by Hugh Tracey', with recordings from central, eastern and southern Africa – At the Court of the Mwami, Royal Court Music from Uganda, On the Edge of the Ituri Forest and Kalimba and Kalumbu Songs.
1999 compiled programme of African music for VPRO radio (NL);
compiled 2 programmes of African music for NPS radio (NL);
concerts Utrecht Deep Artment in Holland;
SJU Jazz Festival (NL) with Utrecht Deep Artment;
VPRO radio-broadcast (NL) Utrecht Deep Artment;
composition commission by the City of Amersfoort (NL) for music coming out of a large gap created by an archeological dig;
compiled and produced the fifth cd in the Tracey series – Kanyok and Luba.
2000 series of workshops at Rhodes University, Grahamstown, South Africa, for the Gaudeamus Foundation of Amsterdam, and also at Port Elizabeth University;
created quintet Cape-Ability with musicians from the Eastern Cape: Rick van Heerden, Nishlyn Ramanna, Mpumolelo Frans, Geoffrey Tracey (all SA);
research at International Library of African Music, Grahamstown, South Africa;
compiled and produced three more cds in the Tracey series – Other Musics from Zimbabwe, Southern and Central Malawi and Northern and Central Malawi;
created septet Trendy 3D Junk (NL) with Konkie Halmeyer (CUR), Oene van Geel (NL), Ant Kaplan (SA), Karim Eharruyen (MAR), Hester Boverhuis (NL), Ed Verhoeff (NL);
compiled programme on African music for VRT radio (B).
2001 compiled programme of African music for VPRO radio (NL);
concerts Trendy 3D Junk in Holland;
research at International Library of African Music, Grahamstown, South Africa;
concerts with Rick van Heerden Quartet in South Africa;
compiled and produced three more cds in the Tracey series – Origins of Guitar Music, Forest Music, and Tswana and Sotho Voices;
compiled programme on African music for VRT radio (B).
2002 recorded and produced cd – Gongs and Bells, solo percussion project;
concerts in Holland with Steven Kamperman's MOT sextet (NL);
field recordings in Southern Province, Zambia;
compiled and produced cd of own field recordings – Zambia Roadside;
recorded cd – Modern Madness or Tribal Truth with Steven Kamperman's MOT sextet (NL);
composition commission by painter Marijke Nielen (NL) for the project One by One, putting paintings to music;
duo concerts in Holland with ud-player Karim Eharruyen (MAR);
solo percussion concerts in Holland.
2003 research at International Library of African Music, Grahamstown, South Africa;
concert in South Africa with Rick van Heerden (SA);
created quintet African Abstractions, with Kofi Ayivor (GHA), Ousmane Seye (SEN), Jeroen van Vliet (NL), Zoumana Diarra (MALI);
composition commission together with bassist Pablo Nahar (SUR) for Jos Groenier's openair theatre production of Peer Gynt;
performances of Peer Gynt in Holland;
compiled and produced five more cds in Tracey series – The Nguni Sound, Southern Mozambique, Tanzania Instruments, Tanzania Vocals, Secular Music from Uganda, and Forgotten Guitars from Mozambique;
solo percussion concerts and lectures on African music in Tokyo, Japan;
compiled programme on African music for VPRO radio (NL).
2004 compiled and produced cd no. 18 in Tracey series – The Legendary George Sibanda;
composition commission by painter Marijke Nielen (NL) for the project Angel with Black Hair: a performance on location with 18 paintings, music and theatre;
composition commission by Music Meeting Festival Nijmegen (NL), with African Abstractions plus guests Rick van Heerden (SA), Konkie Halmeyer (CUR);
'Coup de Coeur' prize in the category worldmusic awarded by the Académie Charles Cros (F) for the series 'Historical Recordings by Hugh Tracey';
duo concerts in Holland with Karim Eharruyen (MAR);
duo concerts in Holland with Kamal al Hors (MAR);
concerts in Holland with Steven Kamperman's MOT sextet (NL);
concerts in Holland with African Abstractions (NL);
music workshop in Lusaka for National Arts Council Zambia;
compiled and produced cd Zambush Vol. 1 – Zambian Hits from the 80s.
2005 compiled and produced cd Zambush Vol. 2 – Zambian Hits from the 60s & 70s;
concerts in Holland with Steven Kamperman's MOT sextet;
compiled programme on African music for VPRO radio (NL);
guest soloist, together with Kamal al Hors (MAR), with the Ricciotti Ensemble (NL) on tour in Holland and Morocco;
recorded and produced cd – The Ritmoloog Continues: Michael Baird with guest musicians Kofi Ayivor (GHA), Ousmane Seye (SEN), Jeroen van Vliet (NL), Konkie Halmeyer (CUR), Cherry Wijdenbosch (SUR), Jasper Le Clerq (NL), Nusch (NL);
research at International Library of African Music, Grahamstown, South Africa.
2006 compiled and produced final three cds in Tracey series – Kenyan Songs and Strings, Colonial Dance Bands, and Bulawayo Jazz;
compiled programme on African music for VPRO radio (NL);
field recordings in Lesotho of lesiba mouthbow and sekhankula bow.
2007 compiled and produced cd of own field recordings – Lesotho Calling;
created quintet Democrazy, with Ousmane Seye (SEN), Jeroen van Vliet (NL), Kamal Hors (MAR), Patrick Votrian (USA);
concerts in Holland with Democrazy.
2008 field recordings in Zambia in conjunction with Rogier Kapper’s documentary film about Hugh Tracey and the music of central, eastern and southern Africa;
music consultant for Rogier Kapper’s new documentary film;
compiled and produced cd The Very Best of Hugh Tracey;
initiator and drummer of the Rhythm Orgy, in Utrecht (NL), a series of musical meetings between African and European musicians;
field recordings in Zambia and Zimbabwe of the kankobela (thumb piano) of the Batonga.
2009 created sextet TranceMission, with Ousmane Seye (SEN), Steven Kamperman (NL), Henk Spies (NL), Andy Moor (GB), Terry Ex (NL);
concerts in Holland with TranceMission;
recorded and produced cd – Twenty Years After: duets with Arend Nijenhuis (NL);
compiled and produced cd of own field recordings – The Kankobela of the Batonga Vol. 1;
compiled and produced the cd – The Late Great Phil Seamen: highlights of arguably the greatest jazz drummer Europe has ever produced;
created the project Utrick City Impro Collective, a concert series of octets with musicians from the Utrecht area;
organisor and drummer of the Rhythm Orgy concert series in Utrecht (NL), with a different quintet or sextet each time, with amongst others Ousmane Seye (SEN), Matondo Watondo (CONGO), Zoumana Diarra (MALI), Layba Diawara (GUI), Abdoulaye 'Oké' Sène (SEN).
2010 guest lecturer at Rhodes University, South Africa, teaching music, composition, and ethnomusicology;
recorded and produced cd – Ends and Odds: Michael Baird with guest musicians Layba Diawara (GUI), Rick van Heerden (ZIM), Marianne Noordink (NL), Sophie de Vries (NL);
research (in Zambia) and then wrote first report ever, mapping out the music scene and music education in Zambia, for Music Crossroads International;
assisted Roger Short and Andy Kershaw with music for BBC Radio 3 program Music Planet 'Zambezi River';
organisor and drummer of the Rhythm Orgy concert series in Utrecht (NL), with amongst others Lamin Kuyateh (GAM), Abdoulaye 'Oké' Sène (SEN), Paul Weiling (D), Jeroen van Vliet (NL), Layba Diawara (GUI), Zoumana Diarra (MALI), Ousmane Seye (SEN), Joseph Bowie (USA). 
2011 organisor and drummer of the Rhythm Orgy concert series in Utrecht (NL), with amongst others Ebou Gaye Mada (GAM), Zoumana Diarra (MALI), Abdoulaye 'Oké' Sène (SEN), Paul Weiling (D), Layba Diawara (GUI), Joseph Bowie (USA), Matondo Watondo (CONGO), Lamin Kuyateh (GAM), Theo de Jong (NL), Mamour Seck (SEN), Jasper Le Clerq (NL), Patrick Votrian (USA);
brought kalumbu-player Enock Mbongwe from the Zambian bush to the Royal Albert Hall in London to perform at the BBC 'Human Planet' Prom concerts;
compiled and produced cd of own field recordings – The Kankobela of the Batonga Vol. 2;
Curriculum Vitae

Complete curriculum vitae of Michael Baird

Afropop interview 2006
by Banning Eyre
trailer 2008

Watch the trailer of a full-length documentary film that is being made by Dutch filmmaker Rogier Kappers about Hugh Tracey and the phenomenon of central, eastern and southern African music, with Michael Baird as music advisor.

live clip 2009

drum intro plus theme 'Fast Jazz' by Michael Baird, live in Amsterdam 01/04/09 with his sextet TranceMission

Soul Safari interview 2010

by Eddy De Clercq

live clip 2011

drum intro and composition 'Go West' by Michael Baird, live in Utrecht 21/05/11, with his new octet Utrick City Impro Collective