HOMEWOOD, Ill. -- Musician Gerald Bailey is an accomplished Chicago-area trumpet player and multi-instrumentalist who has recorded and played with popular bands like Mumford & Sons, Belle And Sebastian, Father John Misty, Ty Segall, and Kevin Morby. He's even performed at the White House for former President Barack Obama. But in his music room in Homewood, IL, humble instruments made from recycled bottle caps, bird houses, and plastic spider plants help keep the beat on his new album, Migration Climate.
"It's really important to make music that's inspiring, that's pushing your listeners to pay attention," said Bailey.
Bailey's collection of improvised instruments includes a motorized percussion machine he calls "Three Flat Birdhouse;" a wooden box attached to a pegboard housing a birdhouse equipped with LED lights and a beer can covered in old apartment keys, which are both triggered by an OP-1 synthesizer. The instrument pays homage to his dwellings in Chicago and fits appropriately within the theme of the cramped living experts believe will come as a result of climate change.
"A lot of times when I'm creating instruments, I'm thinking a lot about how the visual might tie into the concept of the music," said Bailey. "To raise awareness of climate migration and climate change; it just seems that if this trend continues, we could be in for some crowded living situations and hit a stretch of problems that we're not prepared to face."
Migration Climate is just 29 minutes in length but includes 13 tracks with Bailey playing trumpet, flugabone, piano, and other instruments himself. Bailey said during the pandemic, he along with many jazz musicians who were used to playing in clubs and other venues began experimenting at home making their own music.
"A lot of musicians don't think about the genre that they're creating," said Bailey. "I thought of what I was making in the last couple years as 'bedroom jazz.'"
Bailey collaborated with Chicago's Dark Matter Coffee to create a specialty coffee for Migration Climate featuring the album's colorful artwork and an environmentally conscious blend. Dark Matter has a long history of promoting bands like Mastodon, The Hold Steady, and Taking Back Sunday along with less popular artists through their coffee packaging. Bailey used to live close to one of their several Chicago locations.
"When they first started I thought 'man it would be cool to have my own coffee but that will probably never happen,'" said Bailey. "It's really nice to be able to put something together like this."
Kyle Hodges, self-proclaimed "Minister of Propaganda" for Dark Matter Coffee, said he loves Bailey's new album and supported him by DJing his record release party at the Broken Shaker in Chicago's River North neighborhood.
"It's a phenomenal record," said Hodges. "It touches on bits of jazz and twists them to a modern approach, heavily influenced by hip hop and acid jazz and trip hop from the 90's.
Migration Climate is available on vinyl through Potions Music New York and available for download on Amazon Music, iTunes, Spotify, YouTube Music and other streaming platforms. For more information on Gerald Bailey, visit geraldbaileyproductionMusician Gerald Bailey is an accomplished Chicago-area trumpet player and multi-instrumentalist who has recorded and played with popular bands like Mumford & Sons, Belle and Sebastian, Father John Misty, Ty Segall, and Kevin Morby. He's even performed at the White House for former President Barack Obama.
But in his music room in Homewood, Ill., humble instruments made from recycled bottle caps, bird houses, and plastic spider plants help keep the beat on his new album, "Migration Climate."
"It's really important to make music that's inspiring, that's pushing your listeners to pay attention," Bailey said.
Bailey's collection of improvised instruments includes a motorized percussion machine he calls Three Flat Birdhouse: a wooden box attached to a pegboard housing a birdhouse equipped with LED lights and a beer can covered in old apartment keys, which are both triggered by an OP-1 synthesizer. The instrument pays homage to his dwellings in Chicago and fits appropriately within the theme of the cramped living experts believe will come as a result of climate change.
"A lot of times when I'm creating instruments, I'm thinking a lot about how the visual might tie into the concept of the music," said Bailey. "To raise awareness of climate migration and climate change; it just seems that if this trend continues, we could be in for some crowded living situations and hit a stretch of problems that we're not prepared to face."
"Migration Climate" is just 29 minutes long, but includes 13 tracks with Bailey playing trumpet, flugabone, piano, and other instruments himself. Bailey said during the pandemic he, along with many jazz musicians who were used to playing in clubs and other venues, began experimenting at home making their own music.
"A lot of musicians don't think about the genre that they're creating," said Bailey. "I thought of what I was making in the last couple years as 'bedroom jazz.'"
Bailey collaborated with Chicago's Dark Matter Coffee to create a specialty coffee for "Migration Climate" featuring the album's colorful artwork and an environmentally conscious blend.
Dark Matter has a long history of promoting bands like Mastodon, The Hold Steady, and Taking Back Sunday along with less popular artists through their coffee packaging. Bailey used to live close to one of their Chicago locations, of which they have several.
"When they first started I thought 'man it would be cool to have my own coffee but that will probably never happen,'" said Bailey. "It's really nice to be able to put something together like this."
Kyle Hodges, self-proclaimed Minister of Propaganda for Dark Matter Coffee, said he loves Bailey's new album and supported him by DJing his record release party at the Broken Shaker in Chicago's River North neighborhood.
"It's a phenomenal record," said Hodges. "It touches on bits of jazz and twists them to a modern approach, heavily influenced by hip hop and acid jazz and trip hop from the 90's."
"Migration Climate" is available on vinyl through Potions Music New York and available for download on Amazon Music, iTunes, Spotify, YouTube Music and other streaming platforms. For more information on Gerald Bailey, visit geraldbaileyproductions.com
