Above pic: the legendary Judy Bailey
Dr Judy Bailey OAM died aged 89 on Friday August 8, 2025, at Estia Health Willoughby where she had been resident since early 2021. Among other health concerns, she suffered from mild cognitive impairment as a result of a failed anaesthetic during a hip replacement operation. It’s unlikely that, had she lived, she would have been able to attend this event. Instead it served as a posthumous tribute by several leading musicians who often played with her bands in the past.
Lane Cove Council’s deputy mayor Bridget Kennedy introduced the event and welcomed members of Judy’s family: her son Chris De Gray, his wife Vicki and their two sons Connor and Austin. She then went on to say, “Judy was a trailblazer for Australian jazz, a mentor to generations of musicians, and an inspiring teacher whose influence stretched across the country. Here in Lane Cove, Judy’s impact was personal and lasting. For more than 25 years she brought her beloved Jazz Connection to our festivals, delighting audiences and giving young musicians a stage to shine. Many of us fondly remember these At Your Request concerts – always a highlight of the festival program, full of joy, warmth and world-class music.”
In Judy’s absence the piano chair was assumed by
her long-term friend and colleague at the Sydney Conservatorium Kevin Hunt. He was joined by James Greening (trombone), Col Loughnan (tenor saxophone), and Craig Scott (double bass). Judy’s regular drummer Tim Firth was unavailable, so the drums were played by Cameron Reid, perhaps best-known as a member of the great six-piece band Chutney.
This event took place in the foyer of Lane Cove Civic Centre, and was well-attended by a sold-out crowd of around 100 people. For most of her life, Judy lived in Finlayson Street, Lane Cove, so was a well-known local identity. The idea behind this event, which I gather has often taken place in the past courtesy of Lane Cove Council, is that audience members suggest the set list of tunes for the musicians to play by submitting requests in advance.
The repertoire for this performance consisted primarily of well-known standards which the musicians played off the top of their heads: Henry Mancini’s Days of Wine & Roses; Neal Hefti’s Girl Talk; September in the Rain; and the like. With musicians playing at this level, there were naturally umpteen splendid improvisations to be heard, particularly from Scott on double bass, and as usual from the redoubtable Hunt, whose evolving improvisatory style on piano is a wonder to behold.
The musicians played without the benefit of amplification, there being no sound system in use. Might I suggest that in future it would be beneficial to have a microphone available to amplify the piano? Its sound can be buried, especially when the musicians play with additional energy, which is inevitable in this sort of context. There was a microphone in use at the beginning of the event, which was used by councillor Kennedy, but apparently it was faulty; when it was placed in the piano it produced feedback, so had to be removed. Little things mean a lot, and the simple provision of such a microphone in future could make all the difference between successful sound balance, and an irritating sound deficiency.
Among the memorable highlights during two sets played by the musicians were the lovely ballad Autumn in New York, Rodgers & Hart’s Blue Moon, and a spirited version of the Ellington/Juan Tizol standard Caravan which, as usual, showed itself to be a good vehicle for the musicians to blow on, ending the performance on a very bright note. The excitement generated here prompted what can only be described as a standing ovation from an appreciative audience which throughout had been hanging off every note.
This was a very worthwhile event, which justly celebrated the distinguished career of Judy Bailey. On one level she might have been merely a local Lane Cove resident but on another level she was a national phenomenon, one of the first female jazz musicians in Australia, in a male-dominated profession, to shine as pianist, arranger, composer and educator, since she arrived in Australia in 1960 from New Zealand. Everyone in the jazz community has a Judy Bailey story which testifies to her inclusiveness, her warm appreciation of the merits of whomever she met, and of course her wicked sense of humour.
It was energising at this event to experience the warm feelings in the room about Judy Bailey, which emanated not only from the performing musicians, but also ran through an adoring audience.
This concert, part of the Sydney Fringe Festival and also the simultaneous Lane Cove Festival, took place on Friday September 12, 2025 at Lane Cove Civic Centre, featuring Kevin Hunt (piano), James Greening (trombone), Col Loughnan (tenor saxophone), Craig Scott (double bass). and Cameron Reid (drums).
