Steve Bagby – Ira Sullivan / Stan Getz / Wayne Shorter / Sonny Stitt / Chet Baker
As a 26 year- old college student, I played with Ira Sullivan at Seminole Community College. (1976) In 1982, I bought the record “Spirit Within” by Ira Sullivan and Red Rodney. (Gary Dial – piano, Jay Anderson – bass, Steve Bagby – Drums) This group played in Orlando minus Steve Bagby. I was disappointed that it wasn’t Steve Bagby on the gig. It was very good. Everything with Ira Sullivan was quality. Hearing Red Rodney was a first. (1983) I was employed at Disney and EPCOT at the time.
The venue was called Daisy’s Basement. On the bill with Ira and Red was a group led by Jerry Tyree. Ron Miller played acoustic bass. (Both great musicians) Jerry Tyree was an alumni from Woody Herman and The Maynard Ferguson band of the late 50s, 60s. Those groups included Frankie Dunlop (drums) Bill Chase (trumpet) Slide Hampton (trombone) Lanny Morgan - Joe Farrell (saxophones) Jaki Baird (piano) Rufus Jones (drums)
Jerry was an amazing storyteller. I loved the jazz gigs we played. He was a real inspiration. That gig with Red Rodney and Ira Sullivan had Jerry bouncing off the walls. He was so thrilled to be hearing music of that caliber.
In 1996, when I was living and working in Miami, I heard Steve Bagby play with George Coleman. It was at Gulfstream Park, the horse track. The gig was on the property outside on a bandstand. It was not a proper jazz event. I enjoyed it and got to hear a masterful drummer. His approach and style was major league.
Steve Bagby grew up in Chicago, another one of those that I speak of. (Louie Bellson, Davey Tough, Mousey Alexander, Tommy Thomas, Gene Krupa and more)
Steve Bagby performed and recorded with Stan Getz, Wayne Shorter, Sonny Stitt and Chet Baker. He once sat in in for Elvin Jones with John Coltrane. Steve Bagby was on faculty at University of Miami as the drum set instructor for 30 years. I spoke to him on the phone when he called the AFM local office one day. (1996) He told me about his illness. It was a musical blessing to witness his genius on the drumset. He passed away age 66 – (2007)