The classic Greek philosopher Plato said music gives a soul to the universe, wings to the mind, flight to the imagination and life to everything. If he had the opportunity to listen to Kona artist Binti Bailey, his philosophical pronouncement would be confirmed ten times over.
With a diverse musical skill set from blues to classical, jazz to soul and much more, Bailey’s soulful, buttery voice breathes life into any room. This year she will release her premiere CD, “Honestly.”
Singing and performing since childhood, Bailey grew up listening to diverse musical styles from Pavarotti to Sam Cooke.
“I’ve been singing for as long as I can remember,” she said. “I started in the church, and much of my exposure was in my household. My dad used to sing with us a lot and we would listen to artists like Sam Cooke and Pavarotti, so it was nice and diverse. He took us to Broadway and to Sweet Honey in the Rock. We were always exposed to music.”
In addition to singing, she also plays percussion, flute and keyboards. Bailey got her professional start in 2004 with the Philadelphia-based band Jasmine Style.
“I was working in Philadelphia and I met someone who started talking about putting a band together,” said Bailey. “I told her I sang and she invited me to a meeting. We created an all female band called Jasmine Style and that was really when I started to doing professional gigs.”
Bailey moved to Hawaii Island in 2010 and started participating at open mic nights in Kona. She met other professional musicians and began to establish herself in the community through her music and performances. Soft spoken and charming, Bailey easily shares her love of life and optimistic outlook with those around her.
“There are some really amazing people in this life and discovering that is what I live for,” she said. “It’s lovely to connect with people who are making a positive impact on the world.” It gives me hope in a time when we really need it. We need to hang on to the creative people, the outspoken people and the positive people. In my heart I want to be a part of that.”
“Honestly” will be Bailey’s premiere CD, recorded with nine-time Grammy Award winner Larry Seyer who played with the band Asleep at the Wheel. Her goal is to complete the CD by the end of this summer.
“Over the next few weeks, I’ll have a better idea of when the release date will be,” she said. “It’s very exciting. I’m really lucky to work with my friend and fellow musician, Larry Seyer. This is something I’ve wanted to do for a long time.”
All the songs on her album are originals and written about her own life experiences.
“My songs are a lot about my experiences and the energy that I give to someone in a relationship and the positivity I try to give in relationships,” said Bailey. “One of the songs I wrote after going to the mainland to visit the Lorraine Motel in Memphis, Tennessee, where Martin Luther King Jr. was shot. It’s an exhibit and a civil rights museum now. It’s actually built around the site where he was assassinated. You get to go through and see the room where he spent his final moments. I came back from there and wrote a song. That’s how I write songs — they’re based on things that have moved me in some way.”
“I always think about music and how it can move people and touch people. That is what is important to me. I’m just trying to make sure I’m a part of that and surrounded by that.”
Check out Bailey from 6:30-9:30 p.m. on Saturday at Gertrude’s Jazz Bar in Kailua-Kona. There is a $5 cover charge.
For more information on upcoming performances visit Binti Bailey Music Facebook page at www.facebook.com/Binti-Bailey. ■