Meet Baillie, who is currently enrolled at The University of Glasgow and specialising in Saxophone Performance. His focuses are particularly centralised around Jazz, be it the performance, composition, arrangement, or history of the rich genre. It is the pursuit of fluent improvisation that drives his passion for the world of music.
A relentless presence in the Scottish improvised music scene since the age of 17 has seen him play in sessions all the way from Glasgow to Dundee, and everywhere in-between. Although cut-throat and terrifying to beginners, these Jamming opportunities were fundamental to his musical education. By immersing himself in that world so young, he realised how flawed and unforgiving it can be. His goal was to create an environment for amateurs to develop, outside the harshness of the City Jam sessions.
As a result, Baillie has spent multiple years as the President of The Glasgow University Jazz Society: a massive community of musicians from all around Glasgow sharing a love for jazz. In his role, he has run countless regular Jam-sessions, beginner focused improv workshops, organised Masterclasses with world class talents, and so much more. Throughout it all he has been regularly performing as part of the society for years, playing prestigious awards ceremonies, black tie events, and ticketed concerts. He can also be found playing 1st Tenor in The University Big Band, aswell as the Saxophone Ensemble. In both cases, he regularly plays massive scale concerts and gigs to thousands of people.
Outwith the University, Baillie has performed with function bands all over the country, as well as solo function work - be it Birthdays, Anniversaries, Weddings, Funerals; he has done them all, including a broad range of styles. He has also done his time in the world of Session Music, performing with alt-rock and indie-rock bands all over Glasgow, recording dates, and appearing in festival lineups.
As a teacher, Baillie believes in teaching people to teach themselves. This extends to learning in-depth about how the saxophone works, its sonic capabilities, how to engage with it effectively, and to play whatever the player desires. A Jazz-centric view is at the heart of his approach, encouraging players to find within themselves what to play in the moment and reassuring them that the only wrong notes are the ones you didn’t mean to play.