Don Bagley

Bagley was born on July 18, 1927 in Salt Lake City, Utah. He received formal training on the double bass. He studied in Los Angeles and played in 1945 with Shorty Sherock and Wingy Manone, and in 1948 with Dick Pierce. From 1950 to 1953 and sporadically thereafter, Bagley played with Stan Kenton; during Bagley's time with Kenton, "A Study for Bass" by Bill Russo and "Bags" by Bill Holman were written to feature Bagley's playing; starting in 1954 he fronted his own ensembles. Between 1950 and 1952 he did extensive work as a session musician with Nat King Cole, Maynard Ferguson, and Dexter Gordon. In the middle of the 1950s he played in Europe with Zoot Sims, Lars Gullin, Frank Rosolino, and Ake Persson. Between 1956 and 1967 he again worked with Kenton and with Les Brown; toward the end of the 1950s he also played with Jimmie Rowles, Shelly Manne, and Phil Woods. In 1957 and 1958 he recorded three albums under his own name. In 1959 he played with Pete Fountain; in 1961 he did a session with Ben Webster. In 1964 he performed in Japan with Julie London. In the 1970s and '80s Bagley composed and arranged for film and television. Between 1976 and 1984 he worked with Burt Bacharach.[1]

Bagley died on July 26, 2012 at the age of 85.[2]

• Basically Bagley (Dot, 1957) with Jimmy Rowles, Shelly Manne
• Jazz On The Rocks (Regent, 1958; CD reissue on Blue Moon, 1999) with Phil Woods, Eddie Costa, Sal Salvador, Charlie Persip
• The Soft Sell (Dot, 1958; CD reissue on Blue Moon, 1999) with Paul Horn, Jimmy Rowles, Shelly Manne

With Stan Kenton

• Innovations in Modern Music (Capitol, 1950)
• Stan Kenton Presents (Capitol, 1950)
• Popular Favorites by Stan Kenton (Capitol, 1953)
• Sketches on Standards (Capitol, 1953)
• This Modern World (Capitol, 1953)
• Portraits on Standards (Capitol, 1953)
• Kenton Showcase (Capitol, 1954)
• The Kenton Era (Capitol, 1940–54, [1955])
• Kenton with Voices (Capitol, 1957)
• Lush Interlude (Capitol, 1958)
• Two Much! (Capitol, 1960) with Ann Richards
• Stan Kenton! Tex Ritter! (Capitol, 1962) with Tex Ritter
• Artistry in Bossa Nova (Capitol, 1963)
• Artistry in Voices and Brass (Capitol, 1963)
• Kenton / Wagner (Capitol, 1964)
• The World We Know (Capitol, 1967)
• The Jazz Compositions of Dee Barton (Capitol, 1967)
• The Innovations Orchestra (Capitol, 1950-51 [1997])

With Lee Konitz

• Lee Konitz Plays (Disques Vogue, 1953)

With Shorty Rogers

• Modern Sounds (Capitol, 1951)

With Pete Rugolo

• Rugolo Plays Kenton (EmArcy, 1958)

With Ben Webster

• The Warm Moods (Reprise, 1961)