Based in Brooklyn New York, guitarist David Bailis released his fourth album Running Through My Mind in 2025. The 8-track, 39 minute album is an impressive follow up to his 2024 album Tree Of Life. With Bailis handling all the electric guitars, Running Through My Mind also features superb support from Caroline Davis (alto sax), Andrew Links (keys), Jordan Scannella (bass) and Kenneth Salters (drums).

Musically, Running Through My Mind sits comfortably between straight-ahead jazz and contemporary jazz fusion. Considering David’s innovative fretboard sounds, one can easily see Running Through My Mind appealing to fans of fusion legend Pat Metheny as well as all sorts of instrumental prog-rock fretboard heroes such as progressive hero Steve Howe.

Bailis employs lots of incredible electric guitar techniques including volume pedal swells to enhance his horn-like guitar sounds. In addition to his six original compositions, Running Through My Mind also features a pair of covers, including a take of Stevie Wonder’s “Joy Inside My Tears” from 1976.

Even with such a myriad of innovative guitar techniques played by Bailis, it’s really the guitarist’s interplay with his band that gives the album its true calling card. Often doubling guitar lines with Caroline Davis on alto, the entire band performs in a first rate fashion throughout.

The lead-off track, “Ordinary Trash” perfectly sets the stage while the 6-minute “Zenith” gives Bailis the perfect chance to demonstrate his multi-faceted guitar skills. While those tracks are brilliantly executed it’s really track 7, “Comet” that really jettisons the album into the sonic stratosphere with Bailis getting amazing backing from Caroline’s sax and the keys of Andrew Links. The guitar sound takes off with so many spacey effects that makes the sound so amazing.

If the entire Running Through My Mind album sounds like a kind of music sprint, it may have something to do with David’s devotion to running as a means of physical therapy to which he adds, “The title of the album is a nod to my musical ideas and my love of running”.

Jazz-fusion listeners and guitar fans of all persuasions are strongly recommended to give a good listen to guitarist David Bailis and his album Running Through My Mind.

 

RMR Presents An Interview With David Bailis

RMR: Running Through My Mind has so many great guitar moves on it. When did you write and record the album? How would you compare it sound-wise and compositionally with your three earlier solo albums?

David Bailis: I wrote and recorded the material early this year. A few of the compositions had been kicking around for a little while such as “Telepathy” and “Star Sign” going through the process of playing them live to find the essence and workshop the ideas. We recorded the record in about 4 hours just doing a few tackles of each composition at a studio I have worked at for many years in Brooklyn called Mighty Toad with a brilliant mixing and recording engineer Craig Dreyer. Craig and I have worked on many records together so at this point it's a very productive working environment.

I feel its step forward for compositionally and sonically both in terms of writing and playing wise. The continuing process and discovery of composition and playing just keeps me getting closer to the core of what I’m going for and refining my vision.

 

RMR: What’s the chemistry like between you and the band on the Running Through My Mind album? Who put the band together and who else was key to getting the album sound and production to sound so great?

David Bailis: I am so appreciative to be able to collaborate with such great musicians here in NYC! The bass and drums of Kenn Salters and Jordan Scannella were rock solid pillars and Kenn’s drumming is so inspiring. I go back quite a long ways with both these guys. Jordan Scannella, even back to my Berklee days in Boston. We didn’t really rehearse and Kenn’s approach to the compositions on drums is raw and so fresh.

Andrew Links piano and synth playing was a really exciting element of the album. He is truly unpredictable and such a creative force. He can play beautiful classical or straight ahead jazz on the grand piano and then go crazy getting wild textures from synths that you didn’t think were possible. A really rare combination in a piano player.

I am so grateful to have the great alto player Caroline Davis on the record, it was so inspiring to hear her approach on the canvas of my compositions.

I have charts written for the music but I really believe in not overly instructing the musicians in the studio and letting them bring their individuality to the compositions. That is where the real magic happens. I try to not overthink and believe that trusting your fellow musicians instincts is crucial and it becomes a more collaborative process. I am thankful that everyone on the record was so open minded and brought their amazing talent to the session.

 

RMR: Running Through My Mind was influenced by your love of marathon running. How long have you been a marathon runner and you’re also a coach? You live in Brooklyn, so where do you run in the borough and how else do you maintain your endurance and health? You’re from Boston so how would you compare Brooklyn to Boston, from a musician’s perspective and also as a place to run? I guess the NYC area is still the musician mecca of the Northeast.

David Bailis: Yes I love running! I have been running for many years. For a while I was racing in triathlons but running was always my strongest and favorite of the 3 triathlon sports. In 2019, I did my first marathon and that has led me on a journey where I will complete my 20th marathon in a few months, including the 5 past Boston Marathons. I could go on and on about running. I love the structure that marathon training brings to my daily life.

Early morning running is such an important way for me to start the day and is a crucial part of my daily routine. I thrive on the challenge to push myself and my limits when it comes to training and racing and really being the best that I can be. Getting under 3 hours was a goal when I started racing and once I achieved that after a few marathons, I have continually worked to shave off minutes every year and push my limits in endurance running. I love a good challenge, which probably connects with being a professional musician in NYC!

I have coached runners and currently lead an Official NYC Marathon Charity Partner Team, helping runners to achieve their dream of completing the NYC marathon and some more experienced runners improve on their times. It’s a great way for me to give back to the sport which has given me so much.
I am also a vegan and take diet very seriously. I am very structured about eating clean, non-processed foods, maintaining a whole food plant based diet that balances my proteins, carbs and fats. I don’t want to get too in the weeds here! But finding that balance is a very important part of health, especially for someone who trains as much as I do. I typically run 60-70 miles per week and that will get higher when I’m in the peak of my marathon training.

Yes, I grew up in Boston which was such a great place as young musician. The amount of talent in Boston was amazing, with the music schools and the local musicians there were always great players to draw inspiration from and get your butt kicked! But there is no place like NYC, the amount of killing players everywhere is real. You need to keep practicing and find your voice and hopefully find a lane and a path to be creative and make a living. It isn’t easy but it's not supposed to be!

 

RMR: There are so many great tracks on the album including the brilliant “Comet”. Tell us about “Comet” and the lead-off track “Ordinary Trash”.

David Bailis: Thank you! It's interesting because “Comet” is a bit of a different animal from the rest of the songs on the record. It has a darker and more aggressive vibe. Most of my compositions have melodies that are ‘singable’ but “Comet” comes out of a different place with a more complex melody with a wide range. The big open section is more of a group improvisation rather than a typical ‘solo over a form’ in a jazz context.

The title “Ordinary Trash” has a funny story. It was a phrase that my little son came up with in a viral video on the Instagram channel ‘Recess Therapy' when describing artwork that lacks emotion. The video is worth checking out! 

The words come from a 5 year old yet are actually pretty profound when you think about it. Musically, you never know exactly what is going to happen when you go into the studio and I felt like we hit it with “Ordinary Trash”. We got into the essence of the composition and things just fell into place.

 

RMR: Tell us something about the two cover versions on the album? Your solo version of Stevie Wonder’s “Joy Inside My Tears” is brilliant. I had forgotten that song from 1976. “Jealous Guy” is a timeless tune.

David Bailis: “Joy Inside My Tears” is such a beautiful tune. Not one of Stevie’s famous tracks but it has some of his signature moves harmonically and melodically. The song really resonated with me and seemed ripe for a solo guitar interpretation. There is just so much there within his simple elements. I am a big fan of solo guitar master Ted Greene and my solo pieces pay homage and respect to his genius.

John Lennon’s “Jealous Guy” is great but when I heard the Donny Hathaway version it really struck a chord in me. It’s my favorite Donny Hathaway song and I love how he made it his own. I tried to take some of that inspiration into my solo arrangement.

 

RMR: What guitars are you featuring on Running Through My Mind and how many guitars do you have and also feature on the new album? What amps do you favor and what pedals do you feature on the new album? Do you have any endorsements?

David Bailis: I actually just used one guitar and one amp for the session. The guitar is a Strandberg. A very unique instrument, a semi-hollow headless guitar with a very different body shape. I put in Fraelin handmade pick-ups and customized it to the sound that I’m looking for.

For effects, I kept it pretty minimal, really utilizing the few effects I did use. My mains stays on the record are Electro-Harmonix Pog, Earthquaker Dispatch Maker which is a delay and reverb but I only use the reverb, a Memory Man clone for a little delay, my volume pedal which is a big part of my sound and on “Comet”, I used the Fulltone OCD.

My amp is a solid state 10” Henriksen. I love this amp. I use Henriksen’s for all my gigs, where I bring an amp, and practicing. It has become a big part of my sound. I know most guitar players revere their tube amps, I have grown to love my solid state. There is an immediacy and clarity that I really connect with.

It's funny because in the past I have been fortunate enough to have endorsements and relationships with many great companies including Mesa Boogie for amps and Gibson guitar but in the last couple years I gravitated to Strandberg and Henriksen just for their sound and feel.

 

RMR: It sounds like there are some great sonic enhancements on the album that are quite effective. Tell us about some of your guitar techniques on Running Through My Mind. Tell us about some of your guitar techniques.

David Bailis: I think it's fair to say my playing style is quite unique as I don’t use a guitar pick and developed a style that is my own. I find guitarists who don’t use picks often have a different sound simply because the right hand style is so personal to their playing. I don’t play super hard and for me that is where I can tap into the sound that I’m seeking in terms of phrasing, subtlety and dynamics.

 

RMR: Who were some of your earliest guitar influences from jazz, fusion, rock and other genres? What do you think of the current jazz and fusion scene of 2025 and what guitarists today interest you?

David Bailis: My influences range from primarily the jazz greats but also west African guitar masters, to the rock gods and everything in between! In jazz, Wes Montgomery and Grant Green were huge influences on me when I was younger, Grant's phrasing just grooves so hard. Though, I really gravitate to the guys who put guitar in the more ‘modern jazz’ context- Jim Hall, Scofield, Frisell and Pat Metheny are certainly my guitar heroes.

For the ‘younger generation’, I am a huge fan of Lionel Loueke who has been in Herbie Hancock's band for a number of years. For me, he’s the most innovative guitarist I’ve ever seen. He was at Berklee before me but still was in Boston and I would see him at this weekly restaurant gig and it was just mind-blowing for me at that age.

Kurt Rosenwinkel has been around forever and is without a doubt such an amazing player and a huge inspiration on so many guitarists of my generation. In NYC, there are so many great jazz guitar players, every instrument for that matter!, and too many to name but it is constantly humbling and inspiring me to practice!

In general regardless of styles, I’m drawn to guitarists who have created their ‘own sound’ and approach to the instrument. Players you can recognize right away, whether it's the ‘jazz’ players mentioned above to Eddie Van Halen, Jimi Hendrix, Ali Farka Toure or Jack White.

 

RMR: What musical activities are you planning for 2025 and into 2026 as far as composing, recording, playing live and what aspect do you enjoy most when it comes to writing music, recording or playing concerts?

David Bailis: What I enjoy most when it comes to playing is improvisation. I love to write music and that serves as a vehicle for creation in the moment. I play in NYC all the time and try to bring that spirit of improvisation to the stage on all sorts of gigs. To be clear, I also thoroughly learn music when I’m playing with other artists and respect the song but search for moments of creativity within those structures.

I actually have more than an entire new album of music written, so I look forward to getting started on that and playing through and refining some of the new music live. I have put out an album every year the past 3 years and plan to continue with that momentum in 2026. I love to hear musicians interpret my music and one of the benefits of being in NYC is all the great musicians that I work with regularly and am blessed to collaborate with. I look forward to playing the music for Running Through My Mind and some of the new music in NYC, around the Northeast this fall and hopefully some shows on the west coast in 2026.