PRESENTATION

Jazz Masters—
Dizzy Gillespie
There is not one person around who knows jazz music that did not hear the
name Dizzy Gillespie. Dizzy Gillespie was a composer, singer, jazz trumpet
player and bandleader.
 Dizzy along with Charlie Parker were instrumental in the
development modern jazz music and bebop. Dizzy also
started Afro-Cuban jazz. He had the gift of making new
START
harmonies that were layered and complex. At the time, it
was not done in jazz before. He was most remembered for
The Creator the trumpet he played that was bent. It was accidentally

of Modern ruined when he was on a job in 1953. Surprisingly, Dizzy

liked it because of the way it changed the tone of the

Jazz instrument.
BIOGRAPHY

The Legend Begins

Dizzy was born John Birks on October 21, 1917 in
South Carolina. He was the youngest in the family of
nine children. His father was a horrible man who beat
his children all the time, and died when dizzy was 10
years old. He taught himself how to play trumpet when
he was twelve years old. He won a scholarship to
Laurinburg Institute but, dropped out of school and
went to Philadelphia to pursue music full-time. He
played with Frankie Fairfax and recorded for the very
first time in 1937. He then was a part of Cab
Calloway's band, but was criticized for his solos,
calling them "Chinese music".

3
 BIOGRAPHY

The Early Years

Dizzy was a part of Duke Ellington's, Woody Herman and
many other bands. It was with Billy Eckstine's band where
his unique playing fit better than anywhere else. He met
again with Charlie Parker. Together they played famous
clubs such as Monroe's Uptown House, and Minton's
Playhouse. This is where jazz music progressed again and
bebop was created.

4
 Words of Wisdom
“As a musician you have to keep one foot back in
the past and have one foot forward into the future.”

5
 BIOGRAPHY

The New
Sound of Bebop
In the beginning a lot of people didn't like bebop. They were
used to the old jazz music, and thought the new sound of
bebop was a threat and were afraid of it. Dizzy's style had an
effect on trumpeters and the younger musicians that he was
able to mentor. Examples of bebop music are "Groovin'
High", "Salt Peanuts" and "A Night In Tunisia". Musicians that
he taught bebop to were Miles Davis and Max Roach.

6
BIOGRAPHY

Dizzy on the
French Riviera
Eventually, the band departed, as the audience grew wary of
the new jazz music. Dizzy wanted to go big, and tried to create
his own big band in 1945 but was not successful with it. He
started other small groups and finally put a big band together
that was a success. He soloed many times with Jazz at the
Philharmonic.

Dizzy proved himself overseas in France when he began his

third big band, and did several concerts and albums.

7
During the 1940's Dizzy was composing Afro-Cuban music.
Afro-Cuban music is a combination of Latin and African
music, pop and salsa. The work that is the most well known
are "Tin Tin Deo" and "Manteca". Dizzy was responsible for
finding musician Arturo Sandoval while he was on a tour in
Cuba researching music.

8
 Words of Wisdom
“Some days you get up and put the horn to your chops and it sounds
pretty good and you win. Some days you try and nothing works and the
horn wins. This goes on and on and then you die and the horn wins..”
9
 BIOGRAPHY

Inspired a Generation
Dizzy continued to reach people with his music even on
television and film. He was on Sesame Street and The
Cosby Show. He died in 1993 from Pancreatic Cancer,
he was 75 years old. He had two funerals, one was for
friends and family and the other funeral was for the
public in Cathedral of St. John the Divine. Dizzy Gillespie
was a special innovator in jazz and is continually
remembered at the New York Bahai Center.

10
 RECORDINGS

Notable Albums
§ The Complete RCA Recordings (1937–1949).
§ Groovin’ High (1945–1946).
§ Jazz at Massey Hall (1953).
§ Gillespiana/Carnegie Hall Concert (1961).
§ Dizzy Gillespie and the Double Six of Paris (1963).
§ Max & Dizzy: Paris (1989).
§ To Diz With Love (1992).

Awards
Dizzy won 4 Grammy Awards including the Lifetime
Achievement Award and Hall of Fame Award.

11
Timeline 1977
Performs at the White

A Brief History House for the President

1988 2010
1921 1945 Released the live Release of The
Teams up with album One Night
Begins Complete RCA Victor
Charlie 'Bird' Parker in Washington
playing the Recordings
piano

1972 1993
1943
First Jazz musician to be Dizzy dies, he was 75
Records 'Salt Peanuts'
years of age
with pioneering drummer appointed to undertake a 1997
Kenny Clarke cultural mission First Rays of the New Rising
1917
Born in Cheraw South 1960 Sun
Inducted into 'Downbeat' South Satum delta
Carolina
Hall of Fame
WEBSITE

Internet Resources

To learn more about Dizzy’s life and music,

visit:

Kids Music Corner

ThoughtCo
World History Project

13