Dizzy Gillespie

John Birks “Dizzy” Gillespie , born with Cheraw in South Carolina on October 21st, 1917, dead on January 6th, 1993, was a Trompettiste, type-setter and chief-of orchestra of American Jazz .

With Miles Davis and Louis Armstrong, it is one of the three more important trumpet players of the history of the jazz, having taken part in the creation of the style Bebop and having contributed to introduce the Latin-American rates/rhythms into the jazz.

Dizzy Gillespie was characterized in particular by its trumpet with the house inclined to the top, its cheeks inflated with block like those of a clamping plate, like its love of life and its devastating humor which are for much in its popularity near the public. As a musician, it had a technique époustouflante and an impressive speed of play.

Biography

Its beginnings

John Birks " Dizzy" , youngest child of a family of ten children born the October 21st 1917 with Cheraw, South Carolina with the the United States. It begins the trumpet at the 12 years age as an autodidact and manages to gain a purse for Laurinburg Institute (North Carolina). However, it stops the school in 1935, and goes to Philadelphia to try to become professional musician. Gillespie joined Frankie Fairfax, and records for the first time for Roy Eldridge in the formation of Teddy Hill.

It joined then the formation of Cab Calloway. The solos of Dizzy are appreciated however little by its employer, it calls that of the " music chinoise". Gillespie plays then in various formation like that of Duke Ellington, and carries out arrangements for Woody Hermann.

But in little time, Gillespie adds its own ingredients: speed of execution, acrobatics musical, original harmonies. It develops its own style and its talent brings back to him pretty contracts within orchestras sorted on the shutter. That which it creates in 1946 gathers as much Thelonious Monk, Milt Jackson that John Coltrane.

Bebop

he plays with Charlie Parker in clubs of jazz such as Minton' S Playhouse and Monroe' S Uptown House (the cradle of the Bebop). Its compositions (" Groovin' High" , " Woody You" , " Anthropology" , " Salt Peanuts" , and " In Night in Tunisia" ) radically differently sound Swing of the time. One in their first concert (in the New York' S Town Hall on June 22nd, 1945) only left in 2005. Gillespie teaches the new style with young musicians of the 52ème street, among them… Miles Davis and max Roach.

The group separates, after a stay in Billy Berg club in Los Angeles (where the bebop receives a mitigated reception).

Contrary to Parker, which likes to play in small formations and occasionally as a soloist in big bands, Dizzy Gillespie prefers to direct a big band; it tries the experiment for the first time in 1945, but success is too not with go.

After its work with Charlie Parker, Gillespie carries out of another small formations (with musicians such as Milt Jackson, John Coltrane, Lalo Schifrin). It also frequently appears as a soloist with the Jazz At the Philharmonic under the direction of Norman Granz.

The Gillespie March 11th, 1952 leaves the United States for France. It is invited by Charles Delaunay to play Living room of the Jazz. Gillespie which does not have other engagement in Paris benefits from it to create its third big band. Gràce with its successes it can record in the most snuffed lieus of Paris (as with the Théâtre of the Fields-Élysées). In 1953 it returns to the United States after a series in concerts and recordings.

This Parisian episode also consolidates it in its idea of being able to be a leader of big band.

Jazz Cuban Negro

End of the year 1940, Gillespie is implied in the movement called " Afro-Cubaine" music;. In 1947, it coécrit Manteca in company of Chano Pozo and provides thus the foundations of the Jazz Cuban Negro. In 1956, Gillespie receives American State Department the task to go to make discover the jazz in Yugoslavia, in the Middle East and in South America.

Gillespie declares candidate with the presidential election in the United States of 1964. He promises that, if he were elected, the White House would be famous " The House" Blues; , that Ray Charles would be named president of the Bibliothèque of the Congress, Miles Davis directing of the CIA, and Malcolm X Attorney General, before withdrawing itself in favor of Lyndon B. Johnson.

It converts with the Bahaïsme a few years later and continues its career until the beginning of the year 1990. For this period, it alternates between small formations and Big band S, and helps young people several musicians to prove reliable. Suffering from a cancer of the pancreas, Dizzy Gillespie dies the January 6th 1993.

Discography

Partial discography

1950 - " Bird & Diz"
1952 - " Dee Gee Days - The Savoy Sessions"
1953 - " At Massey Hall May 15,1953"
1953 - " Diz & Getz"
1954 - " Afro"
1957 - " Sittin' In"
1957 - " At Newport"
1957 - " Sony Side Up"
1959 - " Cut Trumpet, Will Excite"
1961 - " Year Electrifying Evening with the Dizzy Gillespie Quintet"
1964 - " Jambo Caribe"
1967 - " Swing Low, Sweet Cadillac"

See too

Interview of Gillespie by Jazz Magazine in 1970

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