Dizzy Gillespie and His Bent Trumpet | At the Smithsonian | Smithsonian Dizzy Gillespie and His Bent Trumpet On this day in 1917, one of the most influential and unconventional American jazz musicians was born October 21, 2011 "Dizzy" Gillespie's trademark "Silver Bell" trumpet. Photo courtesy American History Museum Dizzy Gillespie was one of the most influential and well-known jazz musicians of all-time. Born John Birks Gillespie on this day in 1917, he pioneered a number of jazz subgenres and became internationally famous for his legendary ability on the trumpet, his trademark “balloon cheeks,” and his playful stage presence. But the most lasting symbol of his remarkable career may well be his signature “bent” trumpet —and the story of how the American History Museum got its hands on one of these unusual instruments is just as unconventional as Gillespie himself. “In 1985, I was a new, fresh curator and I wanted to start collecting in the area of jazz,” says John Edward Hasse , a music curator at the museum.

“I wrote Gillespie a letter, at his home address in New Jersey, inviting him to become part of the Smithsonian by donating a trumpet that he no longer played. Weeks and months went by, and no response.” A colleague suggested to Hasse that he try writing Gillespie’s wife, Lorraine, instead. “Four days after sending the letter, this great big box arrives at the museum by UPS!” Hasse says. “In it is his trumpet and a specially built trumpet case to accommodate this unusual shape, with travel stickers from France and various parts of the world. I could hardly believe it.” Typically, Hasse says, the donation process involves a number of planning steps, including arranging special shipping and extremely careful packing. “This just came in like ‘boom!’” Hasse chose Gillespie as one of the musicians to build the Smithsonian’s jazz collection because of his remarkable influence on music. His career spanned seven decades and was instrumental in popularizing jazz for American mainstream audiences, as well as creating and expanding the genre to incorporate elements of other types of music. Gillespie's"Balloon Cheeks," during a 1988 performance.

Photo by Pino Alpino As a young man, while playing in Cab Calloway’s Big Band at the Cotton Club in Harlem, Gillespie met a Cuban-American trumpeter and became interested in creating fusions of Afro-Cuban music with Jazz. “He then wrote several Latin-tinged compositions, such as ‘A Night in Tunisia,’ and ‘Manteca,’” Hasse says. “He was responsible, perhaps more than any other jazz musician, for making Latin rhythms an important part of American jazz music.” Gillespie also pioneered a popular subgenre of jazz: bebop. During a musician’s recording strike in the early 1940s, he and Charlie Parker and a number of other musicians in Harlem were exploring this new approach. “When the recording ban was finally lifted in 1944, and the new style emerged on records, it jarred a lot of listeners, because it just seemed to emerge from nowhere,” Hasse says.

“In 1945, he started making these recordings that really set musicians on their ears, pieces such as ‘Groovin’ High,’ ‘Hot House,’ ‘Salt Peanuts,’ and the tune that gave the music its name ‘Bebop.’” By this time, Gillespie had already become one of the most beloved jazz artists in the county, easily identified by his pouched cheeks, which were a result of the muscles he’d built up over years of playing. “He was an amazing virtuoso on his instrument, playing faster and higher than just about anybody,” Hasse says. “He was also an irrepressible entertainer, with a winning stage personality and ability to connect with the audience.” But it wasn’t until 1953 that, by happenstance, he acquired his final visual trademark. “Somebody fell accidentally on Gillespie’s trumpet as it was standing up on a trumpet stand, and as a result, the bell was bent,” says Hasse.

“Gillespie picked it up, played it, and discovered he liked the sound, and that it projected better over the heads of the audience of people in the back of the nightclub.” “Ever since that time,” Hasse says, “When he got a new trumpet, he had it specially made for him, with the bell bent at 45 degrees.” Like this article? Dizzy Gillespie - Profile and Interesting Facts January 6, 1993, Englewood, New Jersey due to pancreatic cancer Also Known As: His full name was John Birks Gillespie; one of the founding fathers of jazz and one of the inventors of bebop. He was a trumpeter known for his trademark of puffing out his cheeks while playing the trumpet. Gillespie was also a composer and bandleader. He was nicknamed "Dizzy" for his amusing antics on stage. Type of Compositions: Gillespie was a trumpeter and showman who fused jazz with Afro-Cuban music. Influence: James, Gillespie's father, was a bandleader but Dizzy was for the most part self-taught.

He started learning to play the trombone and trumpet when he was 12; afterward he took up the cornet and piano . In 1932 he attended the Laurinburg Institute in North Carolina but would soon leave to go with his family to Philadelphia in 1935. continue reading below our video 10 Facts About the Titanic That You Don't Know Once there, he joined Frankie Fairfax' band then in 1937 he moved to New York, eventually becoming a member of Teddy Hill's big band. Gillespie was also influenced by the trumpeter Roy Eldridge, whose style Gillespie tried to imitate early in his career. Notable Works: Among his hits are "Groovin' High," "A Night in Tunisia," "Manteca" and "Two Bass Hit." Interesting Facts: In 1939, Gillespie joined Cab Calloway's big band and on one of their tours to Kansas City in 1940, he met Charlie Parker . After leaving Calloway's band in 1941, Gillespie worked with other great musical figures such as Duke Ellington and Ella Fitzgerald .

This was followed by a stint as member and music director of Billy Eckstine's big band. Other Interesting Facts: In 1945, he formed a big band of his own which proved to be unsuccessful. He then organized a bop quintet alongside Parker, then expanded it to a sextet. Later, he once again tried to form a big band, this time managing respectable success. John Coltrane briefly became a member of this band. Gillespie's group was disbanded in 1950 due to financial problems. In 1956 he formed another big band for a cultural mission sponsored by the U.S. State Department. After that he continued to record, perform and lead small groups well into the 80s. More Gillespie Facts and Music Sample: Aside from his trademark puffed cheeks while playing the trumpet, Gillespie was the only one who played a trumpet with the bell turned upwards at a 45-degree angle. The story behind this is that in 1953 someone fell on his trumpet stand, causing the bell back to bend. Gillespie discovered that he liked the sound and since then had trumpets specifically built the same way. Gillespie ran for U.S.

Presidency in 1964. Watch Dizzy Gillespie and Charlie Parker as they perform " Hot House " (Youtube video). Dizzy Gillespie - Songwriter, Trumpet Player, Singer - Biography.com Dizzy Gillespie A jazz trumpeter and composer, Dizzy Gillespie played with Charlie Parker and developed the music known as "bebop." His best-known compositions include "Oop Bob Sh' Bam," "Groovin' High," "Salt Peanuts" and "A Night in Tunisia." IN THESE GROUPS Famous People Who Died in Englewood quotes “The music of Charlie Parker and me laid a foundation for all the music that is being played now. Our music is going to be the classical music of the future.” Dizzy Gillespie Synopsis Born on October 21, 1917, in Cheraw, South Carolina, Dizzy Gillespie, known for his "swollen" cheeks and signature (uniquely angled) trumpet's bell, got his start in the mid-1930s by working in prominent swing bands, including those of Benny Carter and Charlie Barnet.

He later created his own band and developed his own signature style, known as "bebop," and worked with musical greats like Cab Calloway, Ella Fitzgerald, Earl Hines, Charlie Parker and Duke Ellington. Gillespie's best-known compositions include "Oop Bob Sh' Bam," "Groovin' High," "Salt Peanuts," "A Night in Tunisia" and "Johnny Come Lately." Gillespie died in New Jersey in 1993. Today, he is considered one of the most influential figures of jazz and bebop. Early Life Famed jazz trumpeter and composer Dizzie Gillespie was born John Birks Gillespie on October 21, 1917, in Cheraw, South Carolina. He would go on to become one of the most recognizable faces of jazz music, with his "swollen" cheeks and signature (uniquely angled) trumpet's bell, as well as one of the most influential figures of jazz and bebop. When he was 18 years old, Gillespie moved with his family to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

He joined the Frankie Fairfax Orchestra not long after, and then relocated to New York City, where he performed with Teddy Hill and Edgar Hayes in the late 1930s. Gillespie went on to join Cab Calloway's band in 1939, with whom he recorded "Pickin' the Cabbage"—one of Gillespie's first compositions, and regarded by some in the jazz world as his first attempt to bring a Latin influence into his work. Commercial Success From 1937 to '44, Gillespie performed with prominent swing bands, including those of Benny Carter and Charlie Barnet. He also began working with musical greats such as Ella Fitzgerald, Earl Hines, Jimmy Dorsey and Charlie Parker around this time. Working as a bandleader, often with Parker on saxophone, Gillespie developed the musical genre known as "bebop"—a reaction to swing, distinct for dissonant harmonies and polyrhythms. "The music of Charlie Parker and me laid a foundation for all the music that is being played now," Gillespie said years later.

"Our music is going to be the classical music of the future." In addition to creating bebop, Gillespie is considered one of the first musicians to infuse Afro-Cuban, Caribbean and Brazilian rhythms with jazz. His work in the Latin-jazz genre includes "Manteca," "A Night in Tunisia" and "Guachi Guaro," among other recordings. Gillespie's own big band, which performed from 1946 to '50, was his masterpiece, affording him scope as both soloist and showman. He became immediately recognizable from the unusual shape of his trumpet, with the bell tilted upward at a 45-degree angle—the result of someone accidentally sitting on it in 1953, but to good effect, for when he played it afterward, he discovered that its new shape improved the instrument's sound quality, and he had it incorporated into all his trumpets thereafter.

Gillespie's best-known works from this period include the songs "Oop Bob Sh' Bam," "Groovin' High," "Leap Frog," "Salt Peanuts" and "My Melancholy Baby." In the late 1950s, Gillespie performed with Duke Ellington, Paul Gonsalves and Johnny Hodges on Ellington's Jazz Party (1959). The following year, Gillespie released A Portrait of Duke Ellington (1960), an album dedicated to Ellington also featuring the work of Juan Tizol, Billy Strayhorn and Mercer Ellington, son of the legendary musician. Gillespie composed most of the album's recordings, including "Serenade to Sweden," "Sophisticated Lady" and "Johnny Come Lately." Final Years Gillespie's memoirs, entitled To BE or Not to BOP: Memoirs of Dizzy Gillespie (with Al Fraser), were published in 1979. More than a decade later, in 1990, he received the Kennedy Center Honors Award. Dizzy Gillespie died on January 6, 1993, at age 75, in Englewood, New Jersey.

Related Videos Fact Check We strive for accuracy and fairness. If you see something that doesn't look right, contact us ! Citation Information 15 Most Influential Jazz Artists - Listverse 15 Most Influential Jazz Artists Listverse Staff February 27, 2010 As one of the most well respected American art forms, jazz has shaped the music industry spawning both the careers of various musical geniuses, and an abundance of elemental new music genres. Jazz was developed in the late 19th century and early 20th century as American and European classical music was mixed with African and slave folk songs. These songs were played to a syncopated rhythm, and from this emerged ragtime, then Dixieland and subsequently Big Band, what many consider to be the beginning of modern jazz. There is obvious West African influence, visible in terms of how the music is written and played; swing rhythm, polyrhythm, improvisation and syncopation are all prominent examples which are almost exclusively characteristics of jazz music. Over the course of the 20th century, this art form has been changing drastically as new artists bring on new influence and new sound.

Dixieland became big-band, which became be-bop, which became fusion, Latin and free jazz, which, in turn, established their own separate styles like funk, acid-jazz, hard-bop, smooth jazz, cool jazz, etc. The musicians behind this ever growing phenomena are recognized as some of the best musicians of all time. Compiled here are who I believe are the best of the best, and the most influential all throughout the history of jazz music. 15 Art Tatum Art Tatum was a jazz pianist and virtuoso who was nearly blind. He is acknowledged by many to be one of the greatest pianists of all time, revolutionizing the role piano played in jazz. Tatum drew upon stride piano to build up a style uniquely his own, playing with swinging pulse and futuristic improvisational abilities. His approach to jazz music completely changed the way piano was played: He reharmonized melodies by altering the underlying chord structure, used innovative chord extensions, and dissonance to his benefit. All of these were characteristics of bebop music, happening some 10 years before the first bebop records were even made.

He was noted also for having exquisite technique, to a point where he was able to play some of the most difficult passages at high velocity, and still present the illusion that he was hardly moving his hands. 14 Thelonious Monk Some of the most complex and dissonant harmonies can be found in the repertoire of pianist and composer Thelonious Monk, one of the most important contributers to bebop music. His somewhat eccentric persona also helped popularize jazz. Known for his “hip” style in suits, hats and sunglasses, Monk, in essence, personified the uniqueness and idiosyncrasy that was his music. His novel, improvisational approach helped to create a plethora of jazz standards like “Epistrophy,” “Blue Monk,” “Straight, No Chaser,” “I Mean You,” and “Well, You Needn’t.” Monk’s style was commonly characterized by his innovative approach to piano playing which included percussive attacks and abrupt pauses. He often got up from the piano during performances and danced a bit while the other members of the band continued playing. Thelonious Monk remains one of the most celebrated and renown pianists in any genre.

13 Charles Mingus An acclaimed bass virtuoso, composer, bandleader, and occasional pianist, Charles Mingus was one of the most creative musicians in the jazz scene. He developed a completely unique style, embracing elements of gospel, hard bop, free jazz, and classical music. Mingus was called the “heir apparent to Duke Ellington” because of his fantastic writing for medium-sized ensembles. His compositions showcased the skill of each of his players, whom he made sure were not only talented, but characteristically unique like himself. Mingus was feared for his temper, both on and offstage. He once punched trombonist Jimmy Knepper in the face, breaking off a crowned tooth and essentially ruining Knepper’s embouchure. Mingus suffered from clinical depression and refused to compromise his musical integrity, which resulted in on-stage eruptions and often the threatening of other band mates. Despite this, Mingus is one of the most important figures in bebop, bass and jazz history. 12 Art Blakey Art Blakey was a famous American drummer and bandleader who revolutionized the way jazz drums were played.

His unique approach to drumming incorporated bits of swing, blues, funk and hard bop; a style which is heard today in drummers everywhere. Along with Max Roach and Kenny Clarke, he is considered to have invented the modern bebop style of drumming. For over 30 years, his band The Jazz Messengers launched the careers of a multitude of famous jazz artists, like Benny Golson, Wayne Shorter, Clifford Brown, Curtis Fuller, Horace Silver, Freddie Hubbard, Keith Jarrett, Wynton Marsalis and countless others. The Jazz Messengers not only produced phenomenal music, but served as a proving ground of sorts for young musicians, similar to Miles Davis’ band. Art Blakey’s style changed the way jazz sounded, and the way drums were played in modern bebop. 11 Dizzy Gillespie American jazz trumpet player, singer, composer and bandleader, Gillespie was very significant in the development of bebop and modern jazz. His trumpet playing influenced such players as Miles Davis, Clifford Brown and Fats Navarro. After spending time in Cuba and coming back to America, Gillespie also greatly helped in the advancement of Afro-Cuban Jazz.

He was characterized by his horn rimmed glasses, bent trumpet and uniquely puffy cheeks when playing. A great improviser, Dizzy added a certain layer of harmonic complexity to his music, something previously unknown in jazz. Songs like “Salt Peanuts” and “Goovin’ High” were very different, both harmonically and rhythmically, when compared with the sounds of his contemporaries. Remaining true to bebop his entire career, Gillespie is remembered as one of the most influential trumpet players in history. 10 Max Roach Max Roach is considered to be one of the greatest drummers in history, and was a renowned bebop pioneer. He is, along with a select few, essentially responsible for the modern style of jazz drumming. Roach was also involved greatly in the Civil Rights movement, creating an album with Oscar Brown Jr. and Coleman Hawkins called “We Insist! – Freedom Now,” commemorating the 100th anniversary of the signing of the Emancipation Proclamation. Roach performed with amazing style, able to play entire shows solo, showing that, given his incredible skill, he could play and completely satisfy an entire audience while fulfilling the requirements of a solo performance.

Roach, completely in-tune with the bebop scene, played with artists like Clifford Brown, Miles Davis, Charlie Parker, Dizzy Gillespie, Duke Ellington and Charles Mingus, ensuring a vibrant and successful career. 9 Billie Holiday “Lady Day” was perhaps the most exceptional popular music singer of the 20th century. She wrote few songs, but when she sang, she took on a deep, personal and intimate approach. Her vocal style and intonation was inspired greatly by the sound of the instruments she heard and was filled with a profound intensity. In that manner, she developed a new style, incorporating the manipulation of phrasing and tempo. Her recording of the song “Strange Fruit” is considered one of the most important songs in history, because of it’s powerful theme and topic, and because of Holiday’s powerful performance. She received multiple posthumous Grammy Hall of Fame awards and Grammy Best Historic Album awards for her work. Although her delivery may have been somewhat thin and her range fairly limited, there is no doubt that her voice was more powerful than any at the time could have hoped to be.

8 John Coltrane John Coltrane is virtually synonymous with the word “cool.” At the forefront of hard bop, Coltrane, a composer and saxophone virtuoso, made serious headway into becoming one of the most important figures in jazz music. Coltrane had a harsh, strident sound and played with extreme intensity. He was able to solo and improvise with astounding power, creating “sheets of sound.” Playing tenor and soprano sax, Coltrane could either play with a smooth melodic sound, or an unmatched intensity. His compositions, along with Miles Davis, helped redefine be-bop, with the introduction of modal harmony, and the “Coltrane Changes.” Coltrane, a figurehead of avant-garde jazz, was also prolific in his recordings, making about 50 albums in his career as band leader. He has been recognized extensively, with an induction in the Downbeat Jazz Hall of Fame, a Grammy Lifetime Achievement award, a Grammy for “Best Jazz Solo Performance,” and a church which worships him as a saint. 7 Count Basie Groundbreaking pianist, organist, composer and bandleader, Count Basie led one of the most successful bands in history.

For 50 years the Count Basie Orchestra, an incredibly popular group of musicians who included players like Lester Young, Sweets Edison, Buck Clayton and Joe Williams, maintained a reputation of one of the most swingin’ and hardhittin’ bands in America. Winner of nine Grammy awards, Basie introduced multiple generations of listeners to the big band sound. He wrote numerous standards like “April in Paris” and “One O’Clock Jump,” which, for years, have been covered by countless other artists. Basie is also remembered by his colleagues as being considerate, modest, relaxed and enthusiastic. Without Basie’s crucial presence on the scene, popular and big band music would be drastically different, and undoubtedly less influential than it has become. 6 Coleman Hawkins The tenor saxophone is iconic of bebop and jazz music in general; and there is one person accountable for this: Coleman Hawkins. Hawkins innovation in swing and big band music was vital in the development of bebop in the mid 1940s. His contribution to the saxophone made the careers of people like John Coltrane, Sonny Rollins and Dexter Gordon possible.

Hawkins’ original recording of “Body and Soul” in 1939 is considered a standard to which all tenor saxophonists set themselves. People like Thelonious Monk, Miles Davis and Max Roach can essentially attribute their successful careers to their early work with the “Hawk.” His ability to improvise led him to cover completely new ground, previously untouched by his contemporaries; it is because of this that the tenor sax is now such an important improvisational element of jazz music. 5 Benny Goodman Few can match the swingin’ sounds of Goodman’s Big Band. Benny Goodman, known as the “King of Swing,” led one of the most popular bands of the early 20th century. His 1938 concert at Carnegie hall is considered to be one of the most important live shows in American music history, as it showcased jazz’ coming to prominence as a respectable art form. Despite being a major player of big-band swing music, Goodman also helped the advancement of be-bop. Having a one of the first racially-integrated music groups and being a strong opposer of Jim Crow Laws, Goodman promoted racial-equality by not touring the Southern States.

Goodman was both an important influence in popular and jazz music, as well as a prominent Civil Rights activist. 4 Miles Davis One of the central figures of jazz in the 20th century, Miles Davis was at the forefront of multiple musical developments and the emergence of a plenitude of styles. He spearheaded the emergence of be-bop, hard bop, cool jazz, free jazz, fusion, funk and techno music. Keeping ahead of the game and consistently reinventing his musical style, the various lineups of his band, all of which were very successful, were always full of young brilliant players. Because of his success, many other artists were propelled to high levels of fame. Some of the famous jazz artists who owe their success to Miles include John Coltrane, Herbie Hancock, J.J. Johnson, Cannonball Adderley, Keith Jarrett, Bill Evans, Wayne Shorter and Chick Corea. Davis received various rewards in his lifetime, including eight Grammy Awards and a Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction. Miles Davis was one of the best, most innovative, popular and influential musicians of the 20th Century.

3 Charlie Parker When one thinks of jazz, they think “Charlie Parker.” Known simply as “Bird,” Charlie Parker was a pioneering jazz alto-saxophone player, bebop musician and composer. His fast, virtuosic playing, clean tone, and improvisational abilities greatly influenced other musicians at the time. His innovation in writing songs, using complex chord progressions and revolutionary harmonic form, changed the standards for composition and greatly influenced other jazz artists. Parker helped to contribute to the hipster persona associated with jazz, as well as the idea that jazz musicians were artists and intellectuals rather than simply entertainers. At the time a huge amount of other artists tried to copy Parker’s style, and often his solos and licks exactly. His influence is seen in almost every other contemporary musician and renowned jazz composer, many of whom named some choice standards after the “Bird.” 2 Duke Ellington Duke Ellington was a hugely popular pianist, composer and big-band leader. He was one of the most important band leaders in music. Although known for his pioneering in jazz, Ellington also excelled in a variety of other genres, including gospel, blues, classical, popular and soundtrack.

Because of his charisma and inventive use of his orchestra, Ellington is essentially responsible for making jazz an art form, similar to classical music. He received a large variety of awards and honors including 13 Grammy awards, a Pulitzer prize, a Presidential Medal of Freedom, a NAACP Spingarn Medal and Commemorative U.S. quarter to name a few. A considerable amount of musicians have been inspired by the “Duke,” including: Thelonius Monk, Sonny Stitt, Tony Bennett, Dizzy Gillespie, Oscar Peterson, Earl Hines and Joe Pass, as Ellington has proved to be one of the most important figures in jazz and music in general. 1 Louis Armstrong g Arguably one of the most important figures in American history, Louis Armstong, known as “Satchmo” or “Pops” was an incredibly influential jazz trumpet player and singer from New Orleans. He is recognized as one of the greatest musicians of all time having a major role in the creation of modern jazz. With his virtuosic abilities on the trumpet, he is largely accountable for the recognition of the trumpet as a solo instrument in jazz music. He is also one of the first scat singers and is responsible for its popularization.

His singing influenced people like Frank Sinatra and Bing Crosby, while his trumpet playing inspired the likes of Miles Davis and Dizzy Gillespie. His influence on music as a whole is almost immeasurable, both in terms of his singing and trumpet playing which have earned him a variety of honors and awards. Notable Exclusions: J.J. Johnson, Wes Montgomery, Django Reinhardt, Ron Carter, Ella Fitzgerald, Paul Chambers, Elvin Jones, Herbie Hancock, Lester Young, Ray Brown, Gene Krupa, Frank Sinatra, Dave Brubeck, Freddie Hubbard, Earl Hines, Buddy Rich, Bill Evans, Red Garland, Clifford Brown, Dexter Gordon, Sonny Rollins, and Oscar Peterson. Dizzy Gillespie | Biography & History | AllMusic google+ Artist Biography by Scott Yanow Dizzy Gillespie 's contributions to jazz were huge. One of the greatest jazz trumpeters of all time (some would say the best), Gillespie was such a complex player that his contemporaries ended up copying Miles Davis and Fats Navarro instead, and it was not until Jon Faddis ' emergence in the 1970s that Dizzy 's style was successfully recreated.

Somehow, Gillespie could make any "wrong" note fit, and harmonically he was ahead of everyone in the 1940s, including Charlie Parker . Unlike Bird, Dizzy was an enthusiastic teacher who wrote down his musical innovations and was eager to explain them to the next generation, thereby insuring that bebop would eventually become the foundation of jazz. Dizzy Gillespie was also one of the key founders of Afro-Cuban (or Latin) jazz, adding Chano Pozo 's conga to his orchestra in 1947, and utilizing complex poly-rhythms early on. The leader of two of the finest big bands in jazz history, Gillespie differed from many in the bop generation by being a masterful showman who could make his music seem both accessible and fun to the audience. With his puffed-out cheeks, bent trumpet (which occurred by accident in the early '50s when a dancer tripped over his horn), and quick wit, Dizzy was a colorful figure to watch. A natural comedian, Gillespie was also a superb scat singer and occasionally played Latin percussion for the fun of it, but it was his trumpet playing and leadership abilities that made him into a jazz giant.

The youngest of nine children, John Birks Gillespie taught himself trombone and then switched to trumpet when he was 12. He grew up in poverty, won a scholarship to an agricultural school (Laurinburg Institute in North Carolina), and then in 1935 dropped out of school to look for work as a musician. Inspired and initially greatly influenced by Roy Eldridge , Gillespie (who soon gained the nickname of " Dizzy ") joined Frankie Fairfax's band in Philadelphia. In 1937, he became a member of Teddy Hill 's orchestra in a spot formerly filled by Eldridge . Dizzy made his recording debut on Hill 's rendition of "King Porter Stomp" and during his short period with the band toured Europe. After freelancing for a year, Gillespie joined Cab Calloway 's orchestra (1939-1941), recording frequently with the popular bandleader and taking many short solos that trace his development; "Pickin' the Cabbage" finds Dizzy starting to emerge from Eldridge 's shadow.

However, Calloway did not care for Gillespie 's constant chance-taking, calling his solos "Chinese music." After an incident in 1941 when a spitball was mischievously thrown at Calloway (he accused Gillespie but the culprit was actually Jonah Jones ), Dizzy was fired. By then, Gillespie had already met Charlie Parker , who confirmed the validity of his musical search. During 1941-1943, Dizzy passed through many bands including those led by Ella Fitzgerald , Coleman Hawkins , Benny Carter , Charlie Barnet , Fess Williams , Les Hite , Claude Hopkins , Lucky Millinder (with whom he recorded in 1942), and even Duke Ellington (for four weeks). Gillespie also contributed several advanced arrangements to such bands as Benny Carter , Jimmy Dorsey , and Woody Herman ; the latter advised him to give up his trumpet playing and stick to full-time arranging. Dizzy ignored the advice, jammed at Minton's Playhouse and Monroe's Uptown House where he tried out his new ideas, and in late 1942 joined Earl Hines ' big band.

Charlie Parker was hired on tenor and the sadly unrecorded orchestra was the first orchestra to explore early bebop. By then, Gillespie had his style together and he wrote his most famous composition "A Night in Tunisia." When Hines ' singer Billy Eckstine went on his own and formed a new bop big band, Diz and Bird (along with Sarah Vaughan ) were among the members. Gillespie stayed long enough to record a few numbers with Eckstine in 1944 (most noticeably "Opus X" and "Blowing the Blues Away"). That year he also participated in a pair of Coleman Hawkins -led sessions that are often thought of as the first full-fledged bebop dates, highlighted by Dizzy 's composition "Woody'n You." 1945 was the breakthrough year. Dizzy Gillespie , who had led earlier bands on 52nd Street, finally teamed up with Charlie Parker on records.

Their recordings of such numbers as "Salt Peanuts," "'Shaw Nuff," "Groovin' High," and "Hot House" confused swing fans who had never heard the advanced music as it was evolving; and Dizzy 's rendition of "I Can't Get Started" completely reworked the former Bunny Berigan hit. It would take two years for the often frantic but ultimately logical new style to start catching on as the mainstream of jazz. Gillespie led an unsuccessful big band in 1945 (a Southern tour finished it), and late in the year he traveled with Parker to the West Coast to play a lengthy gig at Billy Berg 's club in L.A. Unfortunately, the audiences were not enthusiastic (other than local musicians) and Dizzy (without Parker ) soon returned to New York. The following year, Dizzy Gillespie put together a successful and influential orchestra which survived for nearly four memorable years. "Manteca" became a standard, the exciting "Things to Come" was futuristic, and "Cubana Be/Cubana Bop" featured Chano Pozo .

With such sidemen as the future original members of the Modern Jazz Quartet ( Milt Jackson , John Lewis , Ray Brown , and Kenny Clarke ), James Moody , J.J. Johnson , Yusef Lateef , and even a young John Coltrane , Gillespie 's big band was a breeding ground for the new music. Dizzy 's beret, goatee, and "bop glasses" helped make him a symbol of the music and its most popular figure. During 1948-1949, nearly every former swing band was trying to play bop, and for a brief period the major record companies tried very hard to turn the music into a fad. By 1950, the fad had ended and Gillespie was forced, due to economic pressures, to break up his groundbreaking orchestra.

He had occasional (and always exciting) reunions with Charlie Parker (including a fabled Massey Hall concert in 1953) up until Bird's death in 1955, toured with Jazz at the Philharmonic (where he had opportunities to "battle" the combative Roy Eldridge ), headed all-star recording sessions (using Stan Getz , Sonny Rollins , and Sonny Stitt on some dates), and led combos that for a time in 1951 also featured Coltrane and Milt Jackson . In 1956, Gillespie was authorized to form a big band and play a tour overseas sponsored by the State Department. It was so successful that more traveling followed, including extensive tours to the Near East, Europe, and South America, and the band survived up to 1958. Among the young sidemen were Lee Morgan , Joe Gordon , Melba Liston , Al Grey , Billy Mitchell , Benny Golson , Ernie Henry , and Wynton Kelly ; Quincy Jones (along with Golson and Liston ) contributed some of the arrangements.

After the orchestra broke up, Gillespie went back to leading small groups, featuring such sidemen in the 1960s as Junior Mance , Leo Wright , Lalo Schifrin , James Moody , and Kenny Barron . He retained his popularity, occasionally headed specially assembled big bands, and was a fixture at jazz festivals. In the early '70s, Gillespie toured with the Giants of Jazz and around that time his trumpet playing began to fade, a gradual decline that would make most of his '80s work quite erratic. However, Dizzy remained a world traveler, an inspiration and teacher to younger players, and during his last couple of years he was the leader of the United Nation Orchestra (featuring Paquito D'Rivera and Arturo Sandoval ). He was active up until early 1992. Dizzy Gillespie 's career was very well documented from 1945 on, particularly on Musicraft, Dial, and RCA in the 1940s; Verve in the 1950s; Philips and Limelight in the 1960s; and Pablo in later years.

Dizzy Gillespie - Profile and Interesting Facts January 6, 1993, Englewood, New Jersey due to pancreatic cancer Also Known As: His full name was John Birks Gillespie; one of the founding fathers of jazz and one of the inventors of bebop. He was a trumpeter known for his trademark of puffing out his cheeks while playing the trumpet. Gillespie was also a composer and bandleader. He was nicknamed "Dizzy" for his amusing antics on stage. Type of Compositions: Gillespie was a trumpeter and showman who fused jazz with Afro-Cuban music. Influence: James, Gillespie's father, was a bandleader but Dizzy was for the most part self-taught. He started learning to play the trombone and trumpet when he was 12; afterward he took up the cornet and piano . In 1932 he attended the Laurinburg Institute in North Carolina but would soon leave to go with his family to Philadelphia in 1935.

continue reading below our video 10 Facts About the Titanic That You Don't Know Once there, he joined Frankie Fairfax' band then in 1937 he moved to New York, eventually becoming a member of Teddy Hill's big band. Gillespie was also influenced by the trumpeter Roy Eldridge, whose style Gillespie tried to imitate early in his career. Notable Works: Among his hits are "Groovin' High," "A Night in Tunisia," "Manteca" and "Two Bass Hit." Interesting Facts: In 1939, Gillespie joined Cab Calloway's big band and on one of their tours to Kansas City in 1940, he met Charlie Parker . After leaving Calloway's band in 1941, Gillespie worked with other great musical figures such as Duke Ellington and Ella Fitzgerald . This was followed by a stint as member and music director of Billy Eckstine's big band. Other Interesting Facts: In 1945, he formed a big band of his own which proved to be unsuccessful. He then organized a bop quintet alongside Parker, then expanded it to a sextet.

Later, he once again tried to form a big band, this time managing respectable success. John Coltrane briefly became a member of this band. Gillespie's group was disbanded in 1950 due to financial problems. In 1956 he formed another big band for a cultural mission sponsored by the U.S. State Department. After that he continued to record, perform and lead small groups well into the 80s. More Gillespie Facts and Music Sample: Aside from his trademark puffed cheeks while playing the trumpet, Gillespie was the only one who played a trumpet with the bell turned upwards at a 45-degree angle. The story behind this is that in 1953 someone fell on his trumpet stand, causing the bell back to bend. Gillespie discovered that he liked the sound and since then had trumpets specifically built the same way. Gillespie ran for U.S. Presidency in 1964. Watch Dizzy Gillespie and Charlie Parker as they perform " Hot House " (Youtube video). Jazz for Beginners: How to Listen to Jazz | The Art of Manliness “St.

Louis Blues” sung by Bessie Smith Ragtime (1895—1918) Scott Joplin Along with the blues, ragtime was an important pre-cursor to jazz. While it could be played with other instruments, ragtime is primarily music for the piano. The defining feature of ragtime is a syncopated rhythm — accenting the notes that aren’t usually accented which gives the music an offbeat feel. The techniques used by ragtime pianists would influence later jazz pianists. Artist You Ought to Know Scott Joplin. “The King of Ragtime.” Composed two of the most famous pieces of ragtime music (see below). Songs to Check Out New Orleans Jazz (1900-1920) Jelly Roll Morton’s Red Hot Peppers New Orleans Jazz originated with the black brass marching bands of New Orleans. Consequently, instruments like the cornet (very similar to trumpet) would become a staple in jazz. As ragtime swept the nation, these New Orleans brass bands began composing and playing more syncopated pieces. In addition to ragtime, band musicians blended in the bent notes and cords of the blues.

The invention of the Big Four beat by musician Buddy Bolden gave room for artists to improvise, and made the jazz we know today possible. New Orleans jazz bands were typically small and consisted of a “frontline” of a cornet/trumpet, clarinet, and trombone, and then a “rhythm section” that had at least two of the following: banjo, string bass, drums, and piano. This group of instruments was the primary vehicle in New Orleans Jazz. Improvisation was collective and would be heard when a lead instrument would engage in a spontaneous counterpoint to another instrument. The jazz soloist had yet to take center stage. The spread of New Orleans Jazz across America was quick thanks to the invention of the phonograph player. Many New Orleans Jazz musicians left New Orleans and set up shop in Chicago and New York during the Great Migration. Artists You Ought to Know Buddy Bolden. Sometimes called the Father of Jazz; discovered or invented the Big Four beat that made jazz possible. Joe “King” Oliver. Cornet player and bandleader; pioneered the use of mutes (placing something like a hat over the end of the trumpet to muffle the sound a bit); mentor and teacher of Louis Armstrong.

Jelly Roll Morton. Began as a ragtime composer; the first jazz composer; loosened up the syncopated rhythm of ragtime so there was more of a “swing” in the music. The Original Dixieland Jass Band. They weren’t actually the original — they called themselves the originals for marketing; band consisted of all white members; made the first jazz recording ever; helped popularize jazz music among white Americans. Songs to Check Out “Wolverine Blues” by Jelly Roll Morton Chicago (1920s) Louis Armstrong Jazz bands in Chicago differentiated themselves from New Orleans bands in several ways, such as replacing the banjo with a guitar, adding a saxophone to the horn section, and changing from a 4/4 beat to a 2/4. But the most important change to come out of Chicago was the ascendency of the individual solo. And the man who pioneered and mastered the jazz solo was Satchmo himself: Louis Armstrong. Artist You Ought to Know Louis Armstrong. Trumpet player; pioneered the jazz solo; had talent for melodic improvisation and an unmistakable voice. While Armstrong is closely associated with New Orleans Jazz, it was in Chicago that he made a name for himself.

Albums to Check Out The Hot 5s – Armstrong’s first album with the band he led under his own name. Check out “ Two Deuces .” The Hot 7s – Armstrong’s second recording with a band led under his own name. New York (1920s) Duke Ellington From Chicago, jazz traveled to New York where even more innovations occurred, the most important being the development of stride piano , a style which would play a prominent role in jazz from then on out. Larger bands began forming in New York City, which paved the way for the Big Band Era of the 1930s. Artists You Ought to Know James P. Johnson. Considered the father of stride piano. Wrote “The Charleston.” Duke Ellington. Moved from Washington D.C. to NYC in the 1920s. Considered one of the greatest jazz composers ever and many of his songs have become American standards. Ellington and his orchestra was the house band at the famous Cotton Club in 1927. Songs To Check Out “The Charleston” by James P. Johnson (stride piano example) “Carolina Shout” by James P.

Johnson (stride piano example) “Flaming Youth” by Duke Ellington (this is the song we use as the introduction of the AoM podcast) Swing and the Big Band Era (1930-1945) Benny Goodman and His Orchestra Up until the 1930s, jazz music was enjoyed primarily by a specific sub-culture of the US population. Its associations with the seedy side of life as well as African-American culture made it unpalatable to much of mainstream white America. That changed with the rise of the Big Band Era in the 1930s. Because the Great Depression put so many regional jazz bands out of work, jazz musicians were plentiful and cheap during the 30s. Consequently, a few prominent jazz bandleaders were able to build large orchestras. Instead of the more syncopated, “hot” style of earlier jazz, Big Bands played a looser, flowing style called swing. Swing music is primarily dance music and several new styles of dance were inspired by swing music including the Lindy Hop and the jitterbug. In addition to jazz, Big Bands also played American standards, often giving them a jazzier feel in the process.

After WWII when the economy picked up, putting together a large orchestra became much more expensive and Big Band and swing music died out. Artists You Ought to Know Fletcher Henderson. Credited with establishing the formula of swing music; formed one of the first Big Bands; considered (along with Duke Ellington) one of the greatest jazz arrangers ever. Benny Goodman. Called the “King of Swing”; one of the greatest jazz clarinet players ever; first jazz musician to play Carnegie Hall; because he was white, Goodman helped popularize jazz music with white Americans; one of the first bandleaders to lead an integrated orchestra. Count Basie. Piano player and bandleader; had a much more sparse playing style than Ellington. Duke Ellington. Duke Ellington continued to be an influential voice all throughout the Big Band Era. Cab Calloway. Bandleader and singer; prognosticator of jive talk and “hi di hi di hos”; wearer of zoot suits; Cab Calloway and his orchestra was one of the most popular big bands during the swing era.

Songs to Check Out “Sing Sing Sing” performed by Benny Goodman “Minnie the Moocher” by Cab Calloway (also check out “Reefer Man” if only for the laughs) Jazz After the Big Band Era Since its beginning, jazz has always been a music catered to a popular audience. It was music to dance to or at least tap your feet to. But around the late 1940s, a shift began among jazz musicians. Instead of writing music for a popular audience, they began writing music for themselves. As Grammy nominated jazz musician Marc Cary told me, “Jazz started to get heady after the Big Band Era.” Jazz became more and more abstract. While jazz has always been improvisational, musicians had always improvised within a set of constraints. After the Big Band Era, musicians began pushing the boundaries of what constituted jazz or even music. This desire for complete liberation from traditional musical confines was simply a reflection of changing attitudes and ideas in post-war America. Experimentation increased dramatically within jazz during the post-war years and the speed at which new styles developed increased as well.

With the above in mind, as we explore jazz from 1950 and on, note that it becomes increasingly difficult to categorize artists and even particular songs. Many jazz musicians straddled several different styles of jazz all at once and mixing genres was common. Bebop (1939-1950) Dizzy Gillespie The origins of bebop go back to the 1940s when young musicians playing in more traditional Big Bands would get together after shows for all-night jam sessions in which experimentation was encouraged. According to jazz historian Ted Gioia, bebop was a rebellion against “the populist trappings of swing music.” Bebop artists eschewed simple riffs for more asymmetrical ones. Solo improvisation took a more prominent role, and the tempo picked up. When you listen to bebop it sounds sort of frantic and racing. It’s nothing like the bouncy and danceable big band tunes of the prior decade. Artists You Ought to Know Coleman Hawkins.

Tenor saxophonist; laid the foundation for the bebop era in a 1939 recording of “Body and Soul”; led a combo that included Thelonious Monk, Miles Davis, Max Roach; recorded the first bebop session in 1944. Charlie Parker. Nicknamed “Bird”; saxophonist; he, along with trumpeter Dizzy Gillespie, became leading figures in the bebop era. Dizzy Gillespie. Trumpet virtuoso; his puffy cheeks, bent horn, and scat singing became his trademark; infused Afro-Latin music into jazz. Thelonious Monk. Piano player and considered one of the great jazz composers; his style was very indicative of bebop — angular and abrupt; composed several songs that are now jazz standards (“Round Midnight” and “Straight, No Chaser”). Bud Powell. Piano virtuoso — sometimes called the “Charlie Parker of Piano”; he, along with Charlie Parker and Dizzy Gillespie, are credited with the development and maturation of bebop. Max Roach. Drummer who helped develop the bebop style of drumming. Played with Coleman Hawkins, Dizzy Gillespie, Charlie Parker, and others.

Songs to Check Out “Night in Tunisia” by Dizzy Gillespie “Shaw ‘Nuff” by Dizzy Gillespie and Charlie Parker Cool (1949-1955) Miles Davis Cool jazz was a direct response to bebop. While bebop was fast, frantic, and frenzied, cool was relaxed. Musicians downplayed the rhythm and focused on the melody and experimented by incorporating classical music elements like the whole tone scale . Cool bands would also include classical instruments in their line-up. Cool jazz is sometimes referred to as “West Coast Jazz,” though jazz aficionados would argue there’s a difference between the two. Artists You Ought to Know Miles Davis. Trumpet; one of the most influential musicians of the 20th century; not only lead the development of cool, but also played an integral role in the development of hard bop, modal, free, and fusion jazz. His album Birth of the Cool defines cool jazz. Dave Brubeck. Piano player and leader of the Dave Brubeck Quintet; considered one of the great jazz pianists. Gerry Mulligan.

Saxophonist (though he played other instruments, too); played the saxophone with Miles Davis in Birth of the Cool; collaborated with Chet Baker. Chet Baker. Trumpet player in Gerry Mulligan’s band. Became one of the defining figures of cool jazz. Songs & Albums to Check Out Hard Bop (1951-1958) Art Blakey Many jazz musicians felt that cool was too classical and European. Hard bop was a return to jazz that was more blues-based and Afro-centric. Hard bop musicians incorporated influences from gospel and rhythm and blues music into jazz. Artists You Ought to Know Miles Davis Quintet. Several influential jazz musicians played in this band during the hard bop era. Art Blakey. Drummer who helped develop hard bop drumming; his style is still influential today. John Coltrane. Saxophonist; member of the Miles Davis Quintet. Sonny Rollins. Tenor saxophonist. Horace Silver. Pianist who helped develop hard bop.

Songs to Check Out “Giant Steps” by John Coltrane Modal (Late 1950s) Miles Davis, Kind of Blue Bebop and cool compositions were usually based on predetermined chord progressions . In contrast, modal jazz tunes, were based on a predetermined mode , or a certain musical scale. Also, unlike bebop or cool where changes and shifts happened quickly, in modal, the changes in modes happened very slowly. Because modal musicians only had to think about how to mix up the seven notes in a mode, they could focus more on creative improvisations. Artists You Ought to Know Miles Davis Songs & Albums to Check Out Kind of Blue by Miles Davis “Impression” by John Coltrane Free Jazz (1959-1970) Ornette Coleman As we’ve seen, ever since the Big Band Era, jazz musicians pushed against musical constraints. Free jazz was pretty much the elimination of any and all limitations. Instead of compositions being based on a series of predetermined chords or even modes, free jazz was simply based on sounds. Musicians would often make squeaks and squawks by over-blowing their horns. Extreme improvisations and creativity were encouraged.

In addition to eliminating predetermined chords, free jazz musicians often eliminated predetermined meters. Free jazz returned to the collective improvisation of New Orleans Jazz — the different members were constantly reacting to each other. Old became new. Free jazz captures the loosening norms in American society during the 1960s. Artists You Ought to Know Ornette Coleman. Played several instruments, but most known for his work on the saxophone. Often considered the father of free jazz. Cecil Taylor. Pianist known for his highly energetic and complex improvised sounds; his piano playing style is very much percussion-like. Charles Mingus. Bassist; defies categorization, though is often associated with the free jazz movement because he favored collective avant-garde, New Orleans-style improvisation. John Coltrane. Coltrane’s later recordings are vey much influenced by free jazz.

Songs to Check Out “Lonely Woman” by Ornette Coleman (Coeman’s album The Shape of Jazz to Come is a great example of the beginnings of free jazz) “Enter Evening” by Cecil Taylor Fusion (1969-1990) Herbie Hancock After nearly three decades of exploring the boundaries of the avant-garde, jazz musicians in the 1970s began to bring back jazz to the mainstream with jazz fusion. Or how Cary put it, “Fusion was jazz’s last ditch effort to make jazz popular again.” Jazz fusion is the fusion of jazz with different popular genres of music, particularly rock and funk. Jazz fusion combined the power, rhythm, and simplicity of rock ‘n roll with the sophisticated improvisation of jazz. Electronic amplification as well as other electronic musical devices from rock and funk gave jazz a different sound. While some critics and traditional jazz musicians don’t think jazz fusion is actually jazz, this style did introduce jazz to an entirely new audience. Artists You Ought to Know Miles Davis. What genre of jazz did Davis not help shape? Weather Report. One of the earliest and most influential jazz fusion groups. Herbie Hancock.

Piano player who played in the Miles Davis Quintet; pioneered electronic instruments in jazz; his type of fusion typically combines funk with jazz; one of the most influential living jazz musicians today. Chick Corea. Keyboarder; pioneered electric jazz; brings Latin jazz elements into his jazz fusion. Freddie Hubbard. Trumpet player; fused funk with jazz. Songs & Albums to Check Out “Mr. Clean” by Freddie Hubbard Conclusion I hope you enjoyed this introduction to jazz and I hope this has inspired you to dig deeper into the genre. I want to thank pianist and composer Marc Cary for his help on this post. His insights into jazz in the post-Big Band Era were extremely helpful. Check out his latest album on iTunes or Amazon.com I also want to thank friend, colleague, and jazz manager Charles Brack for his suggestions on artists I should include. Thanks to him, “Mr. Clean” is now a regular in my iTunes lineup. If you’d like to delve deeper into the history of jazz, I highly recommend two books that I used in the research of this post: Notes and Tones by Arthur Taylor Other resources:

Question: Which jazz musician was known for his voluminous cheeks and "bent" trumpet?
Answer: Dizzy Gillespie