Dizzy Gillespie was an American jazz trumpeter, bandleader, composer, educator, and singer, known for his virtuosic style and improvisation.
Gillespie's playing style was characterized by cliff-hanging suspense and a unique blend of technical skill and emotional intensity.
He married dancer Lorraine Willis in 1940, and they remained together until his death in 1993.
Biography
Early Life
John Birks "Dizzy" Gillespie was born on October 21, 1917, in the United States. He grew up in a musical environment that deeply influenced his artistic development. His parents were Methodists, but he often sneaked off to the Sanctified Church, where he first learned about rhythm and the spiritual power of music. This early exposure laid the foundation for his future as a jazz trumpeter and bandleader.
Career
Gillespie became a prominent figure in the jazz world, known for his virtuosic trumpet playing and innovative style. He was a key player in the development of bebop, a genre that revolutionized jazz music. His performances were characterized by a unique blend of technical skill and emotional intensity, often described as the "sound of surprise." Gillespie's career was marked by numerous collaborations and recordings, including albums like "Dizzy Gillespie and His All-Stars" and "Bird and Diz." He was also a talented composer and educator, sharing his love for jazz with future generations.
Personal Life
On May 9, 1940, Gillespie married dancer Lorraine Willis in Boston, and they remained together until his death in 1993. Lorraine played a significant role in managing his business and personal affairs. Although the couple had no children together, Gillespie fathered a daughter, jazz singer Jeanie Bryson, from a previous relationship. In the mid-1960s, the couple settled in Englewood, New Jersey, where the local high school named its auditorium in his honor.
Legacy
Dizzy Gillespie's contributions to music earned him numerous accolades, including the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award and the National Medal of Arts. He was posthumously inducted into the International Latin Music Hall of Fame for his influence on Afro-Cuban music. Gillespie's legacy continues to inspire musicians and jazz enthusiasts around the world, solidifying his status as an enduring icon in the history of jazz.
Collected from open sources (4) · facts link to sources · AI-processed
Discography
Jazz Creations of Dizzy Gillespie1956
- 1.'Bout to Wail
- 2.Flamingo
- 3.Rails
- 4.O Solow
- 5.Blue Mood
- 6.Devil and the Fish
- 7.Shout by Rail
- 8.Caravan
The Champ1956
- 1.The Champ5:38
- 2.Birk's Works3:05
- 3.Caravan2:52
- 4.Time on My Hands2:21
- 5.On the Sunny Side of the Street3:05
- 6.Tin Tin Deo2:38
- 7.Stardust3:02
- 8.They Can't Take That Away From Me3:42
- 9.The Bluest Blues2:52
- 10.Swing Low, Sweet Cadillac3:06
- 11.Ooh-Shoo-Be-Doo-Bee3:19
Dizzy and Strings1955
- 1.Roses of Picardy
- 2.Silhouette
- 3.Can You Recall
- 4.O Solow
- 5.Cool Eyes
- 6.Confusion
- 7.Pile Driver
- 8.Hob Nail Special
Roy & Diz1955
- 1.I've Found a New Baby9:15
- 2.I Can't Get Started10:59
- 3.Trumpet Blues7:55
- 4.Alga Bueno6:12
- 5.Pretty Eyed Baby5:34
Jazz Recital1955
- 1.Sugar Hips
- 2.Hey Pete
- 3.Money Honey
- 4.Blue Mood
- 5.Rails
- 6.Devil and the Fish
- 7.Rumbola
- 8.Seems Like You Just Don't Care
- 9.Taking a Chance on Love
- 10.Play Me the Blues
New Jazz Sounds1955
- 1.Just One of Those Things
- 2.Marriage Blues
- 3.Angel Eyes
- 4.That Old Black Magic
- 5.The Song Is You
- 6.This Can't Be Love
- 7.Frenesi
Diz and Getz1955
- 1.It Don't Mean a Thing (If It Ain't Got That Swing)6:40
- 2.I Let a Song Go Out of My Heart6:19
- 3.Exactly Like You5:01
- 4.It's the Talk of the Town6:49
- 5.Impromptu7:50
- 6.One Alone3:04
- 7.Girl of My Dreams3:19
- 8.Siboney, Part I4:26
- 9.Siboney, Part II4:09
Blow That Horn! Dizzy Gillespie, Vol. 11954
- 1.Star Dust
- 2.Caravan
- 3.The Champ
- 4.Tin Tin Deo
- 5.Sunny Side of the Street
- 6.Birks Works
- 7.Lady Be Good
Bird - Diz - Bud - Max1953
Tracklist not collected yet.
Dizzy Gillespie Plays in Paris1953
- 1.Wrap Your Troubles in Dreams
- 2.She's Funny That Way
- 3.Everything Happens to Me
- 4.I Don't Know Why
- 5.Sweet Lorraine
- 6.Hurry Home
- 7.I Cover the Waterfront
- 8.Afro-Paris
Dizzy in Paris1953
- 1.Mon home
- 2.Toujours
- 3.C'est comme ça
- 4.C'est merveilleux
- 5.Fais gaffe !
- 6.Au pays d' oobladee
- 7.Nocturne lunaire
- 8.J'ai du rythme
Horn of Plenty1953
- 1.Sweet Lorraine2:40
- 2.Lady Bird3:50
- 3.Hurry Home3:04
- 4.Afro Paris3:09
- 5.Wrap Your Troubles in Dreams2:57
- 6.She's Funny That Way3:47
- 7.Somebody Loves Me3:39
- 8.Everything Happens to Me2:57
Dizzy Over Paris1953
- 1.The Champ
- 2.They Can't Take That Away From Me
- 3.My Man
- 4.Good Bait
- 5.I Can't Get Startet
- 6.I've Got the Bluest Blues
Bird and Diz1952
Tracklist not collected yet.
Dizzy Gillespie1952
Tracklist not collected yet.
Dizzy Gillespie, Vol. 21952
Tracklist not collected yet.
Dizzy, Volume 21952
Tracklist not collected yet.
Dizzy, Volume I1952
Tracklist not collected yet.
Hot Vs. Cool (A Battle of Jazz)1952
Tracklist not collected yet.
Modern Jazz Trumpets1951
Tracklist not collected yet.
Red Norvo's Fabulous Jam Session1951
Tracklist not collected yet.
Dizzy Gillespie Plays & Johnny Richards Conducts1950
Tracklist not collected yet.
Dizzy Gillespie and His All-Stars1947
Tracklist not collected yet.
I Giganti Del Jazz Vol. 301981
Tracklist not collected yet.
I Giganti Del Jazz Vol. 421981
Tracklist not collected yet.
Gallery
Label
- Record label
- Pablo
- Record label
- RCA Records
- Record label
- Savoy Records
- Record label
- Verve Records
- Record label
- Capitol Records
- Record label
- Dee Gee Records
Achievements
- Award
- National Medal of Arts
- Award
- Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award
- Award
- Paul Acket Award
- Award
- Kennedy Center Honors
- Award
- Commandeur des Arts et des Lettres
- Award
- star on Hollywood Walk of Fame
- Award
- NEA Jazz Masters
- Award
- New Jersey Hall of Fame
Influenced by
Groups
- Boyd Raeburn & His Orchestratrumpetcurrent
- Charlie Parker’s Ree Bopperscurrent
- Dizzy Gillespie Big Bandeponymous, originalcurrent
- Dizzy Gillespie Jamprincipal, trumpetcurrent
- Dizzy Gillespie Jazzmeneponymous, originalcurrent
- Dizzy Gillespie Quarteteponymous, original, trumpetcurrent
- Dizzy Gillespie Quinteteponymous, original, trumpetcurrent
- Dizzy Gillespie Sexteteponymous, originalcurrent
- Dizzy Gillespie and His All Starseponymous, originalcurrent
- Dizzy Gillespie and His Orchestraeponymous, originalcurrent
- Dizzy Gillespie – Stan Getz Sexteteponymouscurrent
- Dizzy Gillespie's Cool Jazz Starseponymous, original, trumpetcurrent
- Dizzy Gillespie-Phil Woods All Starseponymous, originalcurrent
- Dizzy Gillespie’s All‐Star Quinteteponymous, original, trumpetcurrent
- Dizzy Gillespie’s Rebop Sixeponymous, originalcurrent
- Red Norvo & His Selected Sextetcurrent
- Red Norvo All-Starscurrent
- The Dizzy Gillespie 6eponymous, original, trumpetcurrent
- The Dizzy Gillespie United Nation All Star Orchestraeponymous, originalcurrent
- The Giants of Jazzcurrent
- The Trumpets of Roy Eldridge, Dizzy Gillespie and Harry Edisoneponymous, original, trumpetcurrent
- Cab Calloway and His Orchestratrumpet · 1939–1941
Similar artists
Archive
Passport
Identifiers & aliases
Also known as: B. Bopstein, Diz, Dizzie Gilespie, Dizzie Gillespie, Dizzy, Dizzy Gilespy
John Birks "Dizzy" Gillespie was an American jazz trumpeter, bandleader, composer, educator and singer. He was a trumpet virtuoso and improviser, building on the virtuosic style of Roy Eldridge but adding layers of harmonic and rhythmic complexity previously unheard in jazz. His combination of musicianship, showmanship, and wit made him a leading popularizer of early bebop styles. His beret and horn-rimmed spectacles, scat singing, bent horn, pouched cheeks, and light-hearted personality have made him an enduring icon.
Opinions of fans — not verified facts.
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