Wendy Lafferty

Brass Artist Research Project

Dr. Palmer
8 December 2015
John Birks Gillespie (Dizzy)
John Birks Gillespie, most commonly known as Dizzy, was a famous
trumpet player whose style, virtuosity, and talent was laragely accredited
with the development of the bebop, with the help of several of his
colleagues. Charlie Parker, Thelonious Monk, Kenny Clarke, and a few others
in the early 1940s and 1950s during their after-hours jam sessions. It was
this style that eventually ended up being the foundation for jazz music.
Gillespie was born on October 21, 1917 in a town called Cheraw, South
Carolina, adding a ninth child to his parents, John and Lottie Gillespie.
Growing up, John unfortunately had to push through a lot of hardships as a
child. His father was abusive and unusually strict, and he continued to be this
way until his death when John Birks was about ten years old. Though the
death of his father did mean he would no longer be exposed to this harmful
abuse, it was not at all something which anyone in the family wanted.
Dizzys father, John, was a bricklayer and a weekend band directorwhich
meant he was the primary means of finances in the household. When he
died, the family was left in deep financial trouble, and struggled to get by on
their own.

About two years after the death of his father John Birks Gillespie was
introduced to music by his English teacher and immediately began to teach
himself trombone. Soon after this be decided to switch to the trumpet after
borrowing one from one of his familys neighbors. Gillespie immediately fell
in love with the instrument, and excelled very quicklyexecuting his own
style, character, and tone to his playing. Dizzy Gillespies musical ability did
not go unnoticed. In fact, it was his undeniable talent and one-of-a-kind
sound which got him a scholarship to the Laurinburg Institute in North
Carolina when the school was in search of a trumpet player for their band.
While attending this prestigious musical institute, John worked hard
practicing trumpet and pianooften times without any professional guidance
at all. It was not long before Gillespies talent was noticed by a man named
Roy Eldridgewho encouraged Dizzy to join Frankie Fairfaxs band in
Philadelphia. Roy Eldridge was said to be one of the main influences in the
life and successes of John (Dizzy) Gillespie.
Dizzy Gillespie was well known for his charismatic nature and nonstop
clownish humor. His personality is what gave him the nickname Dizzy, and
also what came through in his playing. His ability to let go, to explore, and to
embed his character into his music is one of the many things which made
him so great. Dizzy was also quite well known for his presence on stageof
course, for humorous, often unorthodox reasons. One unique element to his
trumpet playing was his technique of puffing out his cheeks when he played.
To most players, this is not an acceptable way to produce a good sound;

however, Gillespie could. Gillespie claimed that this was because if he played
like that President Carter would remember his White House performance and
recognize him instantly if not from his extraordinary playing, at least from his
cheeks. Another image many hold in their heads when Dizzy Gillespie is
mentioned is the use of the bent trumpet. The funny thing about the bent
trumpet is that, initially, it was an accident. While at rehearsal one evening,
accidentally fell on top of his trumpet while it was on the stand, bending the
bell back about 45 degrees. Gillespie was not going to let that keep him from
performing. That same night, Dizzy Gillespie played on his bent trumpet and
decided he liked the sound! From that point on, he had bent instruments
built for him, and played on them consistently. In 1989, Dizzy Gillespie won a
Lifetime Achievement Award at the National Association of Recording Arts
and Sciences Grammy Award ceremoniesone of many received by Dizzy.
On October 6, 1993, at age 75, Dizzy passed away quietly in his sleep due to
ongoing pancreatic cancer. His music, though, lives on.

References

http://www.pbs.org/jazz/biography/artist_id_gillespie_dizzy.htm
http://www.notablebiographies.com/Gi-He/Gillespie-Dizzy.html
http://www.allmusic.com/artist/dizzy-gillespie-mn0000162677/biography

Jazz and Blues Musicians of South Carolina: Interviews with Jabbo, Dizzy,
Drink, and Others, Franklin, Benjamin, 1939

Discography
Salted Peanuts / Be-Bop (Shellac, 10", Single)
Dizzy Gillespie / Dizzy Gillespie Sextet - Thinking Of You (7", Single, Mono)
Dizzy Gillespie Plays In Paris: Sweet Lorraine / Everything Happens To Me
The Champ (Dizzy Gillespie)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VUVuX3lLrdg
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B1Yz9G1wwzU
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BQYXn1DP38s
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2uLpjp7xkyI