Dizzy Gillespie Contribution

Dizzy Gillespie lived a full life beginning from his birth in Cheraw, South Carolina, on October 21, 1917, to his death in Englewood, New Jersey, on January 6, 1993. The jazz trumpet player is known for helping cofound bebop jazz, playing with puffed cheeks, playing a custom trumpet that had its bell bent at a 45 degree angle, and so much more. Dizzy Gillespie’s contributions to the jazz world go far beyond all that he touched and remains a crucial pioneer for jazz music. Dizzy Gillespie, born as John Birks Gillespie, was born to a local bandleader in South Carolina; consequently, Dizzy was born into a life of music. From the age of four, Gillespie began to learn how to play the piano. After the death of his father when Dizzy was ten, Gillespie
Gillespie played with this band and composed music for big bands such as that lead by Jimmy Dorsey and Woody Herman, until he was fired by Calloway two years after he started. Calloway and Gillespie did not begin as friends as Calloway had a distaste for Gillespie’s childish humor, style of soloing, or overall musicality. When Calloway blamed Gillespie for hitting him with a spitball; the two quickly began to fight during which Gillespie attacked Calloway with a knife. Calloway fired Gillespie and it took years for the two to become friends once more and laugh about the
In its beginnings, bebop music was unpopular and regarded as a growth of swing music that would not progress. Gillespie cofounded the bebop revolution through compositions such as “Groovin’ High” and “Salt Peanuts” which were rhythmically and harmonically different than the popular swing music at the time. Bebop took some time to catch on in the minds of the public; nevertheless, Gillespie continued to play in famous clubs, such as Minton’s Playhouse, and in bands, such as that lead by Earl Hines. Additionally, Gillespie helped spread the idea of bebop jazz by teaching young musicians on 52nd Street which was known for being a center for jazz performance in Manhattan from the 1930s to the 1950s. One of Gillespie’s compositions called “A Night in Tunisia” also features rhythms from Afro-Cuban music. Gillespie played a role in developing the style of Afro-Cuban jazz as it was considered to be