Dizzy Gillespie

John Birks "Dizzy" Gillespie (October 21, 1917 – January 6, 1993) was an American jazz trumpeter, bandleader, singer and composer.

Dizzy Gillespie
Dizzy Gillespie in 1955
Background information
Birth name	John Birks Gillespie
Born	(1917-10-21)October 21, 1917 Cheraw, South Carolina, U.S.
Died	January 6, 1993(1993-01-06) (aged 75) Englewood, New Jersey, U.S.
Genres	Jazz
Occupation(s)	Musician, composer
Instruments	Trumpet
Years active	1935–1993
Associated acts	Charlie Parker, Cab Calloway

As an instrumentalist, bandleader, singer, and composer, Gillespie was the youngest of nine children. His father was a local bandleader, so instruments were made available to him at an early age. He started to play the piano at the age of 9.

Nicknamed Dizzy because of how he acts during performances, Gillespie set new standards for trumpet players with his innovative rhythmic and harmonic explorations. This definitive change moved American jazz from swing to 'bebop'. Together with Charlie Parker, he was a major figure in the development of modern jazz.

Gillespie died on January 6, 1993 at age 75 from pancreatic cancer. At the time of his death Gillespie had two funerals. One was a Bahá´í funeral at his request, at which his closest friends and colleagues attended. The second was at the Cathedral of St. John the Divine in New York City open to the public where everyone can attend.

Dizzy Gillespie Media

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  Gillespie in a publicity photo (c. 1955)

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  Gillespie with John Lewis, Cecil Payne, Miles Davis, and Ray Brown, between 1946 and 1948

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  Gillespie performing in 1959

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  Gillespie performing at a Giants of Jazz concert in 1973 (behind him is drummer Art Blakey)

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  Le trompettiste américain de jazz Dizzy Gillespie en concert à Deauville (Normandie, France) le 20 juillet 1991.

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  A "Dizzy Gillespie for President" pinback button, 1964

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  Gillespie holding his memoir: To Be or Not to Bop (1979)

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  Gillespie performing for The Giants of Jazz in 1971, an exemplar shown also of his cheek-oriented laryngoceles

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  Gillespie's bent trumpet on display in February 2024

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  Statue of Gillespie by Ed Dwight in his hometown of Cheraw, South Carolina

Other websites

• The African American Registry - The heart of jazz, Dizzy Gillespie Archived 2008-08-13 at the Wayback Machine
• Dizzy Gillespie's "The Cult of Bebop" Archived 2006-02-06 at the Wayback Machine
• Dizzy Gillespie Talking to Les Tomkins in 1973