A famous trumpeter, bandleader, composer, and singer, Dizzy Gillespie was a pioneer of modern jazz and a key figure to music of the 20th century. Dizzy was responsible for being a major figure in the development of modern jazz alongside other famous musicians such as Miles Davis and Fats Navarro. Gillespie covered the genres of jazz, and bebop music. He was well known for his swollen cheeks and famous angled trumpet bell. Gillespie worked with the jazz greats such as Charlie Parker, Duke Ellington and Ella Fitzgerald. He is considered one of the most influential figures of jazz and bebop of his time. Dizzy Gillespie was born John Birks Gillespie on October 21, 1917 in Cheraw, South Carolina. Dizzy was the youngest of nine children and the
With his new big band, Gillespie attempted to popularize bebop and make himself the signature figure of the style. Dizzy was the soloist and showman of his own big band which performed from 1946 to 1950. In 1953, someone accidently sat on his trumpet. Due to this, the bell on the instrument now titled upward at a 45-degree angle. Dizzy discovered that this new shape to his beloved instrument created an improved sound quality. From then on, he always incorporated this shape into his new trumpets. With his own big band, Gillespie was best known for his songs “Oop Bob Sh’Bam” and “Leap Frog.” In 1956, Gillespie traveled to the Middle East on a cultural mission sponsored by the United States State Department. While there he wrote and recorded his famous piece titled “Tunisia.” In 1959 Dizzy Gillespie released an album titled A portrait of Duke Ellington dedicated to the famous musician. In 1964 Dizzy Gillespie ran for the U.S.
One reason being that he is from South Carolina, that state in which I attend school. It is great learning about important figures in history that come from the state of South Carolina. Another reason I chose to research Gillespie was because I did not know much about him. I recognized his name as it is very unique but I could not provide any information about him off the top of my head. I wanted to learn more about the great musician read about his significance in musical history. The last reason I chose to write about Dizzy Gillespie was simply because I played the trumpet from third grade to junior year of high school. It was a hobby of mine and a skill that I will always cherish. I enjoy learning about former trumpet players, especially those who contributed to making the instrument so
John Birks, also known as “Dizzy Gillespie” was born October 21,1917. He grew up in Cheraw, South Carolina. Gillespie was the youngest of his nine siblings. Gillespie’s father was a bandleader as well as a bricklayer. His father died when he was only ten years of age. Several years after his father passed away Dizzy Gillespie became a self-taught trombone and trumpet player (“David”). His skills increased so much over time that he later learned how to play the cornet. Gillespie had a special talent for playing these instruments. He was enrolled into the Laurinburg Institute of North Carolina in 1932. The school told him that they wanted him to play for their band. During his time at the school, he practiced his instruments mostly by himself.
Louis has being the most prominent trumpet player in history. His trumpet playing techniques significantly impacted all other instrument players who came after him and emulated his techniques in all other instruments. His style and innovative perspective of jazz changed all the forthcoming jazz singers who had a lot to learn from him, including Bix who learnt a lot from Louis Armstrong. Two of his most famous hit sounds were “What a Wonderful World” as well as “Hello Dolly” among others. The emotions attached to his music is what attracted most people and led to the spread of his music. The charm present in the music was also adored and enjoyed by
In conclusion, Edward Kennedy "Duke" Ellington was of the most talented jazz composers and pianists of the 20th century and did amazing work and composed some of the most famous compositions of jazz. He has gave so many jazz composers motivation to do what they love and think outside the box, he was a genius. His compositions will live through the decades inspiring musicians and composers, his talent will live forever.
Developed in the early 1940's, Bop had established itself as vogue by 1945. It's main innovators were alto saxophonist Charlie Parker and trumpeter Dizzy Gillespie. In this stage in jazz, improvisation differed immensely. Bebop soloists engaged in harmonic improvisation, often avoiding the melody altogether after the first chorus. Usually under seven pieces, the soloist was free to explore improvised possibilities as long as they fit into the chord structure. Popular and influential jazz artists include: Louis Armstrong, Miles Davis, & Cannonball Adderley. Armstrong is most known for his involvement in hot jazz as a trumpeter, but is especially renowned for his improvisation capabilities. Louis Armstrong, born August 4, 1901 right in the beginning stages of the jazz movement, was originally from New Orleans. Armstrong was a bandleader, soloist, comedian/actor, and vocalist. Another famous, Miles Davis, is what some consider to be the best trumpeter of the era. Davis was born on May 26, 1926 in Alton, Illinois. One unique thing about Davis was that he was taught to play without vibrato, which was incredibly contrary to the popular way of
The music of jazz became an important aspect of American culture in the early 20th century. The crisp syncopation of ragtime and the smooth tunes of the blues seeped into American mainstream music through dance halls and saloons and later through ballrooms. Instruments like the piano, trumpet, trombone and clarinet became important and symbolized the “swing-feel” of jazz because of their capability to syncopate and improvise precisely. With the help of the booming recording industry, musical geniuses were discovered and their talent and contributions to the emergence of jazz spread throughout the entire country. Such musicians include composer, arranger and pianist Jelly Roll Morton who heavily influenced the development of early jazz by his unique piano style, his “invention” of musical notation for jazz, and his compositions that have become the core in the jazz repertory. Because the style was new and different and so successful in drawing in large audiences, musicians around the world tried to mimic it. Furthermore, Morton’s masterpieces were the first to show notation for complicated jazz music and thus, formed the basis for standard notation in jazz compositions today.
All types of music require musicians. In the H.R (Harlem Renaissance), there were many who contributed to this new style of music known as jazz. These musicians all have their own style and form. Each of these styles has in some way influenced the evolution of jazz. Louis “Sachmo” Armstrong is recognized as the most famous trumpet player of this time. His “hot bop” style was heard in places like the Cotton Club and the Apollo Theatre. Everyone from all over the country would come to see him. Armstrong recorded such works as I’m in the Mood for Love, and You Rascal you (http://library.thinkquest.org/26656/english/music.html). Another famous person during this era was Coleman Hawkins, a saxophone player. Hawkins is recognized as the first great saxophonists of Jazz. His most famous work was a piece named Body and Soul (http://library.thinkquest.org…). Hawkins has also recorded with artists such as Thelonious Monk and Duke Ellington. Other people such as Bessie Smith, Josephine Baker, Duke Ellington, and “Dizzie” Gillespie have also made many contributions to the development of Jazz.
In the mid 1930s, Benny Goodman sparked the beginning of the Swing Era of jazz music shortly after leading his first band, which was monumental to the development of jazz. This marked a transition from the early Jazz Age, which resulted from combining aspects of ragtime and blues music over the previous two decades. Through Goodman’s live performances at various gigs and NBC’s radio show Let’s Dance, he gained increased recognition as a jazz performer and band leader. Following his pivotal Palomar Ballroom gig in Los Angeles, Goodman’s music inspired teenagers to create dances to accompany his new jazz style. As a result, his music grew to gain national acclaim and popularity among many different types of people. Goodman greatly influenced
By this time a major change in jazz was afoot, and a young trumpet player named Dizzy Gillespie formed his own small prototype group at the Onyx Club in New York. This group met regularly and played original music based on popular swing tunes, with improvised melodies, and modified chordal structure. This new music was called bebop,
Stanley Newcomb Kenton is one of the most influential figures to be found in all of jazz history, even being called "the most significant figure of the Modern Jazz age" by Frank Sinatra (Agostinelli, 6). Kenton's progressive concepts of how music is written and performed greatly affected the genre of jazz, and created something new and unique. Always under controversy, Kenton and his band always strove to do something different, never settling into a niche for long periods of time. Even today, when hearing modern jazz performers (particularly big bands) one can often hear the influence from Kenton's music.
fame. The reasons for his outcome need to be revealed because Ellington was one of the most important figures in the era of jazz. During the Harlem Renaissance, some
Born in Alton, Illinois, Miles Davis grew up in a middle-class family in East St. Louis. Miles Davis took up the trumpet at the age of 13 and was playing professionally two years later. Some of his first gigs included performances with his high school bandand playing with Eddie Randall and the blue Devils. Miles Davis has said that the greatest musical experience of his life was hearing the Billy Eckstine orchestra when it passed through St. Louis. In September 1944 Davis went to New York to study at Juilliard but spend much more time hanging out on 52nd Street and eventually dropped out of school. He moved from his home in East St. Louis to New York primarily to enter school but also to locate his musical idol, Charlie Parker. He played with Parker live and in recordings from the period of 1945 to 1948. Davis began leading his own group in 1948 as well as working with arranger Gil Evans. Davis’ career was briefly interrupted by a heroin addiction, although he continued to record with other popular bop musicians.
Edward Kennedy Ellington, American jazz composer, orchestrator, bandleader, and pianist, is considered to be the greatest composer in the history of jazz music and one of the greatest musicians of the 20th century. He composed over 2000 works and performed numerous concerts during his musical career. A compilation of some of his most popular music is collected on a CD called "The Popular Duke Ellington." Ellington personally created most of the music played by his orchestra. He often wrote pieces for specific players with distinctive musical styles in his band, such as "Concerto for Cootie" (1940) for fellow musician and trumpeter, Cootie Williams. With the help of American trumpeter James "Bubber" Miley, Ellington often incorporated in his music the jungle effect.
Dizzy Gillespie left my band in Washington, D.C. He told me to go over to hear Andy Kirk, because there was a fellow with Kirk named Fats Navarro. 'Take a listen to him,' said Dizzy, 'he's wonderful!' So I went out to the club, and the only thing Fats had to blow was behind a chorus number. But he was wailing behind this number, and I said to myself, 'This is good enough this'll fit.' So I got Fats to come by and talk it over, and about two weeks after that he took Dizzy's chair, and take it from me, he came right in ... Great as Diz is ... Fats played his book and you would hardly know that Diz had left the band. 'Fat Girl' played Dizzy's solos, not note for note, but his ideas on Dizzy's parts and the feeling was the same and there was just as much swing.
...d with in his lifetime, from Dizzy Gillespie to Art Blakey to John Coltrane. He played with everybody who was anybody! Another thing I found to be interesting was the way he died. He was shot by his common-law wife in the middle of a performance. This means that she was not officially, under any law binding terms, his wife, but for all intensive purposes, they were married. Then, one day she went crazy and shot his straight on stage shortly after an altercation had just occurred. She then ran to him and screamed that she didn’t mean to do it, and later was admitted to an insane asylum. That’s not the best way to die!
A single artist can have a very strong impact on a whole genre of Music. We have seen this time and time again through artists such as Charlie Parker, David Brubeck, John Coltrane, Art Blakey, Miles Davis, and various others. All of these artists had tremendous influences on the different eras that evolved throughout the history of Jazz. Bill Evans, and American jazz pianist, was no different. Just as Charlie Parker had started the evolution of Bebop and influenced the subsequent generations of Jazz Artists, Bill Evans has influenced Modern Jazz and the generations of artists that followed him. Throughout his career and his works with various other artists, Bill Evans has cemented himself as one of the great influences on modern day Jazz.