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[[de:Dizzy Gillespie]]
'''Dizzy Gillespie''' ([[October 21]], [[1917]] - [[January 6]], [[1993]]) was born '''John Birks Gillespie''' in [[Cheraw, South Carolina]]. He was an [[African-American]] [[jazz]] [[trumpet|trumpeter]], [[bandleader]], [[singer]] and [[composer]]. Gillespie, with [[Charlie Parker]], was a major figure in the development of [[bebop]] and [[modern jazz]].  

Gillespie was a trumpet virtuoso and gifted [[improvisation|improviser]]. In addition to his instrumental skills, Dizzy's beret and horn-rimmed specs, his goofy [[scat singing]], his bent horn and pouched cheeks,  and his  light-hearted personality put a human face on what many, including some of its creators, regarded as threatening and frightening music. In his playing, Gillespie built on the "saxophonic" style of [[Roy Eldridge]] and then went far beyond it.  

The [[bebop|bebop]] quintet of the [[1940s|40s]] with Gillespie on trumpet, Parker on [[saxophone|alto saxophone]], [[Max Roach]] on [[drums]], and [[Bud Powell]] on [[piano]] had a remarkably high concentration of musicianship.  

In addition to his work with Parker, Gillespie led small combos and big bands and appeared frequently as a soloist with [[Norman Granz|Norman Granz's]] [[Jazz at the Philharmonic]].  Early in his career, he appeared with [[Cab Calloway]], who fired him for playing "Chinese music".  The legendary [[big band]] of [[Billy Eckstine]] gave those unusual harmonies a better setting.  In the [[1950s|50s]], Gillespie led the movement called [[Afro-Cuban music]], bringing [[Latin American music|Latin]] and African elements to greater prominence in jazz and even [[pop music]], particularly [[salsa music|salsa]].

Gillespie wrote a number of songs, notably "Manteca", "A Night in Tunisia", "Birk's Works", and "Con Alma", all jazz classics.

Cheek distention is purportedly called "Gillespie's pouch" in the medical community.  

Gillespie published his [[autobiography]], ''To Be or not to Bop'' in [[1979]], ISBN 0306802368.

Dizzy Gillespie was one of the most famous adherents of the [[Baha'i Faith| Bah�'� Faith]] to the point that he is often called the ''Bah�'� Jazz Embassador''.

== See Also ==
* [[Louis Armstrong]], a similar figure in personality and musical impact, 
* [[Miles Davis]], a marked contrast, although a musical contemporary
* [[Arturo Sandoval]], prot&eacute;g&eacute; championed by Gillespie


==References==
* Adapted from the [[Wikipedia]] article, "Dizzy Gillespie" http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dizzy_Gillespie January 4, 2004