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John Birks Gillespie | |
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Born: October 21, 1917 Hometown: Cheraw, South Carolina Instrument: Trumpet Music Training: self taught on trombone Bands and Orchestras: Teddy Hill Band, Billy Eckstine Band Signature Song: "A Night in Tunisia" Dizzie Gillespie biography: The youngest of 9 children he taught himself to play the trombone then switched to the trumpet. He overcame his impoverished youth, earning a scholarship to Laurinburg Institute in North Carolina, an agricultural school before dropping out to pursue a career in music. He found work in Philadelphia with Frankie Fairfax's band. In 1937 he moved on joining Teddy Hill's Orchestra in a spot formerly held by his role model Roy Eldridge. He made his first recording, "King Porter Stomp" with Hill. Later he joined the Cab Calloway Orchestra, but was fired for a spitball throwing incident. After performing with Ella Fitzgerald, Coleman Hawkins, and even Duke Ellington, Gillespie ignored the advice of band leader Woody Herman who suggested that he give up the trumpet and concentrate solely on arranging. He then hooked up with Earl "Father" Hines in Harlem working at Minton's Playhouse and Monroe's Uptown House. After Charlie "Bird" Parker signed on as tenor sax player the group began exploring a new form of Jazz, Bebop. Sadly, the group was never recorded. In 1944, when Billy Eckstine split off to form his own band Dizzy and "Bird" signed on. As a group they recorded "Opus X" and "Blowing the Blues Away." In 1945 he teamed up with Charlie Parker to record "Salt Peanuts," "'Shaw Nuff," "Groovin' High" and "Hot House." After a less than enthusiastically accepted tour of California he returned to New York without the "Bird" to form a new orchestra which lasted 4 years. The group proved to be a breeding ground for young musicians with innovative ideas. By 1950 the Bop craze had ended and Dizzy once again hooked up with the "Bird." In 1956 he was authorized by the State Department to form a big band to perform overseas. After touring with the Giants of Jazz in the 70s Gillespies trumpet playing ability began to wane. Died: January 6, 1993
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