Dizzy Gillespie

Born: 1917-10-21

John Birks "Dizzy" Gillespie (/ɡɪˈlɛspi/; October 21, 1917 – January 6, 1993) was an American jazz trumpeter, bandleader, composer, and singer. Gillespie was a trumpet virtuoso and improviser, building on the virtuoso style of Roy Eldridge[2] but adding layers of harmonic and rhythmic complexity previously unheard in jazz. His combination of musicianship, showmanship, and wit made him a leading popularizer of the new music called bebop. His beret and horn-rimmed spectacles, his scat singing, his bent horn, pouched cheeks and his light-hearted personality provided some of bebop's most prominent symbols. In the 1940s Gillespie, with Charlie Parker, became a major figure in the development of bebop and modern jazz. He taught and influenced many other musicians, including trumpeters Miles Davis, Jon Faddis, Fats Navarro, Clifford Brown, Arturo Sandoval, Lee Morgan, Chuck Mangione, and balladeer Johnny Hartman. AllMusic's Scott Yanow wrote: "Dizzy Gillespie's contributions to jazz were huge. One of the greatest jazz trumpeters of all time, Gillespie was such a complex player that his contemporaries ended up being similar to those of Miles Davis and Fats Navarro instead, and it was not until Jon Faddis's emergence in the 1970s that Dizzy's style was successfully recreated [....] Arguably Gillespie is remembered, by both critics and fans alike, as one of the greatest jazz trumpeters of all time". From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia


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A Great Day in Harlem

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The Cosmic Eye

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The Last Of The Blue Devils - The Kansas City Jazz Story

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Documentary film detailing the history of Kansas City jazz.

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The Hole

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Released: 1962-11-08

Two men discuss the nature of accidents and the possibility of nuclear war.

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Charlie Parker: Bird Songs

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Dizzy Gillespie

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Released: 1964-01-01

This is Les Blank’s earliest music film, focusing on the renown trumpet player, Dizzy Gillespie,...

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Voyage to Next

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Released: 1974-10-01

Mother Earth and Father Time converse about the choices humans make. Preserved by the Academy...

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Date with Dizzy

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Released: 1958-01-01

A Hubley stand-in instructs iconic trumpeter Dizzy Gillespie on scoring a short commercial for...

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Brownie Speaks

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Released: 2014-08-26

A native of Wilmington, Delaware, jazz trumpeter Clifford Brown made an outstanding and...

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Music According to Tom Jobim

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Half a century ago, Brazilian composer and musician Antonio Carlos "Tom" Jobim (1927-1994)...

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Jazz: The Only Way of Life

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Dizzy Gillespie is one of the major figures of the 20th Century's music scene. Everything was...

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Oscar Peterson: Music in the Key of Oscar

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This riveting music documentary traces the history of Jazz piano legend Oscar Peterson, from his...

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Good Evening Ev'rybody: In Celebration of Louis Armstrong

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Documenting Louis Armstrong's appearance at the 1970 Newport Jazz Festival.

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Improvisation

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Improvisational jazz performance filmed in 1950 by Gjon Mili plus Duke Ellington Trio filmed in...

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Michel Legrand, sans demi-mesure

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This documentary recounts the life of the late composer Michel Legrand, known for his works on...

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El invierno en Lisboa

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Jim is the drummer for the great black musician Billy Swann. With him, he plays in a club called...

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Jivin' in Bebop

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Released: 1946-01-02

A filmed variety show featuring the Dizzy Gillespie Orchestra with special guests.

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The Beginnings of Bebop

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Released: 1981-05-19

Willie Ruff, musician, composer, educator, filmmaker, and Yale School of Music alumnus was on...

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The Jazz Ambassadors

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The Cold War and Civil Rights collide in this remarkable story of music, diplomacy and race....

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A Night In Havana: Dizzy Gillespie In Cuba

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Released: 1989-05-19

A documentary on Dizzy Gillespie's landmark visit to Cuba and his performance at the Fifth...

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Dizzy Gillespie: Live at the Royal Festival Hall

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Released: 1989-01-01

In this concert, recorded live London’s Royal Festival Hall in 1989, Dizzy Gillespie performs...

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Jazz Icons: Dizzy Gillespie Live in '58 & '70

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Released: 2006-09-26

Jazz Icons: Dizzy Gilespie features two historic concerts from one of the founding fathers of...

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The Harlem Renaissance

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Released: 2004-01-01

Chronicling the Harlem Renaissance era, this retrospective documentary tracks the origins of the...

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Amazonia

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Released: 1990-01-24

Inspired by three South American myths, this film is a plea to save the tropical rain forest and...

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Slim Gaillard's Civilisation

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Released: 1989-10-22

A 4 part documentary about jazz musician / actor Slim Gaillard with interviews, archival footage...

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Six Short Films of Les Blank (1960-1985)

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Released: 1985-01-01

Anthology of six short films, including: Dizzy Gillespie Chicken Real Cigarette Blues God...

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Monterey Jazz Festival 1975

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Released: 1998-11-16

The Monterey Jazz Festival was established in 1958 by impressario Jimmy Lyons who has hosted an...

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Didn't We Ramble On

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Released: 1989-01-01

Didn't We Ramble On is a documentary about the tradition of marching bands in African-American...

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Great Performances

as Self
First aired: 1971-01-28

The best in the performing arts from across America and around the world including a diverse...

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The Mike Douglas Show

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First aired: 1961-12-11

The Mike Douglas Show is an American daytime television talk show hosted by Mike Douglas that...

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The Cosby Show

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The Dick Cavett Show

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Le Grand Échiquier

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First aired: 1972-01-12

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The Muppet Show

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Jazz Casual

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