Dizzy Gillespie

Bio

John Birks "Dizzy" Gillespie was an American jazz trumpeter, bandleader, composer, and singer born in Cheraw, South Carolina. A principal architect of bebop alongside Charlie Parker, he transformed jazz with complex harmonies, rapid tempos, and virtuosic trumpet technique. Gillespie led influential big bands and small groups from the 1940s onward, composing standards such as "A Night in Tunisia," "Groovin' High," and "Salt Peanuts." He incorporated Afro-Cuban rhythms into jazz, collaborating with Machito, Chano Pozo, and later the United Nation Orchestra. Gillespie recorded for Verve, Pablo, and other labels and remained an active performer and educator until his death in 1993.