Dizzy Gillespie
American jazz trumpeter (1917-1993) · United States · On the map · Musicians · Died at 75
John Birks "Dizzy" Gillespie was an American jazz trumpeter, bandleader, composer, educator and singer. He was a trumpet virtuoso and improviser, building on the virtuosic style of Roy Eldridge but adding layers of harmonic and rhythmic complexity previously unheard in jazz.
Dizzy Gillespie is read about 984 times a day, in 60 languages.
A typical day, 30 days to 6 November 2026
The middle day of the days counted, so one week of news cannot move it. The line under it is the last 400 days, one point a day.
Something wrong?A life in dates
People around Dizzy
Close ties
Norman Granz Produced Bird and Diz, Sonny Side Up and Afro
Mary Lou Williams Taught Dizzy
Charlie Shavers Taught Dizzy, influenced Dizzy
Mario Bauzá Cárdenas Taught Dizzy
Charlie Parker Duets: Bird and Diz and Shaw 'Nuff
Faith Hubley Directed The Hat and Voyage to Next
Louis Armstrong Influenced Dizzy
Stan Getz Duets: For Musicians Only and Be-Bop
Sonny Stitt Duets: For Musicians Only and Be-Bop
Creed Taylor Produced Rhythmstick and Perceptions
John Hubley Directed The Hole (1962)
Aretha Franklin Duets: White House Correspondents' Association dinner
Ray Charles Duets: White House Correspondents' Association dinner
Benny Goodman Duets: White House Correspondents' Association dinner
Frank Sinatra Duets: White House Correspondents' Association dinner
Martin Scorsese Directed American Masters
Barbra Streisand Duets: White House Correspondents' Association dinner
Stevie Wonder Duets: Do I Do (1982)
Peter Sellers Duets: White House Correspondents' Association dinner
Jay Leno Duets: White House Correspondents' Association dinner
Conan O'Brien Duets: White House Correspondents' Association dinner
Stephen Colbert Duets: White House Correspondents' Association dinner
Danny Kaye Duets: White House Correspondents' Association dinner
Christian Vadim Also in The Winter in Lisbon (1991)
Media & music
Photos 11
Gillespie in a publicity photo (c. 1955)
Gillespie (left) with John Lewis, Cecil Payne, Miles Davis, and Ray Brown, between 1946 and 1948
Gillespie performing in 1959
Gillespie performing at a Giants of Jazz concert in 1973 (behind him is drummer Art Blakey)
Gillespie in concert, Deauville, Normandy, France, July 1991
A "Dizzy Gillespie for President" pinback button, 1964
Gillespie holding his memoir: To Be or Not to Bop (1979)Awards
About this person
His combination of musicianship, showmanship, and wit made him a leading popularizer of early bebop styles. His beret and horn-rimmed spectacles, scat singing, bent horn, pouched cheeks, and light-hearted personality have made him an enduring icon.
