How did Dizzy get his nickname?
After his father died in 1927, Gillespie taught himself the trumpet and trombone; for two years he attended the Laurinburg Institute in North Carolina, where he played in the band and took music classes. Gillespie’s penchant for clowning and capriciousness earned him the nickname Dizzy.
Where did Dizzy Gillespie come from?
Cheraw, SC
Dizzy Gillespie/Place of birth
Why is Dizzy Gillespie’s trumpet bent?
Its bell was bent 45 degrees when a dancer tripped while performing at a birthday party for Gillespie’s wife in the early 1950s. It also has two small dents made by a snake charmer’s king cobra, which lunged at Gillespie during a trip to India.
Is Gillespie an Irish name?
Gillespie Name Meaning Scottish and Irish: reduced Anglicized form of Gaelic Mac Gille Easbuig (Scottish), Mac Giolla Easpaig (Irish), patronymics from a byname meaning ‘servant of the bishop’.
Where did bebop jazz come from?
Bebop pioneers: In the early 1940s, an innovative group of jazz musicians set out to create a new, more challenging style of jazz. The essence of bebop was born during late-night jam sessions with the Earl Hines Orchestra at Milton’s Playhouse in Harlem, New York.
Why do trumpet players have big cheeks?
The exceptionally large puff cheeks were a result from Gillespie’s decades of blowing the trumpet via puffed-up cheeks not using proper breathing techniques. Dizzy himself remarked that he wished to ‘fix his cheek problem’ but could not due to the decades of incorrect playing.
What brand trumpet did Dizzy Gillespie?
This custom–made “Silver Flair” trumpet belonged to renowned trumpeter, bandleader, and composer John Birks “Dizzy” Gillespie, a founder of the modern jazz style known as bebop.
What instrument did Dizzy Gillespie play first?
Early life and career The youngest of nine children of Lottie and James Gillespie, Dizzy Gillespie was born in Cheraw, South Carolina. His father was a local bandleader, so instruments were made available to the children. Gillespie started to play the piano at the age of four.
How old was George Gill Gillespie when he started playing piano?
Gillespie started to play the piano at the age of four. Gillespie’s father died when he was only ten years old. He taught himself how to play the trombone as well as the trumpet by the age of twelve.
What was the cause of death of Ed Gillespie?
A longtime resident of Englewood, New Jersey, Gillespie died of pancreatic cancer on January 6, 1993, at the age of 75 and was buried in Flushing Cemetery, Queens, New York City. Mike Longo delivered a eulogy at his funeral.
Why did Dizzy Gillespie leave Billy Eckstine?
Gillespie joined the big band of Hines’ long-time collaborator Billy Eckstine, and it was as a member of Eckstine’s band that he was reunited with Charlie Parker, a fellow member. In 1945, Gillespie left Eckstine’s band because he wanted to play with a small combo.