ENDEIT
Dizzy Gillespie
Photo: William P. Gottlieb, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Trumpeters · 1917–1993

Dizzy Gillespie

American jazz trumpeter (1917–1993)

Born
21 October 1917
Cheraw
Died
6 January 1993
Englewood
Country
United States
Active
1935–
Record labels
Capitol Records, Verve Records, RCA Records, Savoy Records, Pablo
Discography
107 albums

Biography

Dizzy Gillespie was a jazz musician who played trumpet, Jew's harp and voice. Dizzy Gillespie was born on 21 October 1917 in Cheraw and died on 6 January 1993 in Englewood. The music is usually filed under jazz, bebop and Afro-Cuban jazz. Record labels: Capitol Records, Verve Records, RCA Records and Savoy Records. The discography here lists 107 albums, from “Dizzy Gillespie and His All-Stars” (1947) to “istina (Live Belgrade '74)” (2025). Honours include Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award (1989), National Medal of Arts (1989) and New Jersey Hall of Fame (2014).

John Birks "Dizzy" Gillespie ( ghih-LES-pee; October 21, 1917 – January 6, 1993) 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. 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. 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. He won several Grammy Awards.

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Discography

Studio and live albums

Dizzy Gillespie and His All-Stars 1947 · Musicraft Dizzy Gillespie Plays & Johnny Richards Conducts 1950 · Discovery Records Dizzy Gillespie 1952 · Dee Gee
Dizzy Gillespie / Charley Christian 1941 (Minton's Playhouse & Monroe's Uptown, New York City) 1952 · Live
Dizzy Gillespie, Vol. 2 1952 · Dee Gee Dizzy, Volume 2 1952 · Atlantic Dizzy, Volume I 1952 · Atlantic Dizzy Gillespie Plays in Paris 1953 · Vogue Productions Dizzy Over Paris 1953 · Royal Roost Dizzy in Paris 1953 · Contemporary Horn of Plenty 1953 · Blue Note Blow That Horn! Dizzy Gillespie, Vol. 1 1954 · Festival Records Diz and Getz 1955 · Norgran Records Dizzy and Strings 1955 · Blue Star Jazz Recital 1955 · Norgran Records Roy & Diz 1955 · Blue Star Jazz Creations of Dizzy Gillespie 1956 · American Recording Society The Champ 1956 · Savoy Records World Statesman 1956 · Norgran Records Dizzy Gillespie and Stuff Smith 1957 · Verve Dizzy Gillespie's Big Band Jazz 1957 · American Recording Society Dizzy at Home and Abroad 1957 · Atlantic Dizzy in Greece 1957 · Verve School Days 1957 · Regent Records The Dizzy Gillespie Story 1957 · Savoy Records Duets 1958 · Verve Have Trumpet, Will Excite! 1959 · Verve Sonny Side Up 1959 · Verve Gillespiana 1960 · Verve Perceptions 1961 · Verve Dizzy Gillespie & The Double Six of Paris 1963 · Philips New Wave 1963 · Philips Dizzy Goes Hollywood 1964 · Philips Jambo Caribe 1964 · Limelight Soul Mates 1966 · VSP The Melody Lingers On 1966 · Limelight It's My Way 1969 · Solid State Records Soul & Salvation 1969 · Tribute Records Cornucopia 1970 · Solid State Records Portrait of Jenny 1970 · Perception Records The Real Thing 1970 · Perception Records Giants 1971 · Perception Records The Giant 1975 · Prestige Afro-Cuban Jazz Moods 1976 · Pablo Bahiana 1976 · Pablo Free Ride 1977 · Pablo The Trumpet Summit Meets the Oscar Peterson Big Four 1980 · Pablo The Source 1981 · Jazz Man Live 1982 · Book-of-the-Month Records Jazz At The Philharmonic - The Challenges 1954 1983 · Verve
Gillespie & Sandoval 1985 · Live
Gillespie En Vivo 1985 · Live
New Faces 1985
Dizzy Gillespie Meets Phil Woods Quintet 1987
Endlessly 1988
Oop-Pop-A-Da 1988
Shaw 'Nuff 1988
The Symphony Sessions: August 25th, 1989 1989
Dizzy's Big 4 1990
The Trumpet Kings Meet Joe Turner 1990
Rhythmstick 1991
The Bop Fathers, Volume 2 1991 · Live
A Jazz Hour With Dizzy Gillespie 1992
Dizzy Gilespie With Gil Fuller, The Monterey Jazz Festival Orchestra 1992
Jazz Tribune Nr 2 Dizzy Gillespie (1946-1949) CD1 1992
Jazz Tribune Nr 2 Dizzy Gillespie (1946-1949) CD2 1992
Body and Soul 1993 · Live
Dizzy Gillespie And The Mitchell-Ruff Duo 1993
Con Alma 1994
Groovin' High 1994
Hot House 1994
Lady Be Good 1994
Dizzy Gillespie In Paris, Volume 1 1995
The Bop Session 1995
Manteca 1996
Bird Songs 1997
The Roots of Jazz/ Dizzy Gillespie 1997
Closer to the Source 1998
Something Old, Something New 1998
Swings 1999
Cool Breeze 2000
Good Bait 2000
Jazz Studies: The Best of the Perception Years 2001
Sweet Stuff 2001
I Grandi Del Jazz - Dizzie Gillespie - Ultimate Dizzy Gillespie 2002
BD Music Presents: Dizzy Gillespie 2003
The Discovery of Jazz: Dizzy Gillespie 2004
Sittin' In 2005
The best of Dizzy Gillespie 2005
The Trumpet Kings Meet Joe Turner 2006
The Verve & Philips Small Group Sessions 2006
I Love Paris 2008
Live in Paris & Copenhagen 1974 2008
Diggin' Dizz 2009
Featuring Charlie Parker 2009
When Be-Bop Was King 2010
No Brasil com Trio Mocotó 2011
Night In Tunisia 2017
The Essential Dizzy Gillespie 2017
For Musicians Only - The Complete Sessions: Live & Studio 2019
Live At Monterey Jazz Festival, Monterey, CA. September 17th 1982, KJAZ‐FM Broadcast (Remastered) 2019
The Giants of Jazz (Live Paris ’72) 2023 · Live
Manteca 2024
The Ebullient Mr. Gillespie 2024
istina (Live Belgrade '74) 2025 · Live
Sound of Jazz
The Great Modern Jazz Trumpet

Also plays on

Albums where Dizzy Gillespie is credited as a sideman

1952 Bird and Diz — Charlie Parker & Dizzy Gillespie trumpet
1956 The Charlie Parker Story — Charlie Parker piano, trumpet
1957 Ella Fitzgerald Sings the Duke Ellington Song Book — Ella Fitzgerald trumpet
1962 Once There Was Bird — Charlie Parker trumpet
1989 Back on the Block — Quincy Jones instruments, performer, trumpet
2026 World Tour — Oscar Peterson trumpet

Standards written by Dizzy Gillespie

TitleKeyFormGroove
A Night In Tunisia D minor AABA · 48 Latin
Con Alma C major AABA · 32 Afro-Cuban 6/8
Groovin' High E♭ major AA · 32 Up-tempo swing
Manteca B♭ major AABA · 40 Latin
Salt Peanuts B♭ major AABA · 32 Up-tempo swing
Be-Bop F minor AABA · 32 Up-tempo swing
Tin Tin Deo F minor ABBCB · 40 Latin
Birk's Works F minor A · 12 Up-tempo swing
Woody'n You D♭ major AABA · 32 Up-tempo swing
Tour De Force A♭ major AABA · 32 Medium swing

Analysed solos by Dizzy Gillespie

Studied with

Mary Lou Williams 1910–1981 · American jazz pianist and composer (1910–1981) Charlie Shavers 1917–1971 · jazz trumpeter (1920–1971) Mario Bauzá Cárdenas 1911–1993 · Cuban-American musician, composer, and founder of…

Awards

Historic 78 rpm records

  • MILLION DOLLAR BABY Dizzy Gillespie · Johnny Richards · Rose · Dixon · Warren archive.org ↗
  • Chris N' Dizz Dizzy Gillespie · D. Gillespie archive.org ↗
  • DIGGIN' FOR DIZ DIZZY GILLESPIE JAZZ MEN · Dizzy Gillespie · Lucky Thompson · Milt… archive.org ↗
  • DYNAMO A DON BYAS BE-BOPPERS · Don Byas · Peanuts Holland · Billy Taylor · J… archive.org ↗
  • WHAT THE MATTER NOW DIZZY GILLESPIE'S ALL STARS · Dizzy Gillespie · Charlie Parker ·… archive.org ↗
  • Disorder at the Border Coleman Hawkins & Orchestra · Coleman Hawkins · Don Byas · Bud… · 1944 archive.org ↗
  • Bu-Dee-Daht Coleman Hawkins & Orchestra · Coleman Hawkins · Bud Johnson · John… · 1944 archive.org ↗
  • I STAY IN THE MOOD FOR YOU BILLY ECKSTEIN · DELUXE ALL STAR BAND · "Dizzy" Gillespie · Al… · 1944 archive.org ↗

Frequently asked questions

What instrument did Dizzy Gillespie play?

Dizzy Gillespie is known for playing trumpet, Jew's harp and voice.

When and where was Dizzy Gillespie born?

Dizzy Gillespie was born 21 October 1917 in Cheraw.

What are Dizzy Gillespie's best-known albums?

Albums in our database include Dizzy Gillespie and His All-Stars (1947), Dizzy Gillespie Plays & Johnny Richards Conducts (1950), Dizzy Gillespie (1952), Dizzy Gillespie, Vol. 2 (1952) and Dizzy, Volume 2 (1952).

External links

Data compiled from open sources; see the source links below. Spotted an error? Let us know.