Dizzy Gillespie Is Still A Giant

Those huge cheeks may make him seem like a clown, but what Dizzy Gillespie brought to the jazz world was never a joke.

Dizzy's trademark upright trumpet led to a new style of improvisation and together with Charlie Parker, he ushered in the "Bebop Jazz" revolution.

He was always a crowd favorite at Jazz Festivals because of his crazy stage antics, which earned him the nickname "Dizzy."

Some of his most famous arrangements and compositions included the classic standards : "Groovin' High", "Night in Tunisia" and "Manteca". These songs, along with several others, are considered to be "standards" or staples, which are performed by hundreds, if not thousands of jazz band programs throughout the world.

My first introduction to Dizzy Gillespie was during Jazz Band in my high school days. We also performed music from Charlie Parker, John Coltrane, Charles Mingus and others, but the Dizzy Gillespie tunes seemed to be the songs that the crowd enjoyed most at the music festivals.

During the marching season (fall), we performed a few songs during the season, in college at Oklahoma State University. Dizzy's music is timeless to this day, which is evident in the number of band directors that insist on teaching their students the brilliance of Dizzy's compositions.

Every year, in high school and colleges around the United States, jazz programs are busy practicing Dizzy's music to perform at a wide variety of competitions and festivals. The imprint that Dizzy Gillespie has left on the music world, especially in the performing arts, is nothing short of stellar. Dizzy lives on through his music.

Here is a list of the 5 tracks that resonate with me the most. Traditionally, I prefer uptempo numbers and get a bit sleepy with the slow stuff.

1. A Night In Tunisia - I like this song for its offbeat bass line. Delicious. The loungy/swing-esque section completely adds another dimension to the track. I enjoy how they are able to weave back and forth between the tempos. Solo is crazy, as well.
   
   
2. Salt Peanuts - This track smokes because it's a super fast tempo and the trumpets go bonkers on the octaves. I prefer the recordings with Charlie Parker, as opposed to just Dizzy and his band. If I really broke the versions down, I just prefer a trumpet and saxophone voice, as opposed to just trumpets. Simply a matter of preference.
   
   
3. Manteca - The beat on this track is not too fast, but definitely not slow. It's toe tapping, in a pseudo-reggae sort of way. You can also hear bits of the song "Tequilla" throughout. My favorite instrument performed on this track would be the drumming.
   
   
4. Groovin' High - This is another classic with Charlie Parker that paints an interesting canvas. I can almost envision movie scenes or a story being told through the music. This is, yet again, another uptempo number, but in a 60s "Odd Couple" sort of way. I enjoy the piano work on this track the most. The solos are juicy, as well.
   
   
5. Hot House - The dynamics between the upright bass and the kick drum are what keep my attention throughout this track. The solos are really groovy on this one. The bassline just keeps you following the bouncing ball, so to speak. Good stuff.
   
   
6. Bebop - This is a very fast uptempo track with a crazy trumpet line that is hard to follow, if you aren't focused. The saxophone parts are intricate and compliment Dizzy's tenacity very well, in my opinion.
   
   
7. And Then She Stopped - I enjoy this track in particular, thanks to the fun piano lick at the beginning. I'm also a sucker for a muted trumpet. I just like the "Charlie Brown Teacher" vibe that accompanies the sound. This is a fun song that keeps me interested.
   
   
8. Birks Works - I have a profound respect for the marimba and anyone that can actually carry a tune on this beast of an instrument. This classic song features the marimba and is one of the main reasons I enjoy it. The sound of the mallet hitting the wood is different than any other keys-based instrument and this song from the 1950s is fun to hear.
   
   
9. He Beeped When He Should Have Bopped - One thing you can't take away from Dizzy was his sense of humor. His song titles are legendary and this composition is great because it gives you that World War I rustic, old school jazz, vibe. This song also features vocals, which is a nice change.
   
   
10. On The Sunny Side Of The Street - This song was always fun to play on alto saxophone. The reed parts seemed to mimic the brass lines, but then intertwined and played off of each other from time to time. This is more of a slower number, which I typically do not like, but the saxophone is a predominant feature and I enjoy the laid back feel of the song, in general.