Dizzy Gillespie

Trumpet player/composer John Birks “Dizzy” Gillespie (born Oct 21, 1917) was, along with Charlie Parker, one of the major innovators behind the bebop movement in jazz. His pyrotechnic technical abilities on the trumpet set the bar high for all the players of that instrument who came after him. He was responsible for a number of compositions that have become jazz standards, and his bands have served as launching pads for a number of musicians who have become well known in their own rights, among them James Moody, Lalo Schifrin, John Coltrane, Jimmy Heath, Benny Golson, Lee Morgan and the entire Modern Jazz Quartet, which was the rhythm section of his big band at one point.