Dizzy Gillespie

Dizzy Gillespie就是對Bop爵士樂有最大貢獻(xiàn)的人之一，Dizzy Gillespie 是 Be-bop爵士樂風(fēng)的宗師，是拉丁爵士的創(chuàng)始者，是位兼具喇叭手、編曲、樂隊(duì)經(jīng)理及歌手等多重身分于一身的爵士樂界巨人，也是由于他和許多樂手的努力，使得爵士樂有傳統(tǒng)的紐奧爾良風(fēng)格以及搖擺樂之外，爵士樂也是可以有更多不同的前景。風(fēng)趣的個(gè)性和特徵 鼓脹的雙頰與向上傾斜 30度角的小號，是 Dizzy 的正字標(biāo)記。吹奏時(shí)，經(jīng)常很輕易的讓兩個(gè)臉頰會腫脹到像牛蛙一樣。關(guān)于他的特殊樂器造型的故事是，1953年，在一次表演中，有個(gè)舞者不小心跌倒，意外地將 Dizzy的小號壓彎了，Dizzy卻神色從容地拿起彎曲的小號繼續(xù)吹奏，他覺得這把小號的音色更優(yōu)，之后他還特別訂做一支這樣獨(dú)特造型的小喇叭。
 
家境清寒，父親是個(gè)業(yè)余樂手。家中有九個(gè)孩子，父親將不同的樂器介紹給每個(gè)孩子，他是最小的一個(gè)。12歲時(shí)他先學(xué)伸縮喇叭后才改學(xué)小喇叭。1935年，Gillespie 離開學(xué)校，來到費(fèi)城加入Frank Fairfax樂團(tuán)，別人開始用 Dizzy這個(gè)綽號稱呼他。20歲時(shí)加入Teddy Hill的樂隊(duì)，在Teddy Hill的樂隊(duì)取代另一位小號手 Roy Eldridge 。21歲時(shí)加入Cab Calloway的大樂團(tuán)，這個(gè)環(huán)境對他有很大的幫助。
 
在Cab Calloway的大樂團(tuán)時(shí)有更多表現(xiàn)的機(jī)會，也在這個(gè)時(shí)候他對Afro-Cuban jazz有了興趣。 他是個(gè)個(gè)性活潑樂觀的人，在舞臺上和私底下皆是如此。從大樂團(tuán)起步 Dizzy 也和他那個(gè)時(shí)期的樂手一樣是從大樂隊(duì)開始的，也是由于這層關(guān)系讓Dizzy得以有機(jī)會向Louis Armstrong及Roy Eldridge等前輩學(xué)習(xí)。1940年在堪薩斯城遇見Charlie Parker ，這是他的音樂生命中最關(guān)鍵的一件事。
 
1942年，Dizzy和Charlie Parker加入Earl Hines 的大樂隊(duì)，這是第一個(gè)表演 BeBop的樂隊(duì)，之后歌手 Billy Eckstine 跳出來自組樂隊(duì)，Dizzy and Bird 加上Sarah Vaughan全部跟著轉(zhuǎn)臺。1944年，Dizzy 參加由 Coleman Hawkins 主導(dǎo)的演奏，此場音樂會使得 BeBop 樂風(fēng)正式成形。1945年，Dizzy 終于有了自己的五重奏樂隊(duì)，并且和 Charlie Parker 到處表演與錄制唱片，他們的 BeBop新樂風(fēng)在美國東岸受到大眾的肯定與支持，模仿者到處都是，但他們?nèi)サ矫绹靼侗硌輹r(shí)，觀眾的反應(yīng)卻是十分冷淡。而吉萊斯皮并未心灰意冷，他重整旗鼓，建立起一支成功的樂隊(duì)。這支樂隊(duì)整整奮斗了四年，這是迪茲最成功的四年。
 
Dizzy Gillespie的貝雷帽，山羊胡子和波普眼鏡是他的標(biāo)志，這同時(shí)也是爵土樂的標(biāo)志。從技巧上來說，Charlie Parker似乎更勝一籌，但是從影響力來看，Dizzy Gillespie無疑是最重要的。1948年至1949年期間，幾乎所有搖擺樂時(shí)代的音樂家都開始嘗試著演奏從前他們不屑一顧的波普爵士樂。一段時(shí)期內(nèi)，各大唱片公司為將這種新的聲音推向市場，成為一種風(fēng)行的時(shí)尚，著實(shí)下了一番功夫。
 
然而當(dāng)爵士樂跨入五十年代時(shí)，這種風(fēng)行時(shí)尚的狂熱宣告結(jié)束。迫于經(jīng)濟(jì)壓力，不得已解散了他具有始創(chuàng)意義的大樂隊(duì)，他偶爾也和Charlie Parker合作。1955年Charlie Parker去世。但是兩位巨人的合作無疑是激動人心、令人難忘的，正是由于他們的努力和相互的促進(jìn)開創(chuàng)了爵土樂的主流。后來，Dizzy Gillespie加盟爵士愛樂樂團(tuán)，在參加巡回演出中，他有機(jī)會同好戰(zhàn)的羅伊·埃爾德里奇在樂壇一決勝負(fù)。他曾領(lǐng)銜全明星音樂會與斯坦·格茨、索尼·羅林斯，索尼·斯蒂特同臺演出。1951年他指揮了以科特蘭和米爾特·杰克遜為主要樂手的小型爵士樂隊(duì)。這些經(jīng)歷都大大豐富了Dizzy Gillespie的演藝生涯。1956年，在美國國務(wù)院的資助下，Dizzy Gillespie經(jīng)授權(quán)組建一支大樂隊(duì)，旨在參加海外巡演，宣傳美國文化。這次巡回演出極為成功，于是一再延期，成為了一次真正的全球巡演，在近東，歐洲以及南美，到處都留下該樂隊(duì)的足跡。演出整整持續(xù)了兩年之久，直到1958年才結(jié)束。這支大樂隊(duì)解散之后，Dizzy Gillespie再次拿起了指揮棒，指揮小型樂隊(duì)。
 
整個(gè)六十年代，他的小型樂隊(duì)成為了培養(yǎng)優(yōu)秀青年音樂家的搖籃。Dizzy Gillespie雄風(fēng)猶在，他定期參加爵士節(jié)的音樂家聚會，偶爾也指揮大樂隊(duì)的演出。七十年代，Dizzy Gillespie和爵士巨人樂隊(duì)一道巡回演出，年邁的他顯得力不從心，小號演奏音色逐漸黯淡下來。技藝的下降使得他在八十年代的演奏顯得古怪離奇。然而Dizzy Gillespie是個(gè)從不言敗的人，他依然堅(jiān)持全球演出，提攜青年—代。在他人生的最后歲月，他擔(dān)任了聯(lián)合國交響樂隊(duì)的指揮。直到1992年，七十五歲的他依舊活躍在樂壇。
 
by Scott Yanow
 
Dizzy Gillespies contributions to jazz were huge. One of the greatest jazz trumpeters of all time (some would say the best), Gillespie was such a complex player that his contemporaries ended up copying Miles Davis and Fats Navarro instead, and it was not until Jon Faddis emergence in the 1970s that Dizzys style was successfully recreated. Somehow, Gillespie could make any wrong note fit, and harmonically he was ahead of everyone in the 1940s, including Charlie Parker. Unlike Bird, Dizzy was an enthusiastic teacher who wrote down his musical innovations and was eager to explain them to the next generation, thereby insuring that bebop would eventually become the foundation of jazz.
 
Dizzy Gillespie was also one of the key founders of Afro-Cuban (or Latin) jazz, adding Chano Pozos conga to his orchestra in 1947, and utilizing complex poly-rhythms early on. The leader of two of the finest big bands in jazz history, Gillespie differed from many in the bop generation by being a masterful showman who could make his music seem both accessible and fun to the audience. With his puffed-out cheeks, bent trumpet (which occurred by accident in the early 50s when a dancer tripped over his horn), and quick wit, Dizzy was a colorful figure to watch. A natural comedian, Gillespie was also a superb scat singer and occasionally played Latin percussion for the fun of it, but it was his trumpet playing and leadership abilities that made him into a jazz giant.
 
The youngest of nine children, John Birks Gillespie taught himself trombone and then switched to trumpet when he was 12. He grew up in poverty, won a scholarship to an agricultural school (Laurinburg Institute in North Carolina), and then in 1935 dropped out of school to look for work as a musician. Inspired and initially greatly influenced by Roy Eldridge, Gillespie (who soon gained the nickname of Dizzy) joined Frankie Fairfaxs band in Philadelphia. In 1937, he became a member of Teddy Hills orchestra in a spot formerly filled by Eldridge. Dizzy made his recording debut on Hills rendition of King Porter Stomp and during his short period with the band toured Europe. After freelancing for a year, Gillespie joined Cab Calloways orchestra (1939-1941), recording frequently with the popular bandleader and taking many short solos that trace his development; Pickin the Cabbage finds Dizzy starting to emerge from Eldridges shadow. However, Calloway did not care for Gillespies constant chance-taking, calling his solos Chinese music. After an incident in 1941 when a spitball was mischievously thrown at Calloway (he accused Gillespie but the culprit was actually Jonah Jones), Dizzy was fired.
 
By then, Gillespie had already met Charlie Parker, who confirmed the validity of his musical search. During 1941-1943, Dizzy passed through many bands including those led by Ella Fitzgerald, Coleman Hawkins, Benny Carter, Charlie Barnet, Fess Williams, Les Hite, Claude Hopkins, Lucky Millinder (with whom he recorded in 1942), and even Duke Ellington (for four weeks). Gillespie also contributed several advanced arrangements to such bands as Benny Carter, Jimmy Dorsey, and Woody Herman; the latter advised him to give up his trumpet playing and stick to full-time arranging.
 
Dizzy ignored the advice, jammed at Mintons Playhouse and Monroes Uptown House where he tried out his new ideas, and in late 1942 joined Earl Hines big band. Charlie Parker was hired on tenor and the sadly unrecorded orchestra was the first orchestra to explore early bebop. By then, Gillespie had his style together and he wrote his most famous composition A Night in Tunisia. When Hines singer Billy Eckstine went on his own and formed a new bop big band, Diz and Bird (along with Sarah Vaughan) were among the members. Gillespie stayed long enough to record a few numbers with Eckstine in 1944 (most noticeably Opus X and Blowing the Blues Away). That year he also participated in a pair of Coleman Hawkins-led sessions that are often thought of as the first full-fledged bebop dates, highlighted by Dizzys composition Woodyn You.
 
1945 was the breakthrough year. Dizzy Gillespie, who had led earlier bands on 52nd Street, finally teamed up with Charlie Parker on records. Their recordings of such numbers as Salt Peanuts, Shaw Nuff, Groovin High, and Hot House confused swing fans who had never heard the advanced music as it was evolving; and Dizzys rendition of I Cant Get Started completely reworked the former Bunny Berigan hit. It would take two years for the often frantic but ultimately logical new style to start catching on as the mainstream of jazz. Gillespie led an unsuccessful big band in 1945 (a Southern tour finished it), and late in the year he traveled with Parker to the West Coast to play a lengthy gig at Billy Bergs club in L.A. Unfortunately, the audiences were not enthusiastic (other than local musicians) and Dizzy (without Parker) soon returned to New York.
 
The following year, Dizzy Gillespie put together a successful and influential orchestra which survived for nearly four memorable years. Manteca became a standard, the exciting Things to Come was futuristic, and Cubana Be/Cubana Bop featured Chano Pozo. With such sidemen as the future original members of the Modern Jazz Quartet (Milt Jackson, John Lewis, Ray Brown, and Kenny Clarke), James Moody, J.J. Johnson, Yusef Lateef, and even a young John Coltrane, Gillespies big band was a breeding ground for the new music. Dizzys beret, goatee, and bop glasses helped make him a symbol of the music and its most popular figure. During 1948-1949, nearly every former swing band was trying to play bop, and for a brief period the major record companies tried very hard to turn the music into a fad.
 
By 1950, the fad had ended and Gillespie was forced, due to economic pressures, to break up his groundbreaking orchestra. He had occasional (and always exciting) reunions with Charlie Parker (including a fabled Massey Hall concert in 1953) up until Birds death in 1955, toured with Jazz at the Philharmonic (where he had opportunities to battle the combative Roy Eldridge), headed all-star recording sessions (using Stan Getz, Sonny Rollins, and Sonny Stitt on some dates), and led combos that for a time in 1951 also featured Coltrane and Milt Jackson. In 1956, Gillespie was authorized to form a big band and play a tour overseas sponsored by the State Department. It was so successful that more traveling followed, including extensive tours to the Near East, Europe, and South America, and the band survived up to 1958. Among the young sidemen were Lee Morgan, Joe Gordon, Melba Liston, Al Grey, Billy Mitchell, Benny Golson, Ernie Henry, and Wynton Kelly; Quincy Jones (along with Golson and Liston) contributed some of the arrangements. After the orchestra broke up, Gillespie went back to leading small groups, featuring such sidemen in the 1960s as Junior Mance, Leo Wright, Lalo Schifrin, James Moody, and Kenny Barron. He retained his popularity, occasionally headed specially assembled big bands, and was a fixture at jazz festivals. In the early 70s, Gillespie toured with the Giants of Jazz and around that time his trumpet playing began to fade, a gradual decline that would make most of his 80s work quite erratic. However, Dizzy remained a world traveler, an inspiration and teacher to younger players, and during his last couple of years he was the leader of the United Nation Orchestra (featuring Paquito DRivera and Arturo Sandoval). He was active up until early 1992.
 
Dizzy Gillespies career was very well documented from 1945 on, particularly on Musicraft, Dial, and RCA in the 1940s; Verve in the 1950s; Philips and Limelight in the 1960s; and Pablo in later years.