DIZZY GILLESPIE

John Birks "Dizzy" Gillespie was a black African American jazz trumpeter, bandleader, composer, educator and singer from the 1930s to the 1990s. His combination of musicianship, showmanship, and wit made him a leading popularizer of the new music called bebop. He also pioneered Afro-Cuban jazz and won several Grammy Awards. He passed away in 1993 at the age of 75. Gillespie is remembered, by both critics and fans alike, as one of the greatest jazz trumpeters of all time.