Dizzy Gillespie s 1956 World Tour - 988 Words

Farzam Abdi Dizzy Gillespie’s 1956 World Tour In 1956 Dizzy Gillespie embarked on a musical tour that was founded by the U.S State Department. He and his band travelled to other side of the world and other boundaries outside U.S in the name of cultural diplomacy and to show the world the new culture that was developing in the U.S through the language of music, a culture with hope, no racial boundaries, gender equality and freedom. USC Professor Nicholas Cull explains the degree of importance of cultural diplomacy, America woke up to the need to communicate effectively with the rest of the world. (http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=6276832, October 16 2006). The tour went around South Asia, Middle East and Eastern Europe. Dizzy was considered a suitable candidate for leading the tour and was recommended by Powell to the head of the State Department. He had played in New York’s Basin Street, the Showboat in Washington and as the headliner in Birdland. For Dizzy, this was an opportunity to work in a bigger band since his big band broke up in the early 1950s due to economical reasons. â€Å"I went to Washington once, in 1956, playing with a small group at the Showboat, and received a call from him (Adam Powell) saying come down to the House Office Building the next day because he had something to tell me. I arrived there and all these reporters were standing around, and then Adam made a statement: ‘I’m going to propose to President Eisenhower that he send thisShow MoreRelated Dizzy Gelespie (John Birks Gillespie) Essay2954 Words   |  12 Pagessample with in a new song. Jazz and its historical figures have mistreated and forgotten by todays society. One of the figure most forgotten is John Birks Gillespie, known to the jazz world as quot;Dizzyquot; Gillespie. quot;Dizzyquot; Gillespie was a trumpet player, composer, bandleader and politician of mostly the early 40s to mid 50s. This was a time period in Jazz called Bebop, Bop or sometimes known as Rebop. Bebop got its name from the musical language musicians would speak to one anotherRead MoreBebop Research Papaer Essay2700 Words   |  11 PagesBebop music was the next evolutionary change of Jazz music that succeeded swing music. This paper’s aim is look at musicians who impacted this era, exploring more in depth Dizzy Gillespie and Charlie Parker. In the early 1940’s, the swing bands began to all sound the same as well as work along predictable chord changes.1 The music was now not used for dancing. Some people believed that this would let the music go away from the elite social groups, and now be for everybody. Also just becauseRead MoreElla Fitzgerald Biography Essay1454 Words   |  6 Pages sweet jazz and imitate every instrument in an orchestra. She worked with all the jazz greats, from Duke Ellington, Count Basie and Nat King Cole, to Frank Sinatra, Dizzy Gillespie and Benny Goodman. (Or rather, some might say all the jazz greats had the pleasure of working with Ella.) She performed at top venues all over the world, and packed them to the hilt. Her audiences were as diverse as her vocal range. They were rich and poor, made up of all races, all religions and all nationalities. InRead MoreThe Music Of Jazz Music Essay1895 Words   |  8 PagesEver since Jelly Roll Morton revolutionised jazz music in the early 1920’s, Piano has played a vital role in the development of Jazz music with greats such as Duke Ellington influencing jazz from the start of the swing era (Gioia, 2011). Jazz Pianists were often on the forefront of the ongoing development of jazz music. However, when the bebop era dawned, piano seemed to move into the background, with people like John Coltrane and Miles Davis leading the charge. However, this did not mean the pianoRead MoreLouis Armstrong Research Paper3031 Words   |  13 PagesDaniel Armstrong†). In 1932, he began touring internationally, and it was in Plymouth, England, where Percy Mathison Brooks, the editor of the magazine Melody Maker, gave him his nickname â€Å"Satchmo†(â€Å"Louis Daniel Armstrong†). His longest international tour started in London, England in 1933 and lasted eighteen months, ending in January 1935. He was originally scheduled to stay overseas longer but Armstrong cut it short due to homesickness(McCarthy 25-26). He also suffered a split lip from his constant