But I bet that some of you did not know that actually he was the first American black presidential candidate As we sat side by side at the table at a dinner party given by the most legendary French Jazz authority Maurice Cullaz, I listened to his life story over a flicking candle light, sipping a truly remarkable Cote Rotie wine and concentrating to every word that he was uttering . Mr. John Birks, the first American Presidential Candidate had a light hearted personality, sense of humor, sharp wit and an immense talent.. Of course you know him under a different name...You know him as Dizzie...But I bet that some of you did not know that actually he was the first American black presidential candidate...Yes Mr. John Birks "Dizzie" Gillespie was the first...Born October 21 1917 in Cheraw ,South Carolina, the youngest of nine children, had the opportunity of getting to know all the musical instruments at an early age. His father was a local band leader. He started to play piano at the age of 4. No wonder that he grew up to become a major figure in the development of bebop and modern jazz together with Charlie Parker. He was also instrumental in founding Afro Cuban Jazz. Gillespie was a trumpet virtuoso and gifted improviser, building on the virtuoso style of Roy Eldrige but adding harmonic complexity previously unknown to jazz. He is responsible of popularizing bebop which was considered frightful and threatening by the listeners who was raised on older styles of jazz. Dizzie's beret, his horn-rimmed spectacles, his scat singing his pouched cheeks not only popularized bebop but made him a pioneer of visual signature. He was a mentor and an example for younger musicians. His first pro job was with the Frank Fairfax Orchestra in 1935. In 1939 he joined up with Cab Calloway's Orchestra with which he recorded one of his earlier compositions, the instrumental "Picking the Cabbage". After Dizzie left Calloway in late 1941 over a notorious incident with a knife, he freelanced with few bands most notable being Ella Fitzgerald's orchestra, composed of members of the late Chick Webb's band, in 1942. In 1943, Gillespie joined up with Earl Hines Orchestra. The legendary big band of Billy Eckstine gave his unusual harmonies a better setting and it was a member of Eckstine's band that he was reunited with Parker, with Charlie Parker, Gillespie jammed at famous jazz clubs like Minton's Playhouse and Monroe's Uptown House where the first seeds of bebop was planted. Gillespie's compositions like "Groovin High", "Woody n' Yu" "Salt Peanuts" and "Night in Tunisia" sounded radically different, than the swing music popular at the time. Gillespie taught many of the young musicians on 52nd Street like Miles Davis and Max Roach. Max was incidentally sitting opposite at the table and listening this conversation, nodding in approval. After his work with Parker, Gillespie led other combos including ones with Milt Jackson, John Coltraine, Lalo Shiffrin. Finally he put his first successful big band and appeared frequently as a soloist with Norman Granz's Jazz at the Philharmonic. He also headlined the 1946 independently produced musical revue film "Jivin in Be-Bop". In 1948 he was involved in a traffic accident when the bicycle he was riding was hit by an automobile. He was slightly injured and found that he could no longer hit the B-flat above high C. He won the case but the jury only awarded him 1000 dollars. In March 1952 Charles Delaunay had invited him to play on "Salon du Jazz" and he attended. Dizzie loved Paris, met with Maurice Cullaz. He recorded at the finest studios like Theatre de Champs-Elysees and after a series of successful concerts ,recordings he returned to the States and the 1953 line-up of the Dizzie Gillespie/Stan Getz Sextet featured Dizzie, Stan Getz, Oscar Peterson, Herb Ellis, Ray Brown and Max Roach. He also recorded on a couple of occasions with saxophonists Sonny Rollins and Sonny Stitt.In 1956 He put a band together and he organized a band to go on a State Department tour of the Middle East and earned the nickname "The Ambassador of Jazz". Dizzie was involved in the movement of Afro Cuban music, bringing Latin an African elements to greater prominence in Jazz and even pop-music, particularly salsa. "Manteca and "Tin Tin Deo" was his compositions during this period. He was responsible for commissioning George Russell's "Cubano Be, Cubano Bopo" which featured the great and ill -fated Chano Pozo. In 1977 Gillespie discovered Arturo Sandoval while researching music during a tour of Cuba. I was dying to find out more about his presidential candidacy. He giggled and told me the whole story. In 1964 he put himself forward as a presidential candidate. He promised that if he were elected, the White House would be named as "The Blues House" and his cabinet would be composed of Duke Ellington( Secretary of State) Miles David (Director of the CIA)Max Roach (Secretary of Defense)Charles Mingus (Secretary of Peace),Ray Charles (Librarian of Congress)Louis Armstrong (Secretary of Agriculture)Mary Lou Williams (Secretary of Vatican, Thelonius Monk (Traveling Ambassador) and Malcomb X (Attorney General) His running mate?...Phyllis Diller...His sense of humor in later years became part of his live acts. He lead the United Nations Orchestra in 1980. He toured with David Sanchez, appeared in Cosby Show, Sesame Street and the Muppet Show. In 1982 he had a cameo on Stevie Wonder's hit "Do I Do". In 1989 Gillespie gave 300 performances in 27 countries, appeared in 100 US cities in 31 States and District of Columbia featured three television specials, performed with two symphonies and recorded four albums. He was also crowned a traditional chief in Nigeria, received the Commandeur de l'Ordre des Arts et des Lettres-France's most prestigious cultural award...was named "Regent Professor" by the University of California, and received his fourteenth honorary doctoral degree, this one from Berkley College of Music. In addition he was awarded Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in the same year. He also received Kennedy enter Honors Award and the ASCAP’s "Duke Ellington Award" for 50 years of achievement as a composer, performer and a bandleader. He also starred in a film called "The Winter in Lisbon".. He could not make November 1992 Carnegie Hall concert organized for his 75th birthday as he was in bed suffering with pancreatic cancer. He passed away on January 6, 1993. He was buried in Flushing Cemetery, Queens, New York. He has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. He is also honored with weekly jazz sessions at the New York Baha'i Center. He was a believer of Baha'i Faith since 1970. On that special dinner his last words to me was Bahia faith turned him into a global citizen and helped him to make sense of his life. ...Dilek Cumrali dilekcumrali@hotmail.com |
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