John Birks Dizzy Gillespie: A Man, a Trumpet, and a Journey to Bebop

John Birks Dizzy Gillespie was a jazz musician who pioneered the style of bebop in the 1940s. This book, written for middle grade readers, chronicles Dizzy’s life, starting with his childhood in Cheraw, South Carolina and the racism he faced during this time. We hear how one of Dizzy’s teachers encouraged him to play trumpet, and how this playing provided an escape from constant racial prejudice. We learn how Dizzy got his start as a musician in the Teddy Hill Band, the impact he made on jazz and bebop, and the many travels around the world he made before his passing on January 6, 1993. Readers will gain an appreciation of the legacy of Dizzy Gillespie and the impact he made on jazz, bebop, and music as a whole.