Читать книгу The Book Of Lists - David Wallechinsky - Страница 43

Jazz legend John Birks ‘Dizzy’ Gillespie was born in Cheraw, South Carolina, October 21, 1917. After learning to play piano at the age of four he taught himself to play the trombone, but had switched to the trumpet by the time he was twelve. The leading exponent of ‘bebop’ jazz, Gillespie was famous for conducting big bands, playing trumpet (many consider him the greatest trumpeter in history), and for his work with Earl ‘Fatha’ Hines and Charlie Parker, among others. Gillespie’s energy was so great that his career never stopped, and at least 10 biographies of the world-famous, beloved revolutionary of jazz have been published. Among his most famous compositions are ‘Salt Peanuts’, ‘Bebop’, ‘Guachi Guararo (Soul Sauce)’, ‘Night In Tunisia’ and ‘Manteca’, a pioneering piece in Afro-Cuban style. Gillespie had a stable private life and disdained the addictive drugs favoured by so many jazz heroes. He remained humorous and charming until the end of his life. He died on January 6, 1993, at the age of 75 and the world mourned the loss of a true jazz giant. In 1980, he prepared this list for The Book of Lists.

1 Charlie Parker

2 Art Tatum

3 Coleman Hawkins

4 Benny Carter

5 Lester Young

6 Roy Eldridge

7 J.J. Johnson

8 Kenny Clarke

9 Oscar Pettiford

10 Miles Davis