Dizzy Gillespie

Throughout his many creations in jazz such as BeBop, his original trumpet, and through his legacy that he left behind through his cancer institute, Dizzy Gillespie was an amazing and outstanding musician and man who belongs with the Undefeated 44.

The second reason for why Dizzy should be on this list is that Dizzy shook up the world with how spectacular his Jazz was and how popular he was. During one of his performances, “Dizzy came out for the first three numbers, but left the stage halfway through the first set of the concert to let the band play the remainder of the music without him… Of course the audience was perturbed, because they were looking forward to hearing Dizzy play”(Jennison). This evidence shows how when they hosted a concert with Dizzy almost the entire audience only wanted Dizzy. His demand by the masses makes it clear how influential and popular and skillful he was.  His iconic bent trumpet was born when, “On 6 January 1953, at a party in a club, an actor accidentally fell on Dizzy's trumpet, bending the mouth and giving it the famous upturned shape”(Leymarie). Dizzy’s trumpet was a major factor that played into his popularity as its unique shape attracted attention from all. This next evidence shows what Dizzy ended up doing with his trumpet, “In 1986, Gillespie donated this custom ‘Silver Flair’ trumpet, which he played for 10 years, and its custom case to the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History. Its uniquely shaped upturned bell was his internationally known trademark. Gillespie’s trumpet is one of the most iconic instruments in American music; its inclusion in the Smithsonian marks him as one of the most influential and innovative 20th-century American musicians” (Dizzy). Dizzy’s custom trumpet and case were featured in the Smithsonian, a major museum which is very credible. This truly cements Dizzy Gillespie’s place in history and his popularity and influence on the world, as his famous bent trumpet made it in. Gillespie was a hallmark of Jazz performers and proved to be extremely popular by the love of the audience and his trumpet being placed in the Smithosnian.

John Birks, “Dizzy,” Gillespie was influential not only in jazz but in cancer treatment. He shook up his corner of the world by starting a fund to help jazz musicians in need. His Memorial Fund, “...helps underwrite the costs of hospitalization, diagnostic tests, and a full range of surgical and medical care for jazz musicians who are uninsured and without the ability to pay. The Dizzy Gillespie Cancer Institute at Englewood Hospital has grown into a world-renowned oncology center, recognized as a model for cancer diagnosis and management”(Jazz). The fact that the foundation has become world renown truly shows Dizzy Gillespie’s influence not only on jazz but into the world of cancer treatment and research. Since it was started, “…the Memorial Fund, which is 100 percent donor-supported, has provided over $9 million in medical services to more than 1,900 of JFA’s blues, jazz, and roots musicians who otherwise would not have been able to afford healthcare”(Jazz). The fund is 100% donor supported, which means that people from across nations who know and love Dizzy have donated enough to fund cancer treatment for almost 2,000 people. This shows how popular and widespread Dizzy and his music was by the sheer amount of money that was donated and used. Dying from pancreatic cancer, “‘Dizzy Gillespie was my patient at Englewood Hospital. He had pancreatic cancer, he had surgery; it was only successful for a while. The patient was failing and was asked if there was any way that we could use his endorsement and he said, ’If I do something for you, you have to do something for musicians that didn't have it as good as I did’”(Starita). This quote describes Dizzy’s tragic death and the origin of his cancer foundation. He started the fund for the benefit of other jazz musicians going through the same destructive cancer that he went through, showing his compassion and influence through many people. Dizzy Gillespie was wildly influential to many people through his cancer research and treatment program.