Dizzy Gillespie, born John Birks Gillespie on October 21, 1917, in Cheraw, South Carolina, stands as one of the key architects of modern jazz. He revolutionized the trumpet and co-founded bebop alongside Charlie Parker in the 1940s.

Recognizable by his puffed cheeks and upward-bent trumpet, Gillespie combined technical brilliance, playful humor and harmonic daring. His collaboration with Cuban percussionist Chano Pozo helped give birth to Latin jazz, blending Afro-Cuban rhythms with bebop sophistication.

Over a career spanning five decades, Gillespie’s music inspired generations of artists, from Miles Davis to the new wave of contemporary jazz. He passed away in 1993, but his joyful spirit and musical genius remain eternal.

On MusikMachine, explore a beautiful black-and-white photograph of Dizzy Gillespie — a timeless tribute to one of jazz’s most unforgettable figures 🎺