Charlie Parker, Dizzy Gillespie and bebop

Charlie Parker, Dizzy Gillespie and bebopDamon Oliverben EdwardsPaul lamstaesBebop As a period of time, Bebop ran from around 1940-1955 with both Dizzy Gillespie and Charlie Parker at its head.It was a new style of jazz that moved away from its dance routes, taking it out of the mainstream and into a more art music form, where virtuosic playing is a key element.

Charlie ParkerKnown as the Bird for his fluent and exciting playing.He played with many other fantastic players such as Thelonius Monk in small Quintet and Quartet settings.He was a prolific writer of Contrafacts (new melodies written over pre-existing chord changes) meaning that other musicians could play new tunes without necessarily needing the sheets.

John Dizzy Gillespie- Following the American ban on recording until 1935, Dizzy entered the studio and demonstrated how jazz was now moving in another direction to its previously popular-music orientation.

- He began to take playing jazz to an entirely new level. - After hours Jam Sessions in various New York Jazz clubs had led to this exciting new genre of music which, when finally recorded, took the jazz world by storm.

The playingShaw NuffBased on the Rhythm Changes from Gershwins I Got Rhythm, Parker and Gillespie play a particularly fast and complex melodic line (something characteristic of bebop) which is followed by solos.Parkers solo is extremely dense with consistent quaver rhythms which are often syncopated, something that became a cornerstone of bebop language. The speed of his playing always sounds relaxed and comfortable, never feeling as though there is a loss of pace.Dizzys entrance is bold and completely virtuosic, playing at the upper limits of the trumpets range. Like Parker, directly after his bold entrance, Gillespie plays running phrases of quavers, so to that extent the two are similar.However; during the middle section of the chord sequence it can be noted Parker follows continuous quaver chromatic arpeggio-type patterns whereas Dizzy focuses slightly more on syncopation and rhythm to create more interest in his playing

Phrasing and style

Dizzy Atmosphere Charlie Parkers opening 8 bars (2min50secs-in)

(Dizzy1min36secs-in)

Dizzy Atmosphere (live recording)One of Dizzy Gillespies famous licks (2min36secs-in)

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