Gillespie takes an understated approach here, turning in one of his more expressive solos. Their interpretation of the Don Redman torch song 'Gee Baby, Ain't I Good To You,' a tune most closely associated with singer Billie Holiday, is handled here like a requiem at the outset, with White's dramatic bowed bass drones setting a funereal tone. It's an affecting vehicle that recalls the earthy charm of Bobby Timmons writing for the Jazz Messengers. Moody blows with gusto on the bridge before joining Dizzy on the bluesy theme. Dizzy's trumpet solo is typically virtuosic, particularly in the high register, and is also imbued with a strong melodic sense while Barron takes his time developing his facile piano solo. Next they settle into more relaxed, soulful territory with a rendition of 'The Coolie,' a midtempo, shuffling blues composed by Mal Waldron for a soundtrack to the 1964 motion picture Cool World, Shirley Clarke's film about young people growing up in Harlem. White fuels the driving rhythm section with his insistent walking bass lines why Barron contributes a blazing, cascading piano solo on this old school bop romp. Gillespie's stratospheric trumpet solo on this bop staple (a tune he played in the late '40s alongside his erstwhile partner Charlie Parker) is particularly exhilarating while Moody rises to the occasion with some tenor burn of his own. With his working quintet of pianist Kenny Barron, bassist Chris White, drummer Rudy Collins and special guest saxophonist James Moody, he opened his set with his signature 'Dizzy Atmosphere,' played at a breakneck tempo. (In a Gillespie Administration, Duke Ellington would have been secretary of state, Max Roach would have been running the military, and the CIA would have been under the thumb of that master of subterfuge, Miles Davis himself).Ī natural-born entertainer, Gillespie played the Newport audience like a skilled vaudevillian in his spirited performance on Sunday, July 5, 1964. 'Dizzy for President' was the slogan of the day, and no doubt he might've gotten a sizable chunk of votes from the faithful at Newport had he actually taken his mock run for the White House to fruition. By the time of his appearance at the 1964 Newport Jazz Festival, Dizzy had already appeared on the cover of Down Beat dressed in formal attire replete with top hat, his outstretched hand placed on a bible as a faux Supreme Court Justice administered the oath of office. By 1964, the pioneering bebop trumpeter John Birks 'Dizzy' Gillespie was in the midst of a mock presidential campaign, up against Lyndon Johnson and Barry Goldwater for the '64 election. Long before Barack Obama came along, another great man made his bid to become the first black president of the United States of America.

Newport Jazz Festival, 6 July 1957.Dizzy Gillespie - trumpet James Moody - tenor saxophone Kenny Barron - piano Chris White - bass Rudy Collins - drums (2) Mary Lou Williams (p) replaces Kelly. Perry, Carl Warwick, Talib Ahmad Dawud (t) Melba Liston, Al Grey, Ray Connors (tb) Jimmy Powell, Ernie Henry (as) Billy Mitchell, Benny Golson (ts) Pee Wee Moore (bar) Wynton Kelly (p) Paul West (b) Charlie Persip (d).

(1) Gillespie (t, v) with Lee Morgan, E.V. (1) Dizzy’s Blues School Days Doodlin’ Manteca I Remember Clifford Cool Breeze (2) Carioca (51.35) This, like her Zodiac Suite, was issued on a Verve CD of the concert. The popular crowd-pleaser Manteca is included, the band members doubling on percussion and vocal responses and there’s a strong contribution from tenor saxophonist Billy Mitchell on Cool Breeze.Īn extra track, Carioca, not on the original album but from the same concert, has Mary Lou Williams taking over from Kelly on piano. The Horace Silver composition Doodlin’ shows that Moore, like his leader, is not averse to a bit of clowning with his schmaltzy licks, but I Remember Clifford, Benny Golson’s tribute to Clifford Brown, who had died the previous year, is taken seriously, Dizzy the only soloist.

This lays the ground for equally inventive solos from Al Grey, Wynton Kelly and the down-to-earth Pee Wee Moore, as the band roars along in support. Right from the start, Dizzy launches into Dizzy’s Blues with a sharply defined solo of breakneck runs and high notes, without losing any accuracy or swing. A terrific example of Gillespie’s popular big band of the late 50s, showing how it combined verve, skill and dazzling virtuosity with humour, showmanship and pure entertainment.

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