Dizzy Gillespie Dizzy Gillespie John Birks "Dizzy" Gillespie (; October 21, 1917 – January 6, 1993) was an American jazz trumpeter, bandleader, composer, and singer. Gillespie was a trumpet virtuoso and improviser, building on the virtuoso style of Roy Eldridge but adding layers of harmonic and rhythmic complexity previously unheard in jazz. His combination of musicianship, showmanship, and wit made him a leading popularizer of the new music called bebop. His beret and horn-rimmed spectacles, his scat singing, his bent horn, pouched cheeks, and his light-hearted personality provided some of bebop's most prominent symbols. In the 1940s Gillespie, with Charlie Parker, became
Bill Simon (musician) referred to the song "Remembering Time" as "my favorite non-hit" (Jack Yellen lyrics, Simon music). His musical compositions were performed by Carmen McRae, Teddi King, Tony Scott, Art Farmer, John Coltrane, B. Bopstein (pseudonym for Dizzy Gillespie), Don Byas, Oscar Pettiford, Jimmy Jones, Gene Ramey, Trummy Young and Ben Webster among others. On meeting Tony Scott in NYC: Bill Simon (musician) Bill Simon (July 1, 1920 – August 20, 2000) was a songwriter, musician and music critic. He was a contributor to the music business in the mid-20th century, notably as a jazz commentator for "Billboard Magazine" and other publications.