Dave Burns (musician) Dave Burns (musician) David Burns (March 24, Perth Amboy, New Jersey - April 5, 2009, Freeport, New York) was an American jazz trumpeter, flugelhornist, arranger, composer, and teacher. Burns began playing trumpet when he was nine years old, and heard bebop performances at Minton's Playhouse as a teenager, including Dizzy Gillespie. His first ensemble was Al Cooper's Savoy Sultans, with whom he played from 1941 to 1943, then joined the Army Air Force and led a band from 1943 to 1945 that included James Moody as a sideman. He joined Gillespie's band in 1946 and appeared with Gillespie in "Jivin'
Dizzy Gillespie Hinton and Jonah Jones in Jean Bach's 1997 film, "The Spitball Story". Calloway disapproved of Gillespie's mischievous humor and his adventuresome approach to soloing. According to Jones, Calloway referred to it as "Chinese music". During rehearsal, someone in the band threw a spitball. Already in a foul mood, Calloway blamed Gillespie, who refused to take the blame. Gillespie stabbed Calloway in the leg with a knife. Calloway had minor cuts on the thigh and wrist. After the two men were separated, Calloway fired Gillespie. A few days later, Gillespie tried to apologize to Calloway, but he was dismissed. During his