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In his career, the innovative trumpeter Dizzy Gillespie led quite a few classic bands. There were the quintets that he had with Charlie Parker in 1945, his 1946-49 bebop orchestra, and his globetrotting big band of 1956-58. Gillespie had combos during 1959-68 that included either altoist Leo Wright or tenor-saxophonist James Moody, and either Junior Mance, Lalo Schifrin or Kenny Barron on piano. Later in life he led the multi-cultural United Nation Orchestra. In addition, there were all types of short-term all-star groups including collaborations with Sonny Rollins, Stan Getz and Sonny Stitt, and the Giants Of Jazz of the early 1970s. And there were the tours with Norman Granz's Jazz At The Philharmonic which sometimes teamed him with his original idol, Roy Eldridge.
Rarely mentioned when one thinks of Gillespie's groups is the 1953 combo that toured Europe, yet it was one of his most entertaining. After his late 40's big band broke up, Dizzy infused his brand of bebop with bits of show business. He kept his music open to early r&b and blues along with good-humored vocals, yet was very serious when it came to his trumpet playing..
The Champ features Gillespie's band at a Feb. 8, 1953 Paris concert. Dizzy is joined by Bill Graham (mostly on baritone sax), pianist Wade Legge, bassist Lou Hackney and drummer Al Jones. In addition, Joe “Bebop” Carroll is his group's vocalist, with Gillespie joining in on the singing.
Dizzy Gillespie was 35 at the time and in superb form on trumpet. That is apparent from the first number, an uptempo version of “The Champ.” Gillespie plays chorus after chorus of often-ferocious trumpet before there is some crazy scat singing by Carroll and Dizzy. “Tin Tin Deo,” “They Can't Take That Away From Me” and “Good Bait” put the focus on Gillespie's trumpet. “The Bluest Blues” has a jumping vocal by the highly expressive and witty Carroll. After “Birks Works” (a fairly new Gillespie composition at the time), Dizzy and Carroll sing a unique version of “On The Sunny Side Of The Street” which tosses away much of the melody in favor of sticking to one note sung rhythmically much of the way; it works.
“Swing Low, Sweet Cadillac,” one of Gillespie's comedy pieces, is heard in what might be its earliest version, ending with Dizzy saying (in a satire of a Douglas MacArthur speech) “Old cadillacs never die, The finance company fades them away.” “My Man” has some brilliant trumpet playing before Joe Carroll finishes the concert with “Ooh, Shoo Be Doo Be” and a heated version of “School Days.”
"In 1953, the great trumpeter Dizzy Gillespie led a combo that toured Europe. At the time, Gillespie was mixing together bebop with lots of humor while keeping his music open to r&b and blues. The performances from his Feb. 8, 1953 Paris concert are reissued on this fun CD. Gillespie is in superb form on trumpet as he shows on a rapid version of “The Champ” and “Good Bait.” He also features the always jubilant singer Joe “Bebop” Carroll (joining Carroll for some crazy scatting on “The Champ”), and their unique version of “On The Sunny Side Of The Street” is memorable. While this particular version of the Dizzy Gillespie Quintet did not last long, they put on a very entertaining show that is immortalized on this recommended CD.
Throughout this concert, Gillespie takes one superb trumpet solo after another, hitting notes higher than one would normally hear from him. His vocal interplay with Joe Carroll is consistently fun and the band really rocks. This is a highly enjoyable Dizzy Gillespie group that deserves to be heard." – Scott Yanow
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