Name: Dizzy's 80th Birthday Party
Brand: Shanachie Records
SKU: 63979
Availability: OutOfStock

Performer Notes

Full performer name: The Dizzy Gillespie Alumni All-Stars.
The Dizzy Gillespie Alumni All-Stars: Andres Boiarsky (vocals, tenor saxophone); Jon Faddis (vocals, trumpet); Cyrus Chestnut (vocals, piano); John Lee (vocals, bass); Ignacio Berroa (vocals, drums); Antonio Hart (alto saxophone); Gabriel Machado (congas); Duduka Da Fonesca (percussion).
Recorded at Avatar Studio, New York, New York on June 19 & 20, 1997. Includes liner notes by T. Brooks Shepard and Phil Schaap.
Personnel: Andres Boiarsky (vocals, tenor saxophone); Jon Faddis (vocals, trumpet); Cyrus Chestnut (vocals, piano); Ignacio Berroa (vocals, drums); John Lee (vocals); Antonio Hart (alto saxophone); Gabriel Machado (congas); Duduka Da Fonseca (percussion); Paul Wickliffe (sound effects).
Recording information: Avatar (06/19/1997-07/22/1997); Horizon Sound (06/19/1997-07/22/1997).
Photographers: Richard Laird; Dany Gignoux.
To celebrate the late trumpeter Dizzy Gillespie's 80th birthday (he had made it to 75), trumpeter Jon Faddis heads a tribute to Gillespie. Faddis, Dizzy's greatest protg, can sound just like Gillespie (no mean feat), but actually has a much wider range and can play stratospheric high notes perfectly in tune. Joined by either altoist Antonio Hart or the little-known but talented tenorman Andres Boiarsky, pianist Cyrus Chestnut, bassist John Lee, drummer Ignacio Berroa and occasionally Duduka Da Fonesca and Gabriel Machado on percussion, Faddis performs 11 songs either composed or co-written by Gillespie, plus two other pieces that Dizzy recorded (including "Blues from Gillespiana"). The arrangements are often close to the ones that Gillespie used, but are full of life and never sound like stale re-creations. Jon Faddis is such an exciting and enthusiastic player that this 1997 performance stands apart from Dizzy Gillespie Alumni All-Stars' recordings. Never mind that the only Gillespie alumni on the recording are Faddis, Chestnut, Lee and Berroa. The spirit and joy of Dizzy Gillespie's music is certainly felt on such numbers as "Salt Peanuts," "A Night In Tunisia," "Con Alma" and even the humorous calypso "Poor Joe." A gem. ~ Scott Yanow

Professional Reviews

Down Beat (2/98, p.46) - 4 1/2 stars (out of 5) - "...every one of the 13 tunes is fired off with a passionate urgency that sounds barely contained....Faddis...takes impossible risks and wins every time..."

Album: Dizzy's 80th Birthday Party
#	Song Title	Time
1)	Salt Peanuts
2)	Fiesta Mojo
3)	Birk's Works
4)	Night in Tunisia, A
5)	Brother "K"
6)	Poor Joe
7)	Manteca
8)	Con Alma
9)	Dizzy Atmosphere
10)	Oop-Pop-Pa-Da
11)	And Then She Stopped
12)	Blues from Gillespiana
13)	Bebop

Album: Dizzy's 80th Birthday Party
#	Song Title	Time
1)	Salt Peanuts
2)	Fiesta Mojo
3)	Birk's Works
4)	Night in Tunisia, A
5)	Brother "K"
6)	Poor Joe
7)	Manteca
8)	Con Alma
9)	Dizzy Atmosphere
10)	Oop-Pop-Pa-Da
11)	And Then She Stopped
12)	Blues from Gillespiana
13)	Bebop