Chapter 1
How a trumpet turns spit and air into music
Chapter 2
A brief history of the silver scream
Chapter 3
Commanding the symphony from the back row
Chapter 4
How jazz broke the trumpet's classical mold
YOUR GOAL
Master of How the trumpet conquered the world of sound
Ch 4 · How jazz broke the trumpet's classical mold
maestro Jazz Trumpet Revolution
We bend the brass and make it growl— (oh yeah!) / Slide that note and break the rules— (oh-oh, break the rules!)
maestro Dizzy Gillespie plays his uniquely bent trumpet with massively puffed balloon cheeks.
Fun Fact
Puffed cheeks: Dizzy Gillespie's unique cheek-puffing style was caused by a rare stretching of his cheek muscles called laryngocele.
Glossary
improvisation (noun)
The creation or performance of something spontaneously without preparation. Louis Armstrong popularized this practice in 1920s Chicago, transforming the trumpet into a premier solo instrument.
The creation or performance of something spontaneously without preparation. Louis Armstrong popularized this practice in 1920s Chicago, transforming the trumpet into a premier solo instrument.
Quiz
What physical modification made Dizzy Gillespie's custom trumpet instantly recognizable?
Quiz
Who is widely credited with transforming the trumpet into a leading solo instrument in 1920s jazz?
Quiz
What fast-paced, complex style of jazz did Dizzy Gillespie help pioneer in the 1940s?
Quiz
What household object did early jazz trumpeters use to create a 'wah-wah' growling sound?
Quiz
Which jazz legend used a stemless Harmon mute to create a signature quiet, whispering tone on albums like Kind of Blue?
Quiz
Which physical condition did medical experts study in Dizzy Gillespie due to his massive, puffed cheeks?
Quiz
What is the name of the mute that produces the classic jazz 'wah-wah' sound when a hand is waved over it?