Dizzy Gillespie is remembered not only for his genius as a trumpeter who broke new ground in jazz but also for his deep dedication to the teachings of Baha’u’llah. Reflecting on his life and accomplishments decades after his passing would be incomplete without acknowledging the Baha’i belief that most inspired and drove his work—that all human beings are part of one family.
“Dizzy represented an organic breakthrough in music,” asserted jazz pianist Mike Longo, Gillespie’s longtime collaborator and friend.
“His music comes from such a deep place,” Longo once said, reflecting on their decades-long musical partnership that ranged from sold-out concerts in major venues to private practice sessions at Gillespie’s home in Englewood, New Jersey.
But jazz was not the only uniting factor in Gillespie and Longo’s enduring friendship. Both men were drawn to Baha’u’llah’s message of oneness and unity—principles that led them to embrace the Baha’i Faith.
“The night I joined the band was the night he heard about the Baha’i Faith,” Longo recalled.
When Gillespie first encountered the Baha’i Faith after a concert in Milwaukee, he found that its teachings immediately resonated with his worldview—and his music.
“When I encountered the Baha’i Faith, it all went along with what I had always believed. I believed in the oneness of mankind. I believed we all come from the same source, that no race of people is inherently superior to any other.” —Dizzy Gillespie
“Jazz is based on the same principles as the Baha’i Faith,” said Longo. “Interracial mixing was happening way back when jazz first started. Dizzy described jazz as a marriage between African rhythm and European harmony, and if you look at that from a broader perspective, it’s a marriage between different races and cultures. Dizzy’s music, particularly bebop, reflects that unity.”
Bebop Pioneer
Born John Birks Gillespie in Cheraw, South Carolina, in 1917, Dizzy Gillespie was at the forefront of the bebop jazz movement in the 1940s, a genre that redefined jazz with its high-energy tempos, rapid key changes, complex chord progressions, and dazzling improvisation.
“They were doing very difficult things,” explained British jazz and art critic Martin Gayford. “Gillespie’s technique alarmed other trumpet players, particularly because he was playing so high.”
While Charlie Parker pioneered bebop’s phrasing and rhythm, Gillespie’s contributions lay in its harmonic complexity and showmanship. His signature beret, goatee, and bent trumpet became iconic, making him one of jazz’s most recognizable figures.
Discovering the Baha’i Faith
Gillespie was introduced to the Baha’i Faith by Beth McKenty, a Canadian audience member who attended one of his shows in Milwaukee. She reached out to him after reading about the tragic death of Charlie Parker, Gillespie’s close friend and fellow jazz innovator.
After a period of intense study, Gillespie formally accepted the Baha’i Faith in 1968, the night after Martin Luther King Jr.’s assassination. He was drawn to its teachings on unity, justice, and the harmony of science and religion, as well as its emphasis on the oneness of humanity.
Gillespie later wrote in his autobiography, To Be or Not to Bop, “When I encountered the Baha’i Faith, it all went along with what I had always believed.”
His spiritual awakening also deepened his approach to music. Longo observed that Gillespie’s music took on a broader, more global dimension after embracing the Faith. “If you listen to the chronology of his recordings, you hear it. When he embraced the Afro-Cuban movement, his music went to a world level. It became a reflection of all people coming together.”
The United Nation Orchestra
In the 1980s, Gillespie brought his belief in unity to life through his United Nation Orchestra, a diverse ensemble featuring musicians from the United States, Brazil, Cuba, and Panama. The orchestra embodied the Baha’i principle of celebrating cultural diversity while fostering global unity.
“That’s what he believed in,” said Longo. “And that’s what the principle of the United Nation Orchestra was.”
Gillespie once wrote, “In the Baha’i religion, we don’t believe in cutting loose anything good. Cut loose your heritage? No. Baha’is believe that you bring it in and work with others. Because I’m purple and there’s another cat who’s orange doesn’t mean we can’t come into one big complementary arrangement. Just contribute from your own uniqueness.”
A Lasting Legacy
Since his passing in 1993, Dizzy Gillespie’s influence has only deepened. His recordings continue to be studied and rediscovered, his music remastered for new audiences, and his legacy celebrated in tribute concerts worldwide.
Reflecting on Gillespie’s enduring impact, Australian trumpeter James Morrison once remarked, “There are recognizable ‘Dizzyisms’ in what happens today, but a true tribute to him is to create the atmosphere he did. It was always like he was having a party, and he took that energy onto the stage.”
Yet, Mike Longo believed Gillespie’s music was still not fully understood. “A lot of people know what Dizzy played, but they don’t know how he played,” he said. “Most people imitate the notes, but they’re not capturing the essence yet. It might take another hundred years before that happens.”
Dizzy Gillespie’s legacy is more than just music. It is a testament to the power of art as a force for unity, spirituality, and transformation. As he once said, “What you hear is the divinity in the music.”
