Dizzy Gillespie and His Orchestra, 1946-'49

In 1946, Dizzy Gillespie figured out how to get an elephant to dance on an overturned shot glass. As one of bebop's creators, Gillespie was at heart a big-band man and yearned to lead one. While he initially launched bop as a small-group form, Gillespie wanted to see if it could be leveraged credibly for 15 players or more. He succeeded in June 1946 when his big band recorded Tadd Dameron's Our Delight for Musicraft Records, with an arrangement by Gil Fuller.

The band: Dizzy Gillespie, Dave Burns, Ray Orr, Talib Ahmad Dawud and John Lynch (tp); Alton “Slim" Moore, Leon Comegys and Charles Greenlee (tb); John Brown and Howard Johnson (as); Ray Abrams and Warren Lucky (ts); Pee Wee Moore (bar); Milt Jackson (p); Ray Brown (b) and Kenny Clarke (d). Here's Our Delight...



Here's Ray's Idea in July, also arranged by Fuller for Musicraft Records. The band: Dizzy Gillespie, Dave Burns, Talib Ahmad Dawud, John Lynch and Elmon Wright (tp); Alton “Slim" Moore, Leon Comegys and Gordon Thomas (tb); John Brown and Howard Johnson (as); Ray Abrams and Warren Lucky (ts); Pee Wee Moore (bar); Milt Jackson (vib); John Lewis (p); Ray Brown (b) and Kenny Clarke (d)...



By 1947, Gillespie and his big band had become so popular that RCA signed him. In addition, he began to fill his chairs with first-rate players.

Here's Stay On It recorded in August. The band: Dizzy Gillespie, Dave Burns, Elmon Wright, Matthew McKay and Ray Orr (tp); Taswell Baird and William Shepherd (tb); John Brown and Howard Johnson (as); James Moody and Joe Gayles (ts); Cecil Payne (bar); John Lewis (p); Milt Jackson (vib) John Collins (g) Ray Brown (b) Joe Harris (d) Kenny Hagood (vcl)...



In December, here's Algo Bueno, also known as Woody'n You. The band: Dave Burns, Elmon Wright, Benny Bailey and Lammar Wright, Jr. (tp); William Shepherd and Ted Kelly (tb); Howard Johnson and John Brown (as); Joe Gayles and George “Big Nick" Nicholas (ts); Cecil Payne (bar); John Lewis (p); Al McKibbon (b); Kenny Clarke (d) and Chano Pozo (bgo,cga)...



Also in December, here's Tadd Dameron's Good Bait, with the same personnel and arranged by Dameron...



At midnight on December 31, when 1948 arrived, the second American Federation of Musicians recording ban went into effect and lasted until the fall. During this period, Gillespie toured with his big band. He didn't return to RCA's studios until December of 1948 to record the following side:

Here's Duff Capers arranged by Linton Garner, Erroll's brother. The band: Dizzy Gillespie, Willie Cook, Dave Burns and Elmon Wright (tp); Andy Duryea, Sam Hurt and Jesse Tarrant (tb); John Brown and Ernie Henry (as); Joe Gayles and Budd Johnson (ts); Cecil Payne (bar); James “Hen Gates" Foreman (p,cel); Al McKibbon (b); Teddy Stewart (d); Sabu Martinez (bgo,vcl) and Joe Harris (cga)...



Gillespie's final big band recordings in the 1940s for RCA were four sides made in July 1949 and were among his best.

Here's Jumpin' With Symphony Sid. The band: Dizzy Gillespie, Benny Harris, Elmon Wright and Willie Cook (tp); Andy Duryea, Charles Greenlee and J.J. Johnson (tb); John Brown and Ernie Henry (as) Yusef Lateef and Joe Gayles (ts); Al Gibson (bar); James “Hen Gates" Foreman (p); Al McKibbon (b); Teddy Stewart (d); and Joe Carroll (vcl). This one was likely arranged by Buster Harding. And what an arrangement!...



Here's Hey Pete! Let's Eat More Meat, with the same band and arranger. A great solo by J.J. Johnson...



Here's In the Land of Oo-Bla-Dee...



And here's the band with Johnny Hartman singing If Love Is Trouble...



Bonus: Here's Gillespie and the band in 1947, with Milt Jackson on vibes, Ray Brown on bass and John Lewis on piano...