Abstract
This study is initially driven by the paradox of 1957 –– one of the most musically productive years of Dizzy Gillespie’s career –– being largely overlooked in Gillespie’s autobiography, biographies, journal articles, and historical textbooks. There is a need to illuminate the time period from Gillespie’s leading role of bebop music in the 1940s to the pivotal year of 1957, with particular emphasis on career ups and downs in the early 1950s. Through in-depth research on Gillespie’s mid-career trajectory and historical context of his collaboration with the State Department’s Cultural Ambassadorial program, this study not only examines the various factors that motivated his musical output but also explores the evolving public perception of jazz, the multiple symbolic roles ascribed to Gillespie, and the interplay between technological advancements and the commercialization of jazz in the late 1950s. By collecting biographical, sociopolitical, and commercial perspectives, this research aims to provide a deeper understanding of Gillespie’s career from 1945 –– when he was one of the bebop pioneers –– to 1957, when he recorded an unprecedented ninety-one tracks.