Dizzy Gillespie & The United Nations Orchestra Live at The Royal Hall Festival (1989)

01-Intro Manteca

02-Tin Tin Deo

03-Seresta

04-Samba for Carmen

05-And Then She Stopped

06-Moodys Mood For Love

07-Tanga

08-Equinas

09-Krush

10-Dizzy Shells

11-A Night In Tunisia

12-Ending Manteca.

Dizzy Gillespie-trumpet

Paquito D'Rivera-alto sax/clarinet

Slide Hampton-trombone

James Moody-alto & tenor sax/flute

Airto Moreira-percusión

Flora Purim-vocals

Arturo Sandoval-trumpet/piccolo trumpet/fluegelhorn

Ignacio Berroa-drums

Ed Cherry-guitar

Giovanni Hidalgo-congas/percusión

John Lee-bass

Danilo Perez-piano

Mario Rivera-tenor & soprano sax

Claudio Roditi-trumpet

Steve Turre-shells.

The United Nations Orchestra was created by jazz legend Dizzy Gillespie to "showcase the varied influences that he considers valuable to the development of jazz." The 15-member ensemble, comprised of famous Latin and black American musicians, is a true all-star orchestra, 10 of its members being bandleaders in their own right. On this 1990 recording, the orchestra was on its last date of a European tour, and it pulls out all the stops on this fiery big-band blowout. All the soloists saxophonists Paquito D'Rivera and James Moody, trumpeters Arturo Sandoval and Claudio Rodit, trombonists Slide Hampton and Steve Turre attempt to keep up with Gillespie and the turbulent percussive undercurrent. This leads to a lot of passionate soloing, along with some requisite grandstanding, but even that seems to fit into the all-star concept of the band. This is extroverted, aggressively confident big-band music meant to dazzle and delight. The driving rhythm section is given center stage on Gillespie's "Tanga," whereby a lengthy section of solos by drummer Ignacio Berroa, master percussionist Airto Moreira, and ace conga man Giovanni Hidalgo brings the house down once again.(Wally Shoup.)

Dizzy Gillespie - Afro (1954)

1.Manteca Theme (Fuller/Gillespie/Pozo) - 4:10
2.Contraste (Gillespie/O'Farrill/Pozo) - 2:45
3.Jungla (Gillespie/O'Farrill/Pozo) - 4:44
4.Rhumba-Finale (Gillespie/O'Farrill/Pozo) - 4:43
5.A Night in Tunisia (Gillespie/Paparelli) - 4:19
6.Con Alma (Gillespie) - 5:05
7.Caravan (Ellington/Mills/Tizol) - 7:19.

Dizzy Gillespie (trumpet)

Chico O'Farrill (arranger, conductor)

George Dorsey, Hilton Jefferson (alto saxophone)

Hank Mobley, Lucky Thompson (tenor saxophone)

Danny Bank (baritone saxophone)

Quincy Jones, Jimmy Nottingham, Ernie Royal (trumpet)

Gilberto Valdez (flute)

Ray Concepcion, Wade Legge, Alejandro Hernandez (piano)

Lou Hackney, Robert Rodriguez (bass)

Charli Persip (drums)

Jose Manguel (bongos)

Candido Camero, Mongo Santamaria (congas)

Ubaldo Nieto (timbales)

Rafael Miranda (percussion).

Recorded at Fine Sound Studios, New York, New York between May 24 and June 3, 1954.

Pairing Dizzy Gillespie with Cuban arranger/composer Chico O'Farrill produced a stunning session which originally made up the first half of a Norgran LP. O'Farrill conducts an expanded orchestra which combines a jazz band with a Latin rhythm section; among the participants in the four-part "Manteca Suite" are trumpeters Quincy Jones and Ernie Royal, trombonist J.J. Johnson, tenor saxophonists Hank Mobley and Lucky Thompson, and conga player Mongo Santamaria. "Manteca," written during the previous decade, serves as an exciting opening movement, while the next two segments build upon this famous theme, though they are jointly credited to O'Farrill as well. "Rhumba-Finale" is straight-ahead jazz with some delicious solo work by Gillespie. A later small-group session features the trumpeter with an all-Latin rhythm section and flutist Gilberto Valdes, who is heard on "A Night in Tunisia" and "Caravan." Both of the Latin versions of these pieces are far more interesting than "Con Alma," as the excessive percussion and dull piano accompaniment add little to this normally captivating theme. Long out of print, this 2002 CD reissue will only be available until May 2005; it is well worth acquiring. ~ Ken Dryden.

Dizzy Gillespie - Dizzy in South America Vol: I and II (1956)

www.allmusic.com

Review by Alex Henderson, All Music Guide

In 1999, jazz collectors were thrilled to learn that Consolidated Artists Productions (CAP) was putting out a three-volume series focusing on Dizzy Gillespie's 1956 tour of South America. The recordings from that State Department-sponsored tour, which were made by Gillespie's friend Dave Usher, had remained in the can for 43 years and were being released commercially for the first time. In 1956, touring Latin America with a big band was something that most beboppers could only dream of, but thanks to the State Department's support, it became a reality for Gillespie and his sidemen. Vol. 1 finds the brassy trumpeter in fine form on hot-blooded versions of "Manteca," "A Night in Tunisia" and "Cool Breeze" as well as lyrical arrangements of "I Can't Get Started" and "Stella By Starlight." The big band that Gillespie leads is quite cohesive, and his support includes, among others, Quincy Jones on trumpet (Jones served as the tour's musical director), Phil Woods and Jimmy Powell on alto sax, Benny Golson and Billy Mitchell on tenor sax, Melba Liston on trombone, Walter Davis, Jr. on piano, Nelson Boyd on bass and Charlie Persip on drums. Austin Cromer, an obscure but gifted vocalist along the lines of Billy Eckstine and Al Hibbler, joins the band on "Flamingo" and "Seems Like You Just Don't Care." While the sound quality is decent by 1956 standards, CAP's liner notes aren't perfect--they don't give an exact recording date or the specific country and venue. But all things considered, Vol. 1 will definitely be of great interest to collectors.

Dizzy Gillespie All-Star Big Band - Dizzy's Business (2006)

01.Dizzy's Business
02.Con Alma
03.Blue 'N Boogie
04.I Mean You
05.Without You - No Me (To Dizzy)
06.Hot House
07.Stardust
08.Tour de Force
09.Moody's Groove
10.Morning of the Carnival
11.Off Minor Monk.


Dizzy Gillespie All-Star Big Band
under the direction of Slide Hampton
with special guest Roy Hargrove (3,6)
featuring:
James Moody - Tenor Saxophone, Flute, Vocals
Jimmy Heath - Tenor Saxophone
Frank Wess - Alto Saxophone, Flute
Antonio Hart - Alto Saxophone, Flute
Gary Smulyan - Baritone Saxophone
Frank Greene - Lead Trumpet
Greg Gisbert - Trumpet
Randy Brecker - Trumpet
Claudio Roditi - Trumpet, Percussion
Jason Jackson - Lead Trombone
Steve Davis - Trombone
Jay Ashby - Trombone, Percussion
Douglas Purviance - Bass Trombone
Mulgrew Miller - Piano
Marty Ashby - Guitars
John Lee - Bass/Executive Director
Dennis Mackrel - Drums
And introducing vocalist. Roberta Gambarini.

Dizzy Gillespie & Machito - Afro-Cuban Jazz Moods (1976)

01.Oro, Incienso Y Mirra
02.Calidoscopico
03.Pensativo
04.Exuberante.

Bass [Fender] - Carlos Castillo
Bongos, Cowbell - Mario Grillo
Conductor, Arranged By - Chico O'Farrill
Congas - Pepin Pepin
Drums - Mickey Roker
Drums [African] - Julito Collazo , R. Hernandez
French Horn - Brooks Tillotson , Don Corrado (tracks: A side only)
Leader - Machito
Maracas, Claves - Frank "Machito" Grillo
Piano [Electric] - Jorge Dalto
Producer - Arturo O'Farrill , Mario Bauza
Saxophone [Alto], Clarinet - Mario Bauza
Saxophone [Alto], Flute, Piccolo Flute - Mauricio Smith
Saxophone [Baritone], Clarinet [Bass] - Leslie Yahonikan (tracks: B side only)
Saxophone [Tenor], Clarinet - Jose Madera Sr.
Saxophone [Tenor], Flute [Alto] - Mario Rivera (2)
Soloist - Dizzy Gillespie
Synthesizer - Dana McCurdy
Timbales, Cabasa - Jose Madera Jr.
Trombone - Barry Morrow , Jack Jeffers , Jerry Chamberlain (tracks: B side only) , Lewis Kahn (tracks: B side only)
Trumpet, Flugelhorn - Manny Duran , Ramon Gonzalez Jr. , Raul Gonzalez (4) , Victor Paz
Tuba [Bass] - Bob Stewart (tracks: A side only)

Recorded at Generation Studios, New York, June 4 & 5, 1975.