John Birks “Dizzy” Gillespie was an American jazz trumpeter, bandleader, composer, and singer.
Dizzy is best known for his “swollen cheeks,” uniquely angled trumpet’s bell and compositions like “Oop Bob Sh’ Bam,” “Groovin’ High,” and “Salt Peanuts.” Being a musician who knows how to put on a show, the famous trumpet virtuoso popularized a new genre of music called bebop.
If you were ever intrigued about how to play “Salt Peanuts,” this is a great video where Dizzy explains it in details, before blowing up the stage with his catchy composition.
Still, he gives quite a funny warm-up at the very beginning!
Dizzy is a true showman and before performing “Salt Peanuts,” he has a little chat with his audience.
The show was, most likely, filmed at the Ontario Place Forum in Toronto circa 1971. He begins the act with a funny line:
“I’m here to teach you how ‘Salt Peanuts’ goes, being the composer of it.”
After that, he proceeds with a witty little tutorial.
The audience laughs as he passionately explains that you have to wait for the word “boom,” before saying “salt peanuts.
Of course, you’ve got to do it smoothly and it has to be in style—you have to accent the “pea” and not the “nuts.” According to Dizzy, there’s a huge difference between the two!
The performance comes complete with his signature “cheek puffing” and an excellent band behind him.
After a quick lesson, Dizzy picks up his trumpet.
We can see his cheeks blowing up and the band behind follows perfectly every note he plays. The audience is immediately engaged in the performance, and Dizzy decides it’s about time to practice a little a lesson they’ve been given earlier. He says “boom” a few times, and people in the audience reply with “salt peanuts.” Sure enough, they follow his instructions perfectly—and he smiles his wide, happy smile. We’re guessing he’s proud of the crowd!
As it turns out, a condition called laryngocele is what causes Dizzy’s cheeks to blow up.
When you see Dizzy play, you have to be amazed by how much his face and neck bulge.
It doesn’t take away from his awesome performance, but it’s rather uncommon and impressive. The famed jazz trumpeter once said that a scientist called his face expressions “Gillespie’s Pouches.” It’s caused by laryngocele, which means that a person has an empty sac alongside their larynx. The air sack can expand when the pressure in the mouth or throat increases.
On top of having the condition, if a person repeatedly plays an instrument that requires them to blow a lot, the cheeks can stretch and deform. That’s a pretty common phenomenon called “Glassblower’s Disease.” It’s unbelievable to watch… but it sounds amazing in Dizzy’s case.
Since the video was posted, “Salt Peanuts” got 3 million YouTube views!
Dizzy’s music has been described as “the sound of surprise.”
His trademark trumpet featured a bent bell, and it was the result of accidental damage when dancers Stump and Stumpy fell onto the instrument. According to his autobiography, Dizzy liked the sound a lot and decided to play with it anyway. The jazz legend received many awards in his lifetime, including a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award, the Kennedy Center Honors Award, and the Polar Music Prize. He was inducted into the International Latin Music Hall of Fame for his contributions to Afro-Cuban music. Still, we’re guessing that the award of a loving audience like this one was all Dizzy ever needed!
Check out the full performance in the link below:
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