Dizzy Gillespie and the Birth of Bebop

My only criticism of this appealing book is that it skirts the issue of Gillespie's having fathered and supported an out-of-wedlock child; singer Jeanie Bryson. Ms.Gourse fudges, "Dizzy and (his wife) Lorraine had no children." Quite right, but even in a book for young readers, there is room for a little candor. Diz was a great musician, not a saint. Those who insist on portraying him as one have their work cut out for them. I hope to find this and other books about our heroes in the section marked "biography", not filed under "mythology". Oh, and as for drug use, Dizzy did his share, but his shrewd instincts for self-preservation kept him from the self-destructive excesses of, say, a Charlie Parker. His spectacular story needs to be told, with all its complexity and contradictions.

My only criticism of this appealing book is that it skirts the issue of Gillespie's having fathered and supported an out -of-wedlock child;singer Jeanie Bryson. Ms. Gourse fudges,"Dizzy and (his wife) Lorraine had no children." Quite right, but even in a book for young readers, there is room for a little candor.Diz was a great musician, not a saint. Those who insist on portraying him as one have their work cut out for them. I hope to find this and other books about our heroes in the ection marked "biography", not "mythology". Oh, and as for drug use, Dizzy did his share , but his shrewd instincts for self-preservation kept him from the self-destructive excesses of, say, a Charlie Parker.His spectacular story needs to be told, with all its complexity and contradictions.