Groovin' High - Dizzy Gillespie - 1945

Groovin' High
Bebop

Dizzy Gillespie Sextet
Instrumental
Writers: Dizzy Gillespie, Frank Paparelli

Instrumentation: Trumpet, Alto Saxophone, Guitar, Piano, Bass, and Drums
Dizzy Gillespie (Trumpet)
Charlie Parker (Alto Saxophone)
Remo Palmieri (Guitar)
Clyde Hart (Piano)
Slam Stewart (Bass)
Harold West (Drums)

Musicraft Album S-7
Catalog Number: Musicraft 485
Matrix Number: Guild G554-A (10", 78 RPM)
Place and Take Date: New York NY, 1945-02-09
Reverse side: A Hand Fulla Gimme

“Groovin’ High” - A Bebop Milestone by Dizzy Gillespie and Charlie Parker

Based on the chord changes of the 1920s standard "Whispering", Gillespie’s new composition replaced the original tune with intricate, angular lines. The arrangement begins with a unison statement of the bebop head—marked by syncopation, chromaticism, and tight ensemble playing—before giving way to blazing improvisations.

Gillespie’s trumpet solo showcases his command of upper-register lines and lightning-fast articulation. Parker, in turn, delivers a solo that is both rhythmically fluid and melodically inventive, filled with bebop clichés he helped invent.

What makes this 1945 session remarkable is not only its technical brilliance but also its sense of urgency. Recorded just as bebop was breaking into public consciousness, Groovin’ High stands as both a declaration and an invitation—a declaration of a new musical era and an invitation to follow where the music would go next.

All eight recordings of this album:
1. A Hand Fulla Gimme
2. Groovin' High
3. Blue N' Boogie
4. Hot House
5. Ray's Idea
6. He Beeped When He Shoulda' Bopped
7. All The Things You Are
8. Dizzy Atmosphere

The names of the musicians who took part in the recording are based on the information on the back cover of the album.

A big thank you once again to DALL·E for generating the image.