Slightly Dizzy – Chuck Wayne

Nine months prior to this recording, Chuck Wayne, still only twenty-one years of age, was on the first recording of Dizzy Gillespie's classic composition Groovin' High, as a member of the Dizzy Gillespie Sextet, on February 8, 1945. This was also Dexter Gordon's first session under Dizzy's leadership. Chuck had already recorded with Dizzy on a Sarah Vaughan session on New Year's Eve, 1944, and on January 12, 1945, when they were both part of the Joe Marsala Sextet. Chuck first recorded with Joe Marsala on November 29, 1944. The bebop era was just getting started, and Chuck was right there playing and hanging out on 52nd Street, and working and recording with all the legendary bebop players, including, of course, Charlie Parker.

Playing smooth, articulate bebop lines on the guitar requires sound coordination between the picking hand and the fingering hand. Given his reputation as one of the first guitarists to translate the bebop language onto the instrument, Chuck Wayne's music is a natural starting place for developing this facility. Our lead sheet of Slightly Dizzy will help intermediate guitarists internalize bebop phrasing, articulation and melodies.

If conquering the velocity of this challenging melody presents an issue, our video with guitarist Joe Freund will provide you with techniques for overcoming such a difficulty. Featuring a clear and close-up view of the instrument as well as the sound of both Freund and the original recording, this demonstration of a potential practice routine for the melody illustrates both the process and result of an effective approach to practicing.