Dizzy Reece

Jamaica-born Dizzy Reece is a formidable trumpeter who gained recognition after his move to Europe in the early 1950s, as well as from his gigs with Donald Byrd and Art Taylor. His shimmering tone and energized rhythms fell largely upon deaf ears, despite a series of top-notch releases on Blue Note in the '50s and a short tenure with Dizzy Gillespie's orchestra in the '60s. Although he was an impressive, fiery performer, he stayed within the simplified, yet forceful style of Hard Bop while creating a handful of notable originals and spirited performances on 1962's Asia Minor.