Herb Alpert and “Dizzy” Gillespie

[Aaron Bitman]

One of the many musicians Herb Alpert tried to imitate – before deciding that he needed to find his own style instead – was “Dizzy” Gillespie. After Alpert became rich and famous, he met some of his old idols. In several interviews, Herb mentioned that he was a friend of “Dizzy,” but all he ever said on the subject was Dizzy’s saying “The closer I get, the farther it looks.”

I’d like to know more about their relationship. For instance, when and how did Alpert first meet Dizzy? Did the two ever work together? Did Dizzy ever cover a Herb Alpert song?

 

[Captain Bacardi]

The answers to your last two questions are "no" and "no". I doubt anyone really knows how Herb and Diz met. He was pals with lots of jazzers throughout the years.

 

[Aaron Bitman]

Thanks.

I guess I was just hoping for something I could use to make the point. For instance, another musician Alpert tried to imitate was Miles Davis. Then Alpert realized he needed to come up with his own distinctive style, and apparently succeeded, as evidenced by the Miles Davis quote "You hear three notes and you know it's Herb Alpert."

If anyone could point me to some evidence - such as a quote - of Gillespie taking similar notice, I could run with that. The quote needn't even be positive.

I guess it's a tall order. But I figured it couldn't hurt to ask.