Though many biographers credit John “Dizzy” Gillespie’s nickname to his mischievous sense of humor, in actuality he picked up the name early owing to his fascination with Benjamin Disraeli, !st Earl of Beaconsfield, twice Prime Minister of Great Britain.
Gillespie’s classic “A Night in Tunisia” is said to be dedicated to Disraeli for his support of the Suez Canal and due to Gillespie’s limited understanding of Northern African geography.
