The Beginnings of Bebop

Willie Ruff, musician, composer, educator, filmmaker, and Yale School of Music alumnus was on the faculty of the Yale School of Music from 1971 until his retirement in 2017. He directed and produced this short film which follows Dizzy Gillespie and Ruff’s musical partner Dwike Mitchell on a tour of key locations in the history of bebop in New York City. Gillespie led the filmmakers to Minton’s Playhouse, Carnegie Hall, the former site of the Savoy Ballroom, and made an unannounced stop at Miles’ Davis home. (Yale Film Archive) Watch The Beginnings of Bebop in HD free online now on MyWatchSeries with multiple servers and instant playback. Enjoy high-quality streaming of The Beginnings of Bebop and share your thoughts in the comments below!