Discussing the most recent of modern developments in dance music, DIZZY GILLESPIE writes this article especially to tell "M.M." readers THE TRUTH about BEBOP       Trumpeter John "Dizzy" Gillespie, almost unknown to swing fans until the last two or three years, suddenly leaped into prominence on the strength of a new jazz style known as Bebop, of which he is said to be the creator.       Dizzy played with the Teddy Hill Orchestra in 1927, was on one of the Victor All-Star recording dates, and worked with Cab Calloway during 1940 and '41, leaving the Cab for Ella Fitzgerald's Band in the latter year.       Since then he has concentrated on small-band work, making records for several of the smaller companies-all of them in the new "off-key" manner which has made him the most-talked-of trumpet player in America.       Today Dizzy tops every swing poll despite his unpopularity with lovers of traditional jazz and it is safe to say that he has become the most influential musician on the jazz scene.       Ever since I read the issue of the MELODY MAKER dated 31/8/46, I have been meaning to write this article. Naturally, I found everything in the paper interesting because I haven't been very music in touch with my friends over there since I left England in 1937 after playing there with Teddy Hill's Orchestra in the Cotton Club show.       But there was one thing in this particular issue that especially interested me. It was an article by Seymour Wise called "What is Bebop?" and I was amazed to see that it was one of the most enlightened articles I have ever read on the subject.       Don't be offended by my saying that I was amazed at its being so well informed. So many things have happened, so many changes and advances in jazz in the war years, that it would hardly be surprising to find people outside this country completely out of touch and completely confused about what is really going on in American jazz and what the musicians themselves really think about different styles of music and musicians.       As far as I've been able to find out, practically none of the jazz records mad in the last six or seven years have been released in England-not more than about a dozen come out there every month. When you consider that there are between 300 and 400 record companies in this country, and that the ones recording most of the jazz are independent companies that probably don't sell any records outside this country, you can see how difficult it is for anyone abroad to get a true picture.       That brings me to the faults I found in Mr. Wise's article. One was the list of records he gave as "samples of bebop on current British releases." As far as I could see there wasn't a single record on that list that represented the kind of music that I have become identified with under the name of rebop or bebop.       The examples he gave were all Woody Herman records except one, which was Count Basies's "Stay Cool." I haven't heard that one, and I don't believe it has been released in this country; but if the trombone solo Mr. Wise mentioned was by J. J. Johnson, who used to be with the Count's band, then it was admittedly a bebop solo, but it was not played on a valve trombone. "J. J. " plays regular trombone and comes close than anyone else to playing bebop on trombone except Billy Eckstine, who does use a valve trombone.       The two choruses of trumpet unison in Woody Herman's "Caldonia" are an indication of bebop, but none of the Herman records he lists, fine as they are in their own style, could be considered bebop all the way through. As a matter of fact, I don't think there is any big band that has made records of arrangements written entirely in this style, with the exception of Georgie Auld's, Billy Eckstine's, and my band.       If you can get Musicraft records in England you will soon hear plenty of examples of the real bebop by both small and big bands, such as Georgie Auld's "Mo Mo," a fine thing written by that great young trumpet man and arranger Neal Hefti, who used to be with Woody's band.       The other slight mistake made by Mr. Wise was that the Lionel Hampton record of "Hot Mallets" was not my first recorded solo. If you can dig up a record by Teddy Hill's Orchestra entitled "King Porter Stomp," you'll hear a trumpet solo which sounds just a little like Roy Eldridge. Well, it wasn't-it was yours truly when he was strictly on a Roy kick. That was back around 1937. And about the same time as the Hampton record I wrote and recorded an original with Cab Calloway's Band called "Pickin' The Cabbage." I suppose I ought to add my own answer to the question, "What is bebop?" but I think the music speaks for itself-that is, if the listener has a good ear and especially if he understands chord changes thoroughly.       The main thing in learning any kind of music, or in trying to play a definite solo style on any instrument, is to get to understand the fundamentals first instead of just learning the superficial qualities and stealing them off some record.       Let me give you one little example. Say I'm playing in the key of D Minor and am just going back into the D Minor chord, where most people would probably play and A seventh, and the melody note would be the fifth of that chord, E natural. Well, instead I play an E flat.       Somebody listening to the record would either think that I am playing a wrong note, or playing the right note with my instrument half a tone flat, or else creating a definite effect by suggesting a different chord. Well of course, the right answer is that I'm using an E flat ninth as a passing chord instead of an A seventh, and if the rhythm section feels the same kind of changes I do they will be playing it too. But a kid who is just trying to copy the way I play, instead of trying to understand why I play that way will simply play E flat without trying to realize what it means and why it's in there instead of the customary E natural.       Another important thing is never to use technique as an end in itself. Technique is no good without the taste to know how to use it. A combination of technique, taste and originality in ideas will make good music any time.       Also don't forget that bebop isn't the beginning and end of music. Personally I like to listen to all kinds of musicians. On my own instrument for example I enjoy listening to Toy Eldridge, Bobby Hackett and Billy Butterfield, and of course the wonderful horn men with Duke-Harold Baker, Taft Jordan and Ray Nance-and all kinds of others who don't play in a style at all similar to mine.       Another thing is to stop worrying about what is jazz and what is not jazz. Everybody has a different idea of what the word means, and some people talk (and write) as though "jazz" meant "good" and "not jazz" meant bad. I don't go along with that kind of argument, and I'd rather just distinguish between "good" music and "bad" music.       American musicians (and I'm sure this must apply to English musicians with good taste too) don't use the word "jazz" very much; they prefer to consider whether music is played in good, consistent taste, whether it's good music.       If you keep that in mind, no matter what kind of music you listen to, you'll be on the right track, whether it's bebop or Bach!