Jazz Riff - Part 1

John Birks Gillespie, better known as Dizzy Gillespie, was born in my hometown, Cheraw SC in 1917. He was a talented jazz trumpeter credited with popularizing a new form of jazz called bebop. His style featured a rhythmic cadence popular in jazz music, also known as a riff. I've always wanted to design a deck inspired by this pioneer in musicianship and showmanship. 

In 2019 I set out to find the perfect artist to design a deck that would capture both a unique perspective on a jazz deck and highlight the artists that make jazz music great. For that task, I found John Battalgazi a talented artist who does amazing original digital art.  

We spent the last twelve months working through all the nuances of playing card design, deciding on the direct the deck would take, and trying many, many different designs. We started with the court cards and knew the most important part of the design was to feature the musicians in the act of performing. We wanted the cards to have life! 

Here's the first look at one of the court cards this exciting deck that really epitomizes what we set out to achieve.