Dizzy became Judy's mentor, inspiring her and nurturing her creative talents in the exceptionally challenging genre of jazz, with its complex rhythms and unique styles. She received her first jazz rhythm excercises from Dizzy on the telephone, showing him she had 'done her homework' with a rendition of Dizzy's own composition "Grooving High". Judy Rafat performed with her group as an opener for Dizzy Gillespie and accompanied him on a tour of Eastern Europe. At a concert with the United Nations Big Band, she had the opportunity of being introduced by Dizzy to many other jazz greats such as Jon Faddis, Clark Terry, Ignacio Berroa, John Lee, Phil Woods, Mike Longo, Flora Purim and Arturo Sandoval.
