"Caravan" | Stories of Standards - KUVO

“Caravan” (1936) by Juan Tizol (1900-1984) and Duke Ellington (1899-1974) was ... As the first significant valve trombone jazz player he spent years with ... Skiptocontent “Caravan”|StoriesofStandards Share Tuneinto FirstTakewithLandoandChavis–weekdaysfrom6-9amMT–for StoriesofStandards tohearourfavoriteversionsofthissongallweeklong! “Caravan”(1936)byJuanTizol(1900-1984)andDukeEllington(1899-1974)wasfirstreleasedontheVarietyRecordslabelinDecember1936,wheretheDuke’sMenrecordingroseto#4onthepopchartsbyJune1937.Whilepublisher/managerIrvingMillsinitiallypaidJuanTizolaflatfeeof$25,MillsreturnedtherightsandroyaltiestoTizolafterthesonghadbecomeahit.Theminorkeymelodycreatedfor“Caravan”formsaperennialfavorite,evocative,livelyandmemorable,enhancedbyEllington’sarrangement. “Caravan”waspopularwithanumberofbigbandsinthe1930s,includingBunnyBeriganandBennyGoodman,thenmorphedintoavehiclefordrummersinthe1950s.Thesongappearedinseveralmovies(“Alice”in1990,“SweetandLowdown”in1999,“Chocolat”in2000and“Ocean’sEleven”in2001). IrvingMills’lyricsaresometimesused,butmostofthe350-plusrecordingsareinstrumental. JuanTizolmetDukeEllingtonsoonaftermovingfromPuertoRicotoWashington,D.C.in1920,whileplayinginthebandattheHowardTheatre.AsthefirstsignificantvalvetrombonejazzplayerhespentyearswithEllingtonastrombonistandarranger.HelaterworkedwithHarryJamesbeforereturningtotheEllingtonOrchestra. DukeEllington’sabilitiesasbandleader,composerandpianistareunparalleled,withmorethan1000ofhiscompositionsbeingrecorded,manyofthembecomingjazzstandards.Hismanyawards,includinghonorarydoctoratesandthePresidentialMedalofHonor,bearwitnesstohischarm,talent,musicalabilityandtheskillwithwhichhebroughtanorchestralapproachtojazzandwrotetothegreatesttalentsofeachofhisbandmembers,whilemanyofthemremainedinthebandforthirtyormoreyears.     Copyright2019KUVO.Toseemore,visitKUVO. E-NewsSignup Ourweeklye-newsletter,OasisOnline,providesstationandcommunityeventupdates. SignUp BecomeaMember Jointhegrowingfamilyofpeoplewhobelievethatmusicisessentialtoourcommunity.Yourdonationsupportstheworkwedo,theprogramsyoucounton,andtheeventsyouenjoy. LearnMore DownloadtheApp DownloadKUVO'sFREEapptoday!TheKUVOPublicRadioAppallowsyoutotakeKUVO'smusicandnewswithyouanywhere,anytime! Download