JUAN TIZOL (1900-1984): Duke Ellington’s Beloved Trombonist [Not Saxophonist]
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The Puerto Rico-born valve trombonist Juan Tizol is best known for “Caravan” and “Perdido,” which many listeners presume were composed by Duke Ellington himself, a masterful arranger and presenter.
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Mea Culpa
ERRATA
I’ve astonished even myself by empty-headedly referring to Duke Ellington’s valve trombonist Juan Tizol as his “beloved saxophonist” in the poetic tribute I pay to Ellington in JAZZ IDIOM: Blueprints, Stills and Frames (The Jazz Photography of Charles L. Robinson).
Of course I have alerted Heyday Books, and, should a second printing occur, we’ll make amends.
It was jazz broadcaster Ron Freshley at WMUA, Amherst, MA, who spotted the gaffe (a truly inexplicable goof) and brought it to my attention following an on-air telephone interview he conducted with Charles Robinson and me in late October of 2008. Francesca Rheannon of The Writer’s Voice co-conducted the interview, later editing her portion down to a 30-minute podcast available online. I emailed Ron that I’d had the pleasure, as of a kid and young man, of enjoying Mr. Tizol’s valve trombone playing while attending live performances by the Ellington Orchestra in stage shows at the Fox Theater and the Masonic Temple and Olympia Stadium in Detroit.
– Al Young
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Juan Tizol
 Juan Tizol plays “Caravan” with a 1952 Ellington band (© Snader Telescriptions)
Juan Tizol, born in 1900, played the valve trombone. Originally from Puerto Rico, he came to the United States to work with Marie Lucas in 1920. Tizol left Lucas when that band lost its regular engagement and soon found a position with Duke Ellington’s band. He wasn’t featured in the Duke Ellington Orchestra as often as the other trombonists, but his valve trombone helped Ellington create a new sound. Since Tizol’s valve trombone was technically adept, Ellington liked to score Tizol with the saxophones – such as on “Concerto for Cootie”. Ellington would also score Tizol on passages that would be extremely difficult, if not impossible, to play on slide trombone, such as quick changes from B flat to B natural in the staff. Tizol, however, did not improvise jazz solos, and his most important contributions were as a section player and as a composer and arranger. He was the composer of “Caravan” and “Perdido” – both big hits for the Ellington Orchestra.
In 1944 Tizol left the Ellington band and performed briefly with Woody Herman’s band before being picked up by Harry James. Tizol played with James for seven years, returning to Ellington’s band in 1951 for a short period. The rest of his life Tizol worked for many band leaders, including Ellington, James, Frank Sinatra, and Nat “King” Cole. Tizol died in 1984 in Los Angeles.
© David M. Wilken:
EVOLUTION OF THE JAZZ TROMBONE, Part Two: The Swing Era
Source: Online Trombone Journal
