The tune CARAVAN, was not written by Duke Ellington, it was written by Juan Tizol from Puerto Rico, who was a member of the Ellington band and played the valve trombone for many years. While the attribution to Ellington appears in many places it was not written by him. There is plenty of proof that Tizol was the composer of this tune.
10 Most Influential Jazz Pianists You Should Listen to 1. Thelonious Monk (1917-1982) 'American jazz pianist and composer Thelonious Monk’s unmistakable flat-fingered playing has been heavily influential to many generations of pianists. His eccentric playing style is defined by unusual pauses and messy, angular melodies. He was known for suddenly standing up and walking around to watch the rest of the band play, as if he was in a trance. Monk stabbed at the piano with such a ferocity that he would sometimes hit notes adjacent to those he was aiming for.' www.libertyparkmusic.com/best-jazz-pianists/
What you say is correct. The composer of the piece is Juan Tizol and him alone. Ellington is often also credited (mistakenly so) as a writer on tunes like "Take the A Train", "Satin Doll", and "Chelsea Bridge"...all three of those pieces Billy Strayhorn compositions. But it's not uncommon for composers in the music business - especially back in the day - to share credit for their compositions, for various reasons, with someone not at all involved in actually writing the music...a common reason being for extra money or some kind of other deal. Some music industry hustler hears a great original composition, offers the composer - who may be down on his luck and in need of money - a modest sum to be credited as one of the writers, and then sits back and shares in the royalties from the tune. Thelonious Monk's classic composition "Round About Midnight" is a magnificent example of this. That piece has at least 3 other names listed as composers of the tune, when in fact the tune was composed by Monk and him alone. Always in desperate need of money, Monk would sell writer royalty rights to his compositions to whoever would give him the money he needed. Now, I'm not saying that's how Ellington's name got attached to Tizol's composition (or to any of Billy Strayhorn's great material). Perhaps it was because musicians like Tizol and Strayhorn owed their career's to Ellington that he also gets credit for their compositions. But I'm with you on setting the record straight about "Caravan" being solely a Juan Tizol composition.
Monk once said of other Jazz pianists , I can play like THEM , but they can't play like ME. How true no other pianist puts so much into originality into a piece .
I was in this concert i think.... I was 17, and i`m searchin all the time for the "original" caravan-theme (like Ellington, i think). Today i can hear, what i´m in 1969 could´nt hear. I´m sad, my mind wasn´t big enough, to hear, what a genius i saw....
I just love the spradic references yo the original melody as if to say"just to remind you that i am aware of the tune here"!fantastic creative and fertile invention
This is an impossibly great performance, full of poignant sadness but joyfully triumphant at the same time. I have to agree with Roswell Rudd and Steve Lacy-Monk was our greatest jazz artist, period!
The earliest recollection I remember of hearing this guy's music is when I was 9 years old im 62 now the magic of his music in the way that he played has never faded. Thenouinus Monk is simply timeless.
Fantastiques trouvailles rythmiques de T Monk dans cette interprétation. Errol Garner et M Petrucciani ont aussi apporté une superbe contribution. Par contre O Petterson en fait un exercice physique (commercial) dans une interpretation au rythme endiablé ininteressante. Là T Monk est vraiment le Maitre.
Monk at his best, as late as 1969. His signature harmony gets a lot of attention, but man he could swing hard too, and he doesn't use whole tone runs here that he was famous for.
This is SUBLIME. I've been a follower of Monk's music and performances for some time, but never before i was so hooked from the first listen (maybe with the exeption hearing Epistrophy for the first time). This is great music.
Some people may say that Monk is the worst pianist ever. So what ? He IS the best pianist in the universe, the biggest musician ever ever ever! Lots of love...
If you're listening to a pianist playing a Chopin etude and you hear a wrong note, the pianist has a problem. If you're listening to Monk and you hear a wrong note, you have a problem.
Unknown by most of the public, Caravan was composed by Puerto Rican musician Juan Tizol, whose credit has been completely denied for decades. He also composed "Perdido" and many others. I think it's time he's granted the honor. Duke Ellington, his personal friend, maybe thought that if people knew that a Hispanic composed the music, it would hamper its success.
Juan Tizol's name has appeared on sheet music. Keep in mind that it's not unusual for the public to give more credit to the leader of the orchestra. I feel very confident that it had little to do with him being Hispanic. By the way, in most circles Marvin Gaye continues to get sole credit for writing 'What's going on" while Renaldo Benson of the Four Tops, along with Al Cleveland are virtually ignored as writers of that iconic song.. although their names appear on the records and the sheet music 🎵
jus when you think MONK has lost his mind he makes it all fit perfect and beautiful and you know it just you can't hear how great it REALLY IS cause you ain't MONK. YOU DIG....?
Estilo STRIDE, desde el minuto 1:00. El estilo stride consiste en un peculiar juego armónico-rítmico con la mano izquierda, tocando alternativamente dos acordes a ritmo, mientras la derecha toca la melodía e improvisa en el piano; fue creado principalmente por el magnífico compositor y pianista JAMES P. JOHNSON .
Of course, Monk knew James P. personally , learned alot from him and took it beyond and beyond. Por supuesto, Monk conocía personalmente a James P., aprendió mucho de él y lo llevó más allá.
