You can clearly hear the transitions from the Salsa/Tropical Tizol to the Jazzy Duke many times over.....Yet this song has mostly Latin-sounding content....
Now that's the kind of harmony I want. The Whiplash version's great and a great way to introduce people to jazz but this tempo and those harmonies are like waves of heat coming up from scorched desert sands.
1. Performers
Piano- Duke Ellington
Saxophone- Harry Carney
Bass- Billy Taylor
Drums- Sonny Greer
Trumpet- Cootie Williams
Trombone- Juan Tizal
Clarinet- Barney Bigard
2. Style
Big Band
3. Form
A A B A
4. Reason for Inclusion
Sounds like it could be the "S**ts happening" music for an old action movie at some points.
Dike Ellington did not compose this tune. The music was composed by member of his orchestra in 1936, who played valve trombone, his name, JUAN TIZOL, from Puerto Rico. He was Ellingto's right hand man and played with the orchestra for 15 years. H"e also composed "Perdido, " "Zanzibar" and many others...He also played with Harry James in California.