Juan Tizol

Juan Tizol (31 December 1900 – 23 April 1984) was a Puerto Rican trombonist and composer.

He was born in San Juan, Puerto Rico and moved to the mainland United States in 1920. He trained as a valve trombonist and Valide trombone. He worked with Duke Ellington from 1929 to 1944. It was during this period that he composed "Caravan" and "Perdido". Ellington's arrangements made use of the valve trombone's greater facility in moving between certain notes. Caravan was often second on the Ellington set list. After leaving Ellington, he worked with the Harry James Orchestra in California, allowing him to see his wife more often. In 1951, he returned to Ellington, along with James's drummer and alto saxophonist, in what became known as 'the James raid'. He left Ellington and retired from regular touring in 1953. In 1957 he was a guest on The Nat King Cole Show.

He died in Inglewood, California on April 23, 1984.

External links

* [http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=11:58jqeae14x87~T1 All Music]
* [http://www.musicofpuertorico.com/index.php/artists/juan_tizol/ Music of Puerto Rico]
* [http://www.spaceagepop.com/tizol.htm Spaceagpop]