12 Facts About Juan Tizol

1.

Juan Tizol Martinez was a Puerto Rican jazz trombonist and composer.

2.

In 1920, Juan Tizol joined a band that was traveling to the United States to work in Washington, DC The group eventually made it to Washington and established residence at the Howard Theater, where they played for touring shows and silent movies.

3.

Arthur Whetsel, a trumpeter with whom Juan Tizol played in the White Brothers' Band, made the recommendation.

4.

Juan Tizol sat beside Tricky Sam Nanton in the two-man trombone section, and became the fifth voice in the brass section of Ellington's orchestra.

5.

Juan Tizol played with great accuracy and was considered to be the solid rock of the trombone section.

6.

Juan Tizol was not a major improviser in the band, but he was often featured playing written out solos that displayed his masterful technique and agility on the horn.

7.

Juan Tizol made many contributions to the Ellington band throughout the 1930s and 1940s.

8.

Juan Tizol spent time extracting parts that needed to be written out for upcoming shows.

9.

Mercer Ellington stated that Juan Tizol had invented the melody to "Caravan", from his days studying music in Puerto Rico; where they could not afford much sheet music so the teacher turned the music upside down after they had learned to play it right-side up.

10.

Juan Tizol left Ellington's band in 1944 to play in the Harry James Orchestra.

11.

Juan Tizol returned very briefly to Ellington's band in the early 1960s, but eventually retired in Los Angeles.

12.

Juan Tizol died of a heart attack at the age of 84 on April 23,1984, in Inglewood, California, two years after the death of his wife, Rosebud.