CARAVAN - Free Jazz Leadsheet

“caravan” was composed in 1936 by Juan Tizol, with contributions from Duke Ellington. The first recording was made by the Barney Bigard Sextet under Ellington’s direction in 1936, capturing the tune’s distinctive blend of jazz harmony and exotic rhythmic color.

The piece soon became a staple of Ellington’s orchestra and has since been reinterpreted by countless jazz musicians. Its lyrics-free form evokes imagery of travel and atmosphere through chromatic movement, minor-mode vamping, and a memorable AABA structure that features dramatic drum patterns and modal improvisation.