Portrait of Juan Tizol (Podcast #20-005)

Ellington Reflections · May 31, 2020

https://ellingtonreflections.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/juan-tizol.mp3

“Juan Tizol was born in San Juan, Puerto Rico, and suitably named after the saint, San Juan. He studied and mastered every instrument in the orchestra, but finally settled down to specialize on the valve trombone. He came to Washington, D.C., about 1920 in Marie Lucas’ orchestra, and played the Howard Theatre and the T.O.B.A. circuit. When we decided to add a valve trombone, [Arthur] Whetsol took the responsibility of convincing him to join us at the Cotton Club in 1929. He was a tremendous asset to our…