Free Jazz Standard Sheet Music Downloads

"Caravan" is one of jazz's most iconic compositions, co-written by Puerto Rican valve trombonist Juan Tizol and Duke Ellington, first performed by the Ellington orchestra in 1936. Irving Mills wrote lyrics, though the piece is almost exclusively performed as an instrumental. With over 500 recorded versions, it ranks among the most covered jazz compositions in history.

The A sections, set in F minor, feature a serpentine, chromatically inflected melody over a sustained dominant pedal that creates an exotic, hypnotic atmosphere evoking desert caravans and Middle Eastern imagery. The bridge provides striking contrast by shifting to a bright major key. The fusion of Latin rhythms with jazz swing is central to the piece's character, reflecting Tizol's Caribbean heritage. The tune's deceptively simple structure rewards improvisers who can build intensity and momentum, making it a perennial favorite at jam sessions and cutting contests.

The first recording was made in 1936 by Barney Bigard and His Jazzopators (members of the Ellington orchestra), followed by the definitive 1937 Duke Ellington Orchestra big band version featuring Ben Webster on tenor saxophone. The song gained renewed popular attention through its prominent role in the 2014 film Whiplash.