While Jon Hendricks had originally written lyrics for the tune in 1942, some forty years later he would revisit the song. Although Frank Paparelli is given credit for the composition in both cases, Gillespie claims that his contribution was transcribing the piece for publication. The publication credits list John Gillespie and Frank Paparelli on the instrumental version and add Jon Hendricks on the version with lyrics. He does concede, however, that “ Manteca” was the “definitive breakaway from the old beat.” During the videotaped concert performance, “A Night in Tunisia,” Gillespie discusses how he composed this “anthem to bebop,” introducing Afro-Cuban rhythms to mainstream American jazz. Adding a bebop-style rhythm to the melody, Gillespie came up with “Night in Tunisia.” When played, this “mixture introduced a special kind of syncopation in the bass line,” a jazz pioneering step away from the traditional regular 4-beat bass. It was Sarah Vaughan who introduced “Interlude” as it was called before being renamed “Night in Tunisia.” With Charlie Parker and Dizzy Gillespie as sidemen, Vaughan made that first recording on December 31, 1944, for the Continental label.Īccording to Dizzy Gillespie’s To Be or Not to Bop: Memoirs of Dizzy Gillespie, he was sitting at the piano playing chord progressions when he noticed the notes of the chords formed a melody with a Latin/oriental feel. Shortly thereafter, Gillespie, Parker, Sarah Vaughan, and Billy Eckstine left Hines to form what came to be known as the first “bebop big band” under the leadership of Eckstine. Latin, even oriental feeling.”ĭizzy Gillespie wrote “Night in Tunisia” in 1942 while he, alongside Charlie Parker, was a member of the Earl Hines Band. “I looked at the notes of the chords as I played the progression and noticed they formed a melody.
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