Jorge Pardo: Caravan
Musicians:
Jorge Pardo (tenor sax),
José Miguel Carmona (guitar), Carles Benavent (electric bass), Tino Di Geraldo (percussion), Rubem Dantas (berimbau)
.Composed by Duke Ellington, Juan Tizol & Irving Mills
.Recorded: Madrid, Spain, 1993
Rating: 85/100 (learn more)
A Spanish version might be expected to bring this song back home, since the Arabs (and their caravans) occupied Spain for many centuries and left traces of their culture in the arts, including music. But Jorge Pardo – flamenco guitar great Paco de Lucia's usual reed and flute player – knows better than to invoke clichés. His "Caravan" sounds quite contemporary, with a hard-toned Brecker-like tenor and an electric bass played with lots of effects. When the flamenco guitar steps to the fore, it never plays its classic role, and the percussion and berimbau weave a thick maze of metallic sounds around everything. A very Spanish version, but a most unexpected one, too.
Reviewer: Thierry Quénum
Tags: 1990s jazz · caravan · ellington covers · spain
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