caught a little Caravan last Saturday

This guy I know, Eddie Reed, has been telling me for awhile that I had to go check out this little girl that's been singing with his band lately. They were playing at The Derby last Saturday so I went to catch the show. First off this little girl was amazing. On a few songs you could close your eyes and swear you were listening to an old black woman, but you open your eyes and it's a 13 year old white girl. Another nice suprise was when I started hearing Caravan. I've been seeing Eddie Reed's Big Band and his Swing Quintet playing for years but had no idea they would be playing Caravan. I still think 80 Drums Around The World has the best version of that song but I actually like Eddie Reed's version better than Martin Denny's, is that blasphemy?

Any version of Caravan is my favorite song.

Was the girl his daughter, Meghan? She recorded with the band several years ago, on the Hollywood Jump CD.

Eddie Reed is quite well-known and respected in swing circles.

On 2003-02-10 12:23, manic cat wrote:
Any version of Caravan is my favorite song.

Is it just wishfull thinking or did someone compile a CD/LP full of different versions of Caravan?

Trader Woody

No it wasn't Meghan Ivy. She hasn't been playing with Eddie Reed for awhile now, she's been out doing her own thing. This girls name was Renee something. I know Meghan started singiing with Eddie's bands since she was 14 but she's like 25 now. This girl started playing with Eddie at 12 years old, she's 13 now.

APE does a great version of "Caravan"!

On 2003-02-10 13:54, Trader Woody wrote:

Is it just wishfull thinking or did someone compile a CD/LP full of different versions of Caravan?

Trader Woody

Now you're talkin' Trader Woody! I love Caravan & I've been wanting to make a compilation, but so far I only have about 10 versions.

It could take more than one CD!
This is from Spaceagepop.com

"Caravan" 1937
Music by Juan Tizol and Duke Ellington
Words by Irving Mills
Although Juan Tizol wrote a number of songs during his years with Duke Ellington and Harry James, only two have had any real popular success. But "Caravan" alone puts just about all the other exotica standards to shame. Everybody covered "Caravan." Billy Eckstine had a million-seller with his 1949 cover of the tune, as did Ralph Marterie with his 1952 instrumental version. There are enough recordings of "Caravan" around for KFJC, the legendary Los Altos Hills, California public radio station--home of the "Louie, Louie" marathon--to be considering playing different versions of "Caravan" for 24 hours straight.
What is it about "Caravan" that makes it so irresistable to perform? Beats me. It's almost like it's an entrance requirement of some sort. Frank Zappa even memorialized it as an adlib in his tribute to playing in bars, "America Drinks and Goes Home":"'Caravan' with a drum solo? You bet, sir!" But given the choice between "Caravan" and "Feelings," I'll take "Caravan" everytime.
Like "Miserlou,""Caravan" gets played one of two ways: slow and exotically or fast and swinging. Duke Ellington's own recordings are the most faithful to the original spirit of the song, with a loose marching kind of beat, like camels slogging dutifully through the sand. Perez Prado's is probably the most swinging, taking off like a rocket with trumpets on fire and Perez physically throwing the song into the next verse with his trademark grunt. To me, the weirdest version is that by the Castro Brothers in their "Live in Tahoe" album, in which they climax their show with a bravura medley of "Caravan" and "Exodus." I guess it's some kind of show-biz attempt to call for peace between the Arabs and the Israelis."

Just a taste of some of the cover versions out there:

http://www.spaceagepop.com/caravan.htm

Phew!

Trader Woody

On 2003-02-10 12:23, manic cat wrote:
Any version of Caravan is my favorite song.

The Carpenters did a nice "Caravan".

I love the song also.

I found this version of Caravan today:

http://www.yhchang.com/SAMSUNG_MEANS_TO_COME.html

:o