Composed by Dizzy Gillespie and Frank Paparelli, arranged by Sammy Nestico
There are many versions of Dizzy Gillespie's 1942 classic A Night in Tunisia. Ours is an arrangement by the great Basie composer/arranger Sammy Nestico.
Night in Tunisia was one of the signature pieces of Gillespie's bebop big band, and he also played it with his small groups. In 2004, Dizzy Gillespie & his Sextet’s 1946 Victor recording was added to the Grammy Hall of Fame.
Dizzy Gillespie (tpt), Don Byas (ts), Milt Jackson (vib), Al Haig (p), Bill DeArango (g), Ray Brown (b), J.C. Heard (d). Recorded February 22, 1946.
And then there's Charlie Parker's 1946 "famous alto break." On the first take, Parker took a solo break which absolutely floored the musicians and engineers. The rest of the take proved unusable, but Ross Russell eventually decided to issue the fragment.
Miles Davis (trumpet), Charlie Parker (alto saxophone), Lucky Thompson (tenor saxophone), Dodo Marmarosa (piano), Vic McMillan (bass), Roy Porter (drums). Radio Recorders, Hollywood, CA, March 28, 1946.
Given its popularity, there's a lot of history to this song.
