A Night in Tunisia is a cornerstone jazz standard originally recorded in January 1944 by the Dizzy Gillespie/Oscar Pettiford Quintet. The tune, composed by Dizzy Gillespie with Frank Paparelli, is famous for its fast bebop lines and Afro-Cuban feel, and it became a key piece in modern jazz improvisation. In 1962 the French vocal sextet Les Double Six released A Night in Tunisia as Le tapis volant on their album Les Double Six, turning the horn parts into a dense twelve-voice vocalise with Mimi Perrin’s French lyrics. There is also an English vocalese version with lyrics credited to Eddie Jefferson around the same time, with later lyrics by Jon Hendricks. The Double Six version is noted for its overdubbed vocal textures and witty wordplay, reflecting the group’s inventive vocalese approach. The tune remains widely covered and is a staple in both instrumental and vocal jazz repertoires.
