Similar Albums:
- Artist: Cab Calloway & His Orchestra
- Rating:
- Release Date: 1930 07 21-1931 06 17
- Total Time: 71:16
- Type: Compilation (best of)
- Genre: Jazz
Review
Cab Calloway is long overdue for a reappraisal. Long put down by some writers as a mere entertainer, he was actually a superior jazz-influenced singer whose vocal abilities were often overshadowed by his showmanship. The ideal way to acquire his best recordings are to get the 12 CDs in Classics' Complete series. Not only do these reissues include his hits, but also some jazz instrumentals and enjoyable obscurities that give one a more well-rounded picture of the "Hi-De-Ho Man." This particular Classics CD has his first 24 recordings; from the start, his colorful style was already fully formed. It is particularly interesting to hear Calloway performing some material associated with others, especially "Happy Feet" (Paul Whiteman), "The Viper's Drag" and "I'm Crazy 'Bout My Baby" (the latter two with Fats Waller), and several Duke Ellington hits. One of the better Harlem orchestras, Calloway's early band had formerly been known as the Missourians and included several fine soloists, particularly trumpeter Lammar Wright and Walter Thomas on tenor and baritone. Highlights include "St. Louis Blues," "Some of These Days," a classic rendition of "St. James Infirmary," "Nobody's Sweetheart" and the original version of "Minnie the Moocher." ~ Scott Yanow, All Music GuideTracks
| Track Title | Composers | Performers | Time |
| Gotta Darn Good Reason Now (For Bein' Good) | De Priest Wheeler, |
(3:09) | |
| St. Louis Blues | W.C. Handy | (2:53) | |
| Sweet Jennie Lee! | Walter Donaldson | (3:06) | |
| Happy Feet | Milton Ager, Jack Yellen | (2:35) | |
| Yaller | (3:24) | ||
| The Viper's Drag | Fats Waller | (3:19) | |
| Is That Religion? | Mitchell Parish, Maceo Pinkard | (2:52) | |
| Some of These Days | Shelton Brooks | (2:54) | |
| Nobody's Sweetheart | Gus Kahn, Elmer Schoebel, |
(3:17) | |
| St. James Infirmary | Traditional, |
(3:02) | |
| Dixie Vagabond | Walter Donaldson, Gus Kahn | (3:02) | |
| So Sweet | Haven Gillespie, |
(2:56) | |
| Minnie the Moocher | Cab Calloway, Irving Mills, |
(3:09) | |
| Doin' the Rhumba | Irving Mills, |
(2:54) | |
| Mood Indigo | Irving Mills, Barney Bigard, Duke Ellington | (2:26) | |
| Farewell Blues | Paul Mares, Leon Roppolo, Elmer Schoebel | (2:33) | |
| I'm Crazy 'Bout My Baby | Fats Waller, Alex Hill | (2:36) | |
| Creole Love Song | Duke Ellington | (2:53) | |
| The Levee Low Down | Irving Mills, Shelton Brooks | (2:55) | |
| Blues in My Heart | Irving Mills, Benny Carter | (2:54) | |
| Black Rhythm | Irving Mills, |
(3:11) | |
| Six or Seven Times | Fats Waller, Irving Mills | (3:21) | |
| My Honey's Lovin' Arms | (3:06) | ||
| The Nightmare | (2:49) |
