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1930-1931

 
Album Review: 1930-1931

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 Guide

Tracks

Track TitleComposersPerformersTime
Gotta Darn Good Reason Now (For Bein' Good) Lamar Wright, De Priest Wheeler Cab Calloway & His Orchestra (3:09)
St. Louis Blues W.C. Handy Cab Calloway & His Orchestra (2:53)
Sweet Jennie Lee! Walter Donaldson Cab Calloway & His Orchestra (3:06)
Happy Feet Milton Ager, Jack Yellen Cab Calloway & His Orchestra (2:35)
Yaller Hubert Myers Cab Calloway & His Orchestra (3:24)
The Viper's Drag Fats Waller Cab Calloway & His Orchestra (3:19)
Is That Religion? Maceo Pinkard, Mitchell Parish Cab Calloway & His Orchestra (2:52)
Some of These Days Shelton Brooks Cab Calloway & His Orchestra (2:54)
Nobody's Sweetheart Elmer Schoebel, Gus Kahn, Billy Meyers, Ernie Erdman Cab Calloway & His Orchestra (3:17)
St. James Infirmary Traditional, Joe Primrose Cab Calloway & His Orchestra (3:02)
Dixie Vagabond Gus Kahn, Walter Donaldson Cab Calloway & His Orchestra (3:02)
So Sweet Haven Gillespie, Nelson Shawn Cab Calloway & His Orchestra (2:56)
Minnie the Moocher Irving Mills, Clarence Gaskill, Cabell "Cab" Calloway Cab Calloway & His Orchestra (3:09)
Doin' the Rhumba Nick A. Kenny, Irving Mills, Frank Perkins, Charles F. Kenny Cab Calloway & His Orchestra (2:54)
Mood Indigo Barney Bigard, Duke Ellington, Irving Mills Cab Calloway & His Orchestra (2:26)
Farewell Blues Elmer Schoebel, Paul Mares, Leon Roppolo Cab Calloway & His Orchestra (2:33)
I'm Crazy 'Bout My Baby Alex Hill, Fats Waller Cab Calloway & His Orchestra (2:36)
Creole Love Song Duke Ellington Cab Calloway & His Orchestra (2:53)
The Levee Low Down Irving Mills, Shelton Brooks Cab Calloway & His Orchestra (2:55)
Blues in My Heart Benny Carter, Irving Mills Cab Calloway & His Orchestra (2:54)
Black Rhythm Donald Heywood, Irving Mills Cab Calloway & His Orchestra (3:11)
Six or Seven Times Irving Mills, Fats Waller Cab Calloway & His Orchestra (3:21)
My Honey's Lovin' Arms Joseph Meyer, Herman Ruby Cab Calloway & His Orchestra (3:06)
The Nightmare Riley, Hubert Myers Cab Calloway & His Orchestra (2:49)

Credits

Arville Harris (Sax (Alto)), Cabell "Cab" Calloway (Director), William Thornton Blue (Clarinet), Walter "Foots" Thomas (Multi Instruments), William Thornton Blue (Sax (Alto)), Leroy Maxey (Drums), Lammar Wright, Sr. (Trumpet), R.Q. Dickerson (Trumpet), Cab Calloway & His Orchestra (Performer), De Priest Wheeler (Trombone), Anatol Schenker (Liner Notes), Cabell "Cab" Calloway (Vocals), Morris White (Banjo), Arville Harris (Clarinet), Harry White (Trombone), Reuben Reeves (Trumpet), Wendell Culley (Trumpet)
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Copyrights:

Album Review. Copyright © 2009 All Media Guide, LLC. Content provided by All Music Guide ®, a trademark of All Media Guide, LLC. All rights reserved.  Read more

 

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