Cab Calloway and the Missourians (1929-1930)

• Artist: Cab Calloway
• Rating:
• Release Date: October 01, 1999
• Type: Compilation (best of)
• Genre: Jazz

Review

This English import starts off with the dozen selections recorded by The Missourians (plus two alternate takes) during 1929-30. The excellent group is heard playing a variety of instrumentals, many of which are based on "Tiger Rag." The heated soloing by trumpeters R.Q. Dickerson and Lammar Wright, trombonist De Priest Wheeler and the reeds of Andrew Brown and Walter Thomas makes one surprised that this group was commercially unsuccessful. Cab Calloway permanently took over The Missourians in 1930 and his earliest ten recordings form the second half of this CD. The Calloway performances (which directly precede his hit "Minnie the Moocher") are highlighted by "St. Louis Blues," "Nobody's Sweetheart" and a classic rendition of "St. James Infirmary" and make one know from the start why he was considered one of the most popular and exciting performers of the 1930s. ~ Scott Yanow, All Music Guide

Tracks

Track Title	Composers	Performers	Time
Market Street Stomp	R.Q. Dickerson	The Missourians, Cabell "Cab" Calloway
Ozark Mountain Blues	R.Q. Dickerson	Cabell "Cab" Calloway, The Missourians
You'll Cry for Me, But I'll Be Gone	Lamar Wright	Cabell "Cab" Calloway, The Missourians
Missouri Moan	J. Eric Smith	The Missourians, Cabell "Cab" Calloway
Ozark Mountain Blues	R.Q. Dickerson	Cabell "Cab" Calloway, The Missourians
You'll Cry for Me, But I'll Be Gone	Lamar Wright	The Missourians, Cabell "Cab" Calloway
I've Got Someone	Charles Brookes	Cabell "Cab" Calloway, The Missourians
"400" Hop	De Priest Wheeler	Cabell "Cab" Calloway, The Missourians
Vine Street Drag	J. Brown	Cabell "Cab" Calloway, The Missourians
Scotty Blues	George Scott	Cabell "Cab" Calloway, The Missourians
Two Hundred Squabble	Morris White	The Missourians, Cabell "Cab" Calloway
Swingin' Dem Cats	J King	Cabell "Cab" Calloway, The Missourians
Stoppin' the Traffic	Leroy Maxey	Cabell "Cab" Calloway, The Missourians
Prohibition Blues	Walter Thomas	Cabell "Cab" Calloway, The Missourians
Gotta Darn Good Reason Now (For Bein' Good)	Lamar Wright, De Priest Wheeler	Cabell "Cab" Calloway, The Missourians
St. Louis Blues	W.C. Handy	Cabell "Cab" Calloway, The Missourians
Sweet Jennie Lee!	Walter Donaldson	The Missourians, Cabell "Cab" Calloway
Happy Feet	Milton Ager, Jack Yellen	Cabell "Cab" Calloway, The Missourians
Yaller	Hubert Myers	Cabell "Cab" Calloway, The Missourians
The Viper's Drag	Fats Waller	The Missourians, Cabell "Cab" Calloway
Is That Religion?	Mitchell Parish, Maceo Pinkard	The Missourians, Cabell "Cab" Calloway
Some of These Days	Shelton Brooks	The Missourians, Cabell "Cab" Calloway
Nobody's Sweetheart	Ernie Erdman, Gus Kahn, Billy Meyers, Elmer Schoebel	The Missourians, Cabell "Cab" Calloway
St. James Infirmary	Joe Primrose, Traditional	The Missourians, Cabell "Cab" Calloway

Credits

De Priest Wheeler (Trombone), George Scott (Sax (Alto)), Cabell "Cab" Calloway (Vocals), The Missourians (Performer), R.Q. Dickerson (Trumpet), Walter "Foots" Thomas (Sax (Tenor)), Lockwood Lewis (Vocals), William Thornton Blue (Clarinet), Earres Prince (Piano), Leroy Maxey (Drums), George Scott (Clarinet), Jimmy Smith (Sax (Baritone)), Lammar Wright, Sr. (Trumpet), Walter "Foots" Thomas (Sax (Alto)), Lockwood Lewis (Director), Reuben Reeves (Trumpet), Cabell "Cab" Calloway (Director), William Thornton Blue (Sax (Alto)), Walter "Foots" Thomas (Baritone), Sally-Ann Worsfold (Liner Notes), Walter "Foots" Thomas (Fiddle), Morris White (Banjo)