CAB CALLOWAY AND HIS ORCHESTRA – 1931-1932 | The Classics Chronological Series – 526 (1990) FLAC (image+.cue), lossless

The second of 12 Classics CDs that reissue all of Cab Calloway's recordings from 1930-42 has 23 performances that trace the singer's success during an 11-month period. He shows what he learned from his older sister Blanche on some of the songs, but on "You Rascal You," "Aw You Dawg" and "Kickin' the Gong Around," the singer could be mistaken for no one else but himself. There is a bit of surface noise on some of the tracks (sometimes sounding like a light rain) and even a skip on "Without Rhythm" but the wonderful music far outvalues the minor technical faults. Due to the solos of trumpeter Lammar Wright, clarinetist Arville Harris and the tenor of Walter Thomas, the tight ensembles and Calloway's exuberant (in the case of "Basin Street Blues," rather silly) singing, there are many memorable selections on this set. Highlights include "Bugle Call Rag," "Stardust," "Trickeration," "Kickin' the Gong Around," "Corrine Corinna," "The Scat Song" and "Dinah." This is very enjoyable and often-classic music that lets one know immediately why Cab Calloway was so popular during the 1930s. Scott Yanow
Tracklist :
1     It Looks Like Susie 2:55
Cliff Friend
2     Sweet Georgia Brown 2:36
Ben Bernie / Kenneth Casey / Maceo Pinkard
3     Basin Street Blues 2:57
Spencer Williams
4     Bugle Call Rag 2:31
Billy Meyers / Jack Pettis / Elmer Schoebel
5     You Rascal, You 3:15
Sam Theard
6     Stardust 3:28
Hoagy Carmichael / Mitchell Parish
7     You Can't Stop Me from Lovin' You 2:54
Mann Holiner / Alberta Nichols
8     You Dog 2:59
Cab Calloway
9     Somebody Stole My Gal 2:50
Leo Wood
10     Ain't Got No Gal in This Town 3:17
John Robinson
11     Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea 3:02
Harold Arlen / Ted Koehler
12     Trickeration 2:56
Harold Arlen / Ted Koehler
13     Kickin' the Gong Around 3:11
Harold Arlen / Ted Koehler
14     Down-Hearted Blues 2:53
Lovie Austin / Alberta Hunter
15     Without Rhythm 2:45
Dan Dougherty / Jack Yellen
16     Corrina, Corrina 3:04
17     Stack O' Lee Blues 3:05
Lew Colwell / Rafael Lopez
18     The Scat Song 3:08
Cab Calloway / Mitchell Parish / Frank Perkins
19     Cabin in the Cotton 4:04
Cab Calloway / Mitchell Parish / Frank Perkins
20     Strictly Cullud Affair 3:04
Al J. Neiburg / Maceo Pinkard
21     Aw You Dawg 2:49
Cab Calloway
22     Minnie the Moocher's Wedding Day 3:13
Harold Arlen / Ted Koehler
23     Dinah 3:10
Harry Akst / Sam M. Lewis / Joe Young