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

CAB CALLOWAY AND HIS ORCHESTRA – 1932 | The Classics Chronological Series – 537 (1990) FLAC (image+.cue), lossless

The third of 12 Cab Calloway CDs put out by Classics (which on a whole reissues the master takes of all of the popular singer's recordings from 1930-42) covers a busy six-month period. His big band (which tended to be greatly overshadowed) was actually quite excellent with good soloists in trumpeter Lammar Wright, clarinetist Eddie Barefield, Walter Thomas on tenor and pianist Bennie Payne, but of course Calloway was the main star. Highlights of this very enjoyable set include "Old Yazoo," "Reefer Man," "Old Man of the Mountain," "You Gotta Ho-De-Ho," "I've Got the World on a String," the bizarre "Dixie Doorway," "Beale Street Mama" and "The Man from Harlem." Many of the titles on this rewarding release had never been reissued before, making the Classics series a collection worth picking up in a hurry before they disappear. Scott Yanow
Tracklist :
1     How Come You Do Me Like You Do? 2:52
Gene Austin / Roy Bergere
2     Old Yazoo 2:57
Fats Waller
3     Angeline 2:49
D. Browne / Fats Waller
4     I'm Now Prepared to Tell the World It's You 2:51
Andy Razaf / Fats Waller
5     Swanee Lullaby 2:38
Ted Koehler / Morris White
6     Reefer Man 2:56
Andy Razaf / J. Russel Robinson    
7     Old Man of the Mountain 2:51
William J. Hill / Victor Young
8     You Gotta Ho-De-Ho (To Get Along With Me) 3:07
D. Browne / John Robinson
9     Strange as It Seems 3:16
Andy Razaf / Fats Waller
10     This Time, It's Love 2:27
Edgar Hayes / Ted Koehler
11     Git Along 2:40
Lovie Austin
12     Hot Toddy 2:37
Benny Carter
13     I've Got the World on a String 3:08
Harold Arlen / Ted Koehler
14     Harlem Holiday 2:48
Harold Arlen / Ted Koehler
15     Dixie Doorway 2:58
Mitchell Parish / Frank Perkins
16     Wah-Dee-Dah 3:00
Irving Mills / John Robinson / Ned Washington
17     Sweet Rhythm 2:49
Sidney Bechet / Leroy Maxey
18     Beale Street Mama 3:06
J. Russel Robinson / John Robinson / Roy Turk
19     That's What I Hate About Love 3:10
Harold Arlen / Ted Koehler
20     The Man from Harlem 3:04
Will Hudson
21     I Gotta Right to Sing the Blues 3:12
Harold Arlen / Ted Koehler
22     My Sunday Gal 2:55
Duke Ellington / Mitchell Parish / Frank Perkins
23     Eadie Was a Lady 2:49
Nacio Herb Brown / Buddy DeSylva / Richard A. Whiting
24     Gotta Go Places and Do Things 2:42
Jeanne Burns