DUKE ELLINGTON AND HIS ORCHESTRA – 1930-1931 | The Classics Chronological Series – 605 (1991) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

With the rise of the Depression, most big bands were being pressured to record more dance band-oriented pop music. Duke Ellington managed to keep his standards high despite occasional vocals from Sid Garry, Dick Robertson, Chick Bullock, and Frank Marvin. Along with some lightweight material, this chronological study of Ellington's work during a six-week period (which has all of the master takes but none of the alternates) is most significant for its early versions of "Rockin' in Rhythm" and "Mood Indigo," a rollicking "Twelfth Street Rag" (with Benny Payne on second piano with Duke), and Ellington's first extended work to be recorded, the moody "Creole Rhapsody." Scott Yanow  Tracklist + Credits :

CAB CALLOWAY AND HIS ORCHESTRA – 1939-1940 | The Classics Chronological Series – 595 (1991) FLAC (image+.cue), lossless

Cab Calloway had one of his strongest orchestras during the period covered by this CD, the eighth of 12 put out by the European Classics label that reissue all of his studio recordings from 1930-42. Trumpeter Dizzy Gillespie joined the band by the time of its Aug. 30, 1939 session and he has several short solos on these tracks in addition to being well-featured on the adventurous "Pickin' the Cabbage." In addition, the great tenor Chu Berry gets plenty of solo space, the impressive rhythm section (with guitarist Danny Barker, bassist Milt Hinton and drummer Cozy Cole) really propels the ensembles and Cab Calloway is in typically exuberant voice. Among the highlights are "The Ghost of Smoky Joe," "Crescendo in Drums" (a feature for Cole), "Pluckin' the Bass" (Hinton's showcase) and even "Jiveformation Please." Scott Yanow
Tracklist :
1     A New Moon and an Old Serenade 2:36
Sam Coslow
2     One Look at You 2:46
 George Forrest / Herbert Stothart / Edward Ward / Robert Wright
3     The Ghost of Smokey Joe 2:46
Rube Bloom / Ted Koehler
4     Floogie Walk 2:19
Rube Bloom / Ted Koehler
5     Trylon Swing 2:48
Earl Bostic / Irving Mills
6     Utt da Zay (The Tailor's Song) 2:55
Irving Mills / Buck Ram
7     Crescendo in Drums 2:48
Edgar Battle / Cozy Cole / Lorenz Hart / Hezekiah Leroy Gordon Smith
8     (Hep-Hep!) The Jumpin' Jive 2:49
Cab Calloway / Frank Froeba / Jack Palmer
9     For the Last Time I Cried over You 2:51
Cab Calloway / Frank Froeba / Jack Palmer
10     Twee-Twee-Tweet 2:45
Robert Maxwell / Josef Myrow    
11     Pluckin' the Bass 2:46
Roy Eldridge
12     I Ain't Gettin' Nowhere Fast 2:47
Cab Calloway / Porter Grainger / Chappie Willett
13     Chili con Conga 3:02
Paul Girlando / Irving Mills / Abe Tuvim
14     Tarzan of Harlem 2:49
Lupin Fein / Irving Mills / Henry Nemo / Buck Ram
15     Jiveformation, Please 2:30
Lupin Fein / Irving Mills / Buck Ram
16     Vuelva 2:54
Patricia Platzman    
17     A Bee Gezindt 2:53
Henry Nemo    
18     Give, Baby, Give 2:37
Irv Carroll / Gladys Shelley / Otis Spencer
19     Sincere Love 2:44
Danny Barker
20     Do It Again 2:54
Kay Werner    
21     Pickin' the Cabbage 2:50
Dizzy Gillespie     
22     Chop, Chop, Charlie Chan (From China) 3:02
Cab Calloway / Jack Palmer / Buck Ram