CAB CALLOWAY AND HIS ORCHESTRA – 1930-1931 | The Classics Chronological Series – 516 (1990) FLAC (image+.cue), lossless

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

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 

CAB CALLOWAY AND HIS ORCHESTRA – 1932-1934 | The Classics Chronological Series – 544 (1990) FLAC (image+.cue), lossless

The Depression may have been at its height during the two years covered by this Classics CD (the fourth in their series of 12 complete Cab Calloway sets), but there was nothing depressed about Calloway's often-jubilant vocals, the playing of his vastly underrated orchestra or the infectious (and sometimes) crazy lyrics. Trumpeter Lammar Wright, clarinetist Eddie Barefield and Walter Thomas on tenor contribute some fine solos but the focus is very much on the leader's vocals and he is in peak form on such songs as "The Lady with the Fan," "Harlem Camp Meeting," "Kickin' the Gong Around," "'Long About Midnight" and "Margie" (even if "Chinese Rhythm" is rather absurd). This easily recommended set also has a remake of "Minnie the Moocher" and an all-star recording of "Doin' the New Lowdown" with The Mills Brothers and Don Redman's Orchestra. Scott Yanow
Tracklist :
1    Cab Calloway And His Orchestra–    Hot Water 2:54
Arranged By – Will Hudson
Written-By – Hudson
2    Don Redman And His Orchestra–    Doin' The New Low-Down 3:06
Alto Saxophone – Don Redman, Edward Inge, Rupert Cole
Arranged By – Don Redman, Horace Henderson
Banjo, Guitar – Talcott Reeves
Brass Bass, Double Bass – Bob Ysaguirre
Clarinet – Edward Inge, Rupert Cole
Drums, Vibraphone – Manzie Johnson
Piano – Horace Henderson
Tenor Saxophone – Robert Carroll
Trombone – Benny Morton, Claude Jones, Fred Robinson
Trumpet – Langston Curl, Shirley Clay, Sidney De Paris
Vocals – Cab Calloway, Don Redman, The Mills Brothers
Written-By – Fields-McHugh
3    Cab Calloway And His Cotton Club Orchestra–    Evenin' 2:44
Written-By – White, Parrish
4    Cab Calloway And His Cotton Club Orchestra–    Harlem Hospitality
Written-By – Arlen, Van Heusen
5    Cab Calloway And His Cotton Club Orchestra–    The Lady With The Fan 3:14
Written-By – Brackman, Calloway, Burns
6    Cab Calloway And His Cotton Club Orchestra–    Harlem Camp Meeting 3:06
Written-By – White
7    Cab Calloway And His Cotton Club Orchestra–    Zaz Zuh Zaz 3:24
Chorus – Cab Calloway
Written-By – Calloway, White
8    Cab Calloway And His Cotton Club Orchestra–    Father's Got His Glasses On 3:07
Arranged By – Will Hudson
Written-By – Swayzee
9    Cab Calloway And His Cotton Club Orchestra–    Minnie The Moocher 3:33
Written-By – Calloway, Mills
Written-By [Uncredited] – Clarence Gaskill
10    Cab Calloway And His Cotton Club Orchestra–    The Scat Song 2:45
Written-By – Calloway
Written-By [Uncredited] – Frank Perkins, Mitchell Parish
11    Cab Calloway And His Cotton Club Orchestra–    Kickin' The Gong Around 3:21
Written-By – Arlen, Koehler
12    Cab Calloway And His Cotton Club Orchestra–    There's A Cabin In The Cotton 3:28
Written-By – Perkins, Parrish
13    Cab Calloway And His Cotton Club Orchestra–    I Learned About Love From Her 3:02
Written-By – Calloway
14    Cab Calloway And His Cotton Club Orchestra–    Little Town Gal 3:10
Written-By – Burns
15    Cab Calloway And His Cotton Club Orchestra–    'Long About Midnight 3:02
Written-By – Hill, Mills
16    Cab Calloway And His Cotton Club Orchestra–    Moon Glow 3:04
Written-By – Hudson
17    Cab Calloway And His Cotton Club Orchestra–    Jitter Bug 3:09
Written-By – Calloway, Swayzee
18    Cab Calloway And His Cotton Club Orchestra–    Hotcha Razz-Ma-Tazz 3:12
Written-By – Razaf, Mills, Hudson
19    Cab Calloway And His Cotton Club Orchestra–    Margie 3:07
Written-By – Davis, Conrad, Robinson
20    Cab Calloway And His Cotton Club Orchestra–    Emaline 2:50
Written-By – Perkins, Parrish
21    Cab Calloway And His Orchestra–    Chinese Rhythm 2:49
Written-By – Calloway, White
22    Cab Calloway And His Orchestra–    Moonlight Rhapsody 3:24
Written-By – Hudson
23    Cab Calloway And His Orchestra–    Avalon 3:28
Written-By – Jolson, Rose
Written-By [Uncredited] – Buddy G. De Sylva
Credits :    
Alto Saxophone – Andrew Brown (tracks: 1, 3 to 23), Arville Harris (tracks: 1, 3 to 23), Eddie Barefield (tracks: 1, 3 to 23)
Banjo – Morris White (tracks: 1, 3 to 14)
Baritone Saxophone – Andrew Brown (5) (tracks: 1, 3 to 23), Eddie Barefield (tracks: 1, 3 to 23)
Bass Clarinet – Andrew Brown (tracks: 1, 3 to 23)
Celesta, Piano – Bennie Payne (tracks: 1, 3 to 23)
Clarinet – Arville Harris (tracks: 1, 3 to 23), Eddie Barefield (tracks: 1, 3 to 23), Walter Thomas (tracks: 1, 3 to 23)
Directed By – Cab Calloway
Double Bass – Al Morgan (tracks: 1, 3 to 23)
Drums – Leroy Maxey (tracks: 1, 3 to 23)
Flute, Tenor Saxophone – Walter Thomas (tracks: 1, 3 to 23)
Guitar – Morris White (tracks: 1, 3 to 23)
Trombone – De Priest Wheeler* (tracks: 1, 3 to 23), Harry White (tracks: 1, 3 to 23)
Trumpet – Doc Cheatham (tracks: 1, 3 to 23), Edwin Swayzee (tracks: 1, 3 to 23), Lammar Wright (tracks: 1, 3 to 23)
Vocals – Cab Calloway (tracks: 3 to 15, 17 to 23)

CAB CALLOWAY AND HIS ORCHESTRA – 1934-1937 | The Classics Chronological Series – 554 (1990) FLAC (image+.cue), lossless

Cab Calloway, who first became popular in 1930, retained his popularity (despite a lot of competition) throughout the swing era. On this excellent CD (the fifth of 12 in the European label Classics' Complete Calloway series), highlights include "Keep That Hi-De-Hi in Your Soul," "Nagasaki," "Copper Colored Gal," "Frisco Flo" and a crazy "That Man Is Here Again." With fine soloists in trumpeters Lammar Wright and Shad Collins, trombonist Claude Jones and (by 1936) the great tenor Ben Webster (along with a top-notch rhythm section that includes bassist Milt Hinton), this was a much better swing orchestra than it is generally rated in jazz history books. Scott Yanow
Tracklist :
1     Weakness 3:09
Edwin Swayzee
2     Good Sauce from the Gravy Bowl 3:06
Cab Calloway / Irving Mills / Edwin Swayzee    
3     Keep That Hi-De-Hi in Your Soul 2:56
Cab Calloway / Irving Mills / Morris White    
4     Miss Otis Regrets 3:01
Cole Porter    
5     I Ain't Got Nobody (And Nobody Cares for Me) 3:01
Roger Graham / Dave Peyton / Spencer Williams
6     Nagasaki 2:54
Mort Dixon / Harry Warren
7     Baby Won't You Please Come Home 3:14
Charles Warfield / Clarence Williams
8     I Love to Sing-A 3:06
Harold Arlen / E.Y. "Yip" Harburg    
9     You're the Cure for What Ails Me 3:02
Harold Arlen / E.Y. "Yip" Harburg
10     Save Me, Sister
Harold Arlen / E.Y. "Yip" Harburg 3:02
11     Love Is the Reason 3:13
Otis Rene / Leon René
12     When You're Smiling 3:17
Mark Fisher / Joe Goodwin / Larry Shay
13     Jess's Natu'lly Lazy 3:09
Stone / Scharpe / Bishop
14     Are You in Love With Me Again? 3:08
Unknown
15     Copper Colored Gal 2:44
J. Fred Coots / Joe Davis    
16     Frisco Flo 3:25
J. Fred Coots / Joe Davis    
17     The Wedding of Mr. and Mrs. Swing 3:17
J. Fred Coots / Benny Davis
18     The Hi-De-Ho Miracle Man 3:14
J. Fred Coots / Joe Davis
19     Don't Know If I'm Comin' or Goin' 2:42
Lupin Fein / Lee Wainer    
20     My Gal Mezzanine 2:40
Ben Ellison / Otis Rene / Leon René    
21     That Man Is Here Again 3:35    
22     Peckin' 2:55
Harry James / Ben Pollack
23     Congo 2:33
Morris White

CAB CALLOWAY AND HIS ORCHESTRA – 1937-1938 | The Classics Chronological Series – 568 (1991) FLAC (image+.cue), lossless

The swing era may have been at its height during the time covered by this CD (the sixth of 12 put out by the Classics label that reissue all of Cab Calloway's 1930-42 recordings) but the colorful vocalist held onto his audience and remained a household name. With such soloists as Ben Webster or Chu Berry on tenor, trumpeters Shad Collins and Lammar Wright and a rhythm section including guitarist Danny Barker and bassist Milt Hinton, Calloway had a particularly strong (if generally overlooked) orchestra. Among the more memorable selections of the 24 included on this CD are "Swing, Swing, Swing," "She's Tall, She's Tan, She's Terrific," "Bugle Blues" and "Hi-De-Ho Romeo." Scott Yanow
Tracklist :
1     Swing, Swing, Swing 2:43
Morris White
2     Wake up and Live 2:30
Mack Gordon / Harry Revel
3     Manhattan Jam 2:39
Cab Calloway    
4     Moon at Sea 3:00
Harry Pease / Vincent Rose / Larry Stock
5     I'm Always in the Mood for You 2:58
J. Fred Coots / Joe Davis
6     She's Tall, She's Tan, She's Terrific 2:35
J. Fred Coots / Benny Davis
7     Go South, Young Man 2:13
J. Fred Coots / Joe Davis
8     Mama, I Wanna Make Rhythm 3:05
Richard Byron / Jerome Jerome / Walter Kent
9     Hi De Ho Romeo 2:50
J. Fred Coots / Joe Davis
10     Queen Isabella 2:46
Joe Davis / Paul Denniker
11     Savage Rhythm 2:35
J. Fred Coots / Benny Davis
12     Every Day's a Holiday 2:29
Sam Coslow / Barry Trivers
13     Jubilee 2:33
Stanley Adams / Hoagy Carmichael
14     In an Old English Village 3:12
Edward Pola / Albert Sendrey    
15     (Just an) Error in the News 2:51
Will Hudson / Irving Mills / Henry Nemo
16     A Minor Breakdown (Rustle of Swing) 2:28
Unknown
17     Bugle Blues  2:28
Irving Mills / Jack Pettis / Elmer Schoebel
18     One Big Union for Two 2:56
Harold Rome
19     Doing the Reactionary 2:42
Harold Rome
20     Rustle of Swing 3:00
Cab Calloway / Ralph Yaw
21     Three Swings and Out 2:16
Cab Calloway / Ralph Yaw
22     I Like Music (Played With a Swing Like This) 2:37
Cab Calloway / Ralph Yaw
23     Foolin' With You 2:34
Morris White
24     Azure 2:48
Duke Ellington / Irving Mills
Credits :    
Directed By – Cab Calloway
Orchestra – Cab Calloway And His Orchestra
Tenor Saxophone – Ben Webster (tracks: 1 to 3, 7 to 24), Chu Berry (tracks: 4 to 6)
Vocals – Cab Calloway (tracks: 1, 2, 4 to 9, 12 to 15, 18, 19, 22 to 24)

CAB CALLOWAY AND HIS ORCHESTRA – 1938-1939 | The Classics Chronological Series – 576 (1991) APE (image+.cue), lossless

The seventh of the Classics label's 12 Cab Calloway CDs traces his progress during an 11-month period through 24 recordings. The band's main soloists at the time included trumpeters Shad Collins and Irving Randolph, trombonists Claude Jones and Keg Johnson and especially tenor great Chu Berry (the band gets four instrumentals on this set). Singer June Richmond has a couple of vocals but obviously Cab Calloway is the main reason that the orchestra was working so steadily. With such songs as "Shout Shout, Shout," "Do You Wanna Jump Children" and "F.D.R. Jones" among the more memorable tracks, this CD (along with the others in the valuable series) is well worth picking up. Scott Yanow
Tracklist :
1    Skrontch    2:50
Ellington / Mills
2    We're Breakin' Up A Lovely Affair    2:57
unknown
3    Peck-A-Doodle-Do    2:51
Calloway / Jones / Mosby / Mills
4    At The Clambake Carnival    2:28
Chu Berry
5    Hoy-Hoy    2:49
Conrad
6    Miss Hallelujah Brown    2:21
Davis / Coots
7    The Congo-Conga    3:00
Davis / Coots
8    The Boogie-Woogie    2:37
Davis / Coots
9    There's A Sunny Side To Everything    2:25
Davis / Coots
10    Shout, Shout, Shout    2:36
Blake
11    Mister Paganini - Swing For Minnie    2:50
Lambert / Richards
12    Jive (Page One Of Hepster's Dictionary)    2:57
Calloway / Payne / Berry
13    Do you Wanna Jump, Children    2:23
Donahue / Heusen / Bryan / Selsman
14    I'm Madly In Love With You    2:58
Davis / Coots
15    April In My Heart    2:36
Melnardi / Carmichael
16    Blue Interlude    2:35
Carter / Kurtz / Mills
17    F.D.R. Jones    2:20
Rome
18    Deep In A Dream    2:58
DeLange / Heusen
19    Tee-Um Tee-Um Tee-I, Tahiti    2:09
Johnson / Shuster / Powell
20    Angels With Dirty Faces    2:56
Spitalny / Fisher
21    Long Long Ago    2:22
Unknown
22    Afraid Of Love    2:30
Fenderson / Miller / Spitalny
23    Ratamacue    2:25
Cole / Thomas / Battle
24    Ad-De-Dey    2:42
Hupfeld

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

CAB CALLOWAY AND HIS ORCHESTRA – 1940 | The Classics Chronological Series – 614 (1991) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

With such soloists as trumpeter Dizzy Gillespie, Chu Berry on tenor and trombonist Tyree Glenn, along with a rhythm section that includes bassist Milt Hinton and drummer Cozy Cole, this was a particularly strong edition of the Cab Calloway Orchestra. There are six instrumentals among the 22 selections on this Classics CD (the ninth of 12 Calloway Complete sets) including Berry's famous version of "Ghost of a Chance" and a spot for Gillespie on "Bye Bye Blues," but nearly every performance has its interesting solos; most of the ones with short spots for Gillespie have rarely been reissued. Cab Calloway, who as usual is the main star, is in spirited form. The other highlights include "Hi-De-Ho Serenade," "Fifteen Minute Intermission," "Papa's in Bed with His Britches On" and "Are You Hep to the Jive?" It's recommended, as are all of the CD's in this important series. Scott Yanow
Tracklist:
1 Paradiddle 2:57
Cozy Cole / Dizzy Gillespie
2 Boog It 2:55
Cab Calloway / Jack Palmer / Buck Ram
3 Calling All Bars 2:43
Leonard Feather
4 Do I Care, No No 2:43
Cab Calloway / Lester Lee / Jerry Seelen / Dan Shapiro
5 The Lone Arranger 2:28
Benny Carter
6 Feelin' Tip Top 2:34
Buddy Feyne
7 Hard Times 3:14
Alex Rogers / Bert Williams
8 Hi-De-Ho Serenade 2:48
Cab Calloway / Battle Thomas
9 Who's Yehoodi? 3:02
Matt Dennis / Bill Seckler
10 Fifteen Minute Intermission 2:47
Buddy Cannon / Sunny Skylar
11 Rhapsody in Rhumba 2:42
Cab Calloway / Buster Harding
12 Come on with the "Come On" 2:51
Cab Calloway / Andy Gibson
13 I Don't Stand a Ghost of a Chance With You 2:55
Bing Crosby / Ned Washington / Victor Young
14 Bye Bye Blues 2:48
David Bennett / Chauncey Gray / Frederick Hamm / Bert Lown
15 Papa's in Bed With His Britches On 2:29
Jesse Stone
16 Silly Old Moon 3:00
Cab Calloway / Andy Gibson
17 Boo-Wah Boo-Wah 2:43
Larry Clinton / Buster Harding
18 Sunset 3:06
Cab Calloway / Buster Harding
19 Yo Eta Cansa 2:54
Albert Socarras
20 Cupid's Nightmare 2:35
Don Redman
21 Levee Lullaby 2:35
Edgar Battle / Cab Calloway / Francis Shuman
22 Are You Hep to the Jive? 2:44
Cab Calloway / Buck Ram

CAB CALLOWAY AND HIS ORCHESTRA – 1940-1941 (1992) The Classics Chronological Series – 629 | FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Cab Calloway is in superior form throughout this CD (the tenth of 12 Calloway releases from the European Classics label), but it is often the short solos by his sidemen that attract one's interest, particularly those of trumpeter Dizzy Gillespie and tenor Chu Berry. By the last ten numbers (including his feature "Jonah Joins the Cab"), trumpeter Jonah Jones had become a member of the powerful band which could rank at the top echelon of swing orchestras. Calloway is also heard near the peak of his powers, and the highlights of this fine set include Benny Carter's "Lonesome Nights" (one of six instrumentals among the 22 numbers), "A Chicken Ain't Nothin' but a Bird," "Ebony Silhouette," "Hep Cat's Love Song," and two versions of "St. James Infirmary." Scott Yanow

Tracklist :
1     Goin' Conga 2:52
Alberto Iznaga    
2     Hot Air 2:54
Cab Calloway / Gene Novello
3     Lonesome Nights 3:01
Benny Carter / Irving Mills    
4     A Chicken Ain't Nothin' But a Bird 2:54
Emmett "Babe" Wallace
5     The Workers' Train 3:17
Cab Calloway / Arthur Shaftel / Sunny Skylar
6     North of the Mohawk Trail 3:26
7     Make Yourself at Home 2:52
Walter Bullock / Jule Styne
8     Run Little Rabbit 3:12
Andy Gibson
9     Willow Weep for Me 3:24
Ann Ronell
10     You Are the One in My Heart 3:12
Cab Calloway
11     Are You All Reet? 3:05
Cab Calloway / Jack Palmer
12     Ebony Silhouette 2:48
Milt Hinton / Benny Payne
13     Hep Cat's Love Song 3:05
Max Boyd / Cab Calloway / Andy Gibson
14     Jonah Joins the Cab 2:35
Cab Calloway
15     Geechy Joe 3:07
Cab Calloway / Andy Gibson / Jack Palmer
16     Special Delivery 2:58
Cab Calloway / Andy Gibson
17     Take the "A" Train 3:05
Billy Strayhorn    
18     Chattanooga Choo Choo 2:41
Mack Gordon / Harry Warren    
19     My Gal 2:43
Al Bernard
20     St. James Infirmary 3:20
Joe Primrose / Traditional    
21     St. James Infirmary 2:46
Joe Primrose / Traditional    
22     We Go Well Together 3:07
Walter Kent / Leo Robin

CAB CALLOWAY AND HIS ORCHESTRA – 1941-1942 (1991) The Classics Chronological Series – 682 | FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

The 11th of the European Classics label's 12 Complete Cab Calloway CDs (reissuing all of his studio recordings of 1930-42) has the last recordings of trumpeter Dizzy Gillespie and tenor Chu Berry with Cab; other soloists include trumpeter Jonah Jones and trombonist Tyree Glenn. Calloway retained his popularity throughout the World War II years and was still in prime form during these 22 recordings. Highlights include a memorable "Blues in the Night," "A Smo-o-o-oth One," "Virginia, Georgia and Caroline" and a new version of "Minnie the Moocher." All of the 12 Classics CDs are highly recommended to Cab Calloway and swing fans; they are perfectly done. Scott Yanow
Tracklist :
1 Hey, Doc! 3:16
Kim Gannon / Edgar Sampson
2 I See a Million People (But All I Can See Is You) 3:01
Una Mae Carlisle / Robert Sour
3 Conchita (Cares Nothing About Love) 2:51
Cab Calloway
4 Blues in the Night (My Mama Done Tol' Me) 3:10
Harold Arlen / Johnny Mercer
5 Mrs. Fiinnigan 2:48
J.C. Higginbotham / Redman
6 My Coo-Coo Bird (Could Swing) 2:51
Buster Harding
7 Says Who? Says You, Says I! 2:27
Harold Arlen / Johnny Mercer
8 The Mermaid Song 2:47
Cab Calloway & His Orchestra
9 Who Calls? 3:11
Stanley Hill / Johnny Marks
10 Nain Nain (No No) 3:15
Cab Calloway / Buck Ram
11 Tappin' Off 2:42
Buster Harding
12 A Smo-o-o-oth One 3:08
Benny Goodman
13 The Moment I Laid Eyes on You 3:17
Harold Arlen / Ted Koehler
14 Virginia, Georgia and Caroline 2:34
Cab Calloway / George A. Little / Larry Shay
15 Lordy 2:54
Oscar Hammerstein II / Sigmund Romberg
16 I Want to Rock 2:52
Larry Clinton / Buster Harding
17 I'll Be Around 3:10
Alec Wilder 
18 'Tain't No Good 3:13
Roy Jacobs / Leo Wood
19 Minnie the Moocher 3:15
Cab Calloway / Clarence Gaskill / Irving Mills
20 Let's Go Joe 3:09
Cab Calloway / Jack Palmer / J. Eric Smith
21 Ogeechee River Lullaby 3:37
Cab Calloway / Jack Palmer / Leo Wood
22 I Get the Neck of the Chicken 2:45
Frank Loesser / Jimmy McHugh

CAB CALLOWAY AND HIS ORCHESTRA – 1942-1947 (1998) The Classics Chronological Series – 996 | FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

The final CD of the Classic label's complete reissuance of Cab Calloway's 1930-47 recordings also includes the last recordings of Cab with his regularly working big band. This 1998 CD starts out with a couple of superior but originally rejected numbers ("What's Buzzin', Cousin?" and "Chant of the Jungle") from 1942, followed by a couple of rare V-disc numbers from 1944. Otherwise, the material dates from 1945 or 1947 with just two selections from 1946. During this era, the still-popular Calloway was finding it increasingly difficult to keep his orchestra together, as were all the other bandleaders, but the quality of his music remained fairly high, even touched slightly by bop in some of the arranged passages. Some of the vocals are a bit silly, particularly "Dawn Time and "Afternoon Moon," but there are also a few near-classic jive numbers. Highlights include the snobbish "A Blue Serge Suit With a Belt in the Back," "Don't Falter at the Altar" (released here for the first time), "The Jungle King" (one of two numbers done with a septet called the Cab-Jivers), "Give Me Twenty Nickels for a Dollar," "Two Blocks Down, Turn to the Left," "The Calloway Boogie," "Everybody Eats When They Come To My House," and the somewhat bizarre "The San Francisco Fan." Although Calloway dominates the music, there are scattered and consistently worthwhile solos by trumpeter Jonah Jones and tenors Ike Quebec and Sam "The Man" Taylor. Virtually all of these recordings are obscure, making the release of this music quite noteworthy both for swing collectors and Calloway fans. Recommended, as are all of the CDs in Classics' perfectly done Cab Calloway series. Scott Yanow  
Tracklist  :
1    Cab Calloway And His Orchestra–    What's Buzzin', Cousin? 2:38
Mack Gordon / Harry Owens
Vocals – The Cabaliers
2    Cab Calloway And His Orchestra–    Chant Of The Jungle    3:18
 Nacio Herb Brown / Arthur Freed
3    Cab Calloway And His Orchestra–    I'm Making Believe 1:50
Vocals – Dotty Salters
 Mack Gordon / James V. Monaco
4    Cab Calloway And His Orchestra–    Foo A Little Ballyhoo    3:01
 Cab Calloway / Buster Harding / Jack Palmer
5    Cab Calloway And His Orchestra–    Let's Take The Long Way Home    2:36
 Harold Arlen / Johnny Mercer
6    Cab Calloway And His Orchestra–    Foo A Little Bally-hoo    3:01
 Cab Calloway / Buster Harding / Jack Palmer
7    Cab Calloway And His Orchestra–    All At Once    2:50
 Ira Gershwin / Kurt Weill
8    Cab Calloway And His Orchestra–    Dawn Time    3:01
 Eddie DeLange / Buster Harding
9    Cab Calloway And His Orchestra–    If This Isn't Love    2:57
 Cab Calloway
10    Cab Calloway And His Orchestra–    A Blue Serge Suit With A Belt In The Back    2:26
 John Fortis / Max Spickol
11    Cab Calloway And His Orchestra–    Here I Go Just Dreamin' Away    2:47
 Al J. Neiburg / William Henri Woode
12    Cab Calloway And His Orchestra–    The Honeydripper    2:55
 Joe Liggins
13    Cab Calloway And His Orchestra–    Afternoon Moon    3:09
 Eddie DeLange / Duke Ellington
14    Cab Calloway And His Orchestra–    Hey Now, Hey Now    2:55
 Cab Calloway / Stanley Hill
15    Cab Calloway And His Orchestra–    I Got A Gal Named Nettie    3:06
 Cab Calloway
16    Cab Calloway And His Orchestra–    Hi-De-Ho Man    2:59
 Cab Calloway / Buster Harding / Jack Palmer
17    Cab Calloway And His Orchestra–    Necessity    2:52
 E.Y. "Yip" Harburg / Burton Lane
18    Cab Calloway And His Orchestra–    Oh Grandpa    2:59
 Cab Calloway / Stanley Hill / Bill Tennyson
19    Cab Calloway And His Orchestra–    Don't Falter At The Alter    2:40
 Cab Calloway
20    Cab Calloway And His Cab-Jivers–    Give Me Twenty Nickels For A Dollar    3:01
Wolf / Brandt
21    Cab Calloway And His Cab-Jivers–    The Jungle King    3:14
 Mort Dixon
22    Cab Calloway And His Orchestra–    Two Blocks Down, Turn To The Left    3:10
 Teddy Powell / Alex Rogers
23    Cab Calloway And His Orchestra–    San Francisco Fan    3:17
 Sammy Mysels / Dick Sanford
24    Cab Calloway And His Orchestra–    The Calloway Boogie    3:00
 Cab Calloway
25    Cab Calloway And His Orchestra–    Everybody Eats When They Come To My House    2:43
 Jeanne Burns / Cab Calloway
Credits
Alto Saxophone – Hilton Jefferson
Alto Saxophone, Baritone Saxophone – Andrew Brown (tracks: 1, 2), Charles Frazier (tracks: 16 to 19, 22 to 25), Rudy Powell (tracks: 7 to 15)
Baritone Saxophone – Greely Walton (tracks: 3 to 6)
Bass – Milt Hinton
Clarinet, Alto Saxophone – Alfred Gibson (tracks: 2 to 15), Jerry Blake (tracks: 1)
Directed By – Cab Calloway
Drums – Buford Oliver (tracks: 12, 13), Cozy Cole (tracks: 1, 2, 14, 15), J.C. Heard (tracks: 3 to 11), Panama Francis (tracks: 16 to 25)
Guitar – Danny Barker (tracks: 1 to 13), John Smith (tracks: 14 to 25)
Piano – Bennie Payne (tracks: 1, 2, 14, 15), Dave Rivera (tracks: 3 to 13, 16 to 25)
Tenor Saxophone – Bob Dorsey (tracks: 7 to 15), Ike Quebec (tracks: 3 to 15), Irving "Skinny" Brown (tracks: 2 to 6), Sam Taylor (tracks: 16 to 25), Ted McRae (tracks: 1), Walter "Foots" Thomas (tracks: 1, 2)
Trombone – Earl Hardy (tracks: 14 to 19, 22 to 25), Fred Robinson (tracks: 3 to 13), James Buxton (2) (tracks: 16 to 19, 22 to 25), John Haughton (tracks: 9 to 11), Keg Johnson (tracks: 1 to 8, 12 to 19, 22 to 25), Quentin Jackson (tracks: 1 to 19, 22 to 25)
Trombone, Vibraphone – Tyree Glenn (tracks: 1 to 15)
Trumpet – Johnny Letman (tracks: 16 to 19, 22 to 25), Jonah Jones, Lammar Wright (tracks: 1, 2, 16 to 19, 22 to 25), Paul Webster (tracks: 3 to 13, 16 to 19,to 25), Roger Jones (tracks: 5 to 15), Russell Smith (tracks: 1 to 15), Shad Collins (tracks: 1 to 15)
Vocals – Cab Calloway (tracks: 1, 2, 4 to 25)

CAB CALLOWAY AND HIS ORCHESTRA – 1949-1955 (2003) The Classics Chronological Series – 1287 | FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Having spent years showcasing his own personality while diminishing the importance of the instrumentalists in his bands, Cab Calloway groveled during the early '50s, resorting to every imaginable gimmick and often sounding positively desperate. Two rather forced duets with Eugenie Baird employ exactly the same material as Pearl Bailey and Hot Lips Page were using during that same time period. These somewhat irritating covers are as different as can be from the fine artistry of Pearl and Page. "Rooming House Boogie" actually rocks, and Sam Taylor has a good hot solo. An overbearing tribute to Joe Louis is followed by the misogynistic "Your Voice." Notoriously intolerant of new musical ideas when young Dizzy Gillespie worked in his orchestra, by 1949 Cab had the unmitigated gall to sing a stupid novelty called "I Beeped When I Shoulda Bopped." This in itself was a gross imitation of Dizzy Gillespie's hit record "He Beeped When He Shoulda Bopped." Musical genres alternate as if Cab's career has been stuffed into a Waring blender. "Pero Que Jelengue," "La Mucura," and to some extent "Que Pasa Chica" are interesting examples of Calloway getting in touch with his Latino background. Cab should have done this more often! "The Duck Trot" has a bit of conga drumming and the tough tenor sax of Ike Quebec. On "Shotgun Boogie," Cab attempts to emulate Tennessee Ernie Ford. "One for My Baby" depicts a pathetic, lonely man trying to bond with his bartender. In 1952 Calloway began recording as a star vocalist backed by various orchestras rather than his own. Some of these tunes sound as if they were written expressly for Webb Pierce or Lefty Frizzell. There's a significant influx of material from the country & western market. "Hey Joe" was sent up by Homer & Jethro under the title "Hay Schmo." Why Cab Calloway tried to sing these songs, or indeed more than half of the material gathered together on this disc, is a mystery that can only be explained by economic straits and the often horrifying pop culture landscape of the 1950s. While Ray Charles was able to triumph with this kind of music, Calloway merely sounded like he was cornered by circumstances. arwulf arwulf  
Tracklist  :
1    Cab Calloway And His Orchestra–    Baby It's Cold Outside 2:17
Vocals – Eugenie Baird
2    Cab Calloway And His Orchestra–    The Huckle-Buck    2:27
3    Cab Calloway And His Cab Jivers–    Ol' Joe Louis 2:31
Choir [Uncredited] – The Cab Jivers
4    Cab Calloway And His Cab Jivers–    Your Voice 2:36
Speech [Uncredited] – Maud McElroy
5    Cab Calloway And His Cab Jivers–    Rooming House Boogie    3:20
6    Cab Calloway And His Cab Jivers–    I Beeped When I Shoulda Bopped    2:35
7    Cab Calloway And His Orchestra–    The Duck Trot    3:10
8    Cab Calloway And His Orchestra–    Pero Que Jelengue    2:44
9    Cab Calloway And His Orchestra–    The Keeper Of The Blues    2:44
10    Cab Calloway And His Orchestra–    La Mucura    2:51
11    Cab Calloway And His Orchestra–    Que Pasa Chica    2:31
12    Cab Calloway And His Orchestra–    Shot Gun Boogie    3:00
13    Cab Calloway And His Orchestra–    Frosty Morning    2:35
14    Cab Calloway And His Orchestra–    One For My Baby    3:28
15    Cab Calloway Acc. By Jimmy Carroll And His Orchestra–    I'll Get By    2:47
16    Cab Calloway Acc. By Jimmy Carroll And His Orchestra–    Minnie The Moocher    3:05
17    Cab Calloway Acc. By Jimmy Carroll And His Orchestra–    Gambler's Guitar (Gamblers' Blues)    2:31
18    Cab Calloway Acc. By Jimmy Carroll And His Orchestra–    Hey Joe    2:25
19    Cab Calloway Acc. By Sy Oliver And His Orchestra–    Jilted    2:06
20    Cab Calloway Acc. By Sy Oliver And His Orchestra–    Such A Night    2:07
21    Cab Calloway Acc. By Sy Oliver And His Orchestra–    Unchained Melody    2:45
22    Cab Calloway Acc. By Sy Oliver And His Orchestra–    Learning The Blues    2:35
Credits
Alto Saxophone – Bernie Peacock (tracks: 1, 2), Hilton Jefferson (tracks: 5, 6)
Bass – Milt Hinton (tracks: 1 to 6)
Drums – Panama Francis (tracks: 1 to 6)
Piano – Dave Rivera (tracks: 1 to 10)
Reeds – Leon "Diamond" Washington (tracks: 3, 4), S.A. Stewart (tracks: 3, 4)
Tenor Saxophone – Ike Quebec (tracks: 7 to 10), Sam "The Man" Taylor (tracks: 1, 2, 5, 6)
Trombone – John "Streamline" Ewing (tracks: 3, 4), Keg Johnson (tracks: 1, 2), Tyree Glenn (tracks: 5, 6)
Trumpet – Jonah Jones (tracks: 1 to 10)
Vocals – Cab Calloway