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