4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Fun and romance with Cab Calloway, April 1, 2001
This review is from: 1939-1940 (Audio CD)
"Cab Calloway and His Orchestra, 1939-1940" brings together 22 classic tracks by a great American band. Superb vocal and instrumental performances are evident on every song.
This is a diverse collection. Some standouts include the romantic "A New Moon and an Old Serenade," the mournful "Ghost of Smoky Joe," and the humorous "Jiveformation Please." Many songs contain imaginative touches: the opening dialogue to "For the Last Time I Cried Over You," the bird calls on "Twee-Twee-Tweet," the bilingual Spanish/English rap on "Chili Con Conga," and more. Many of the songs employ the hip slang of the era, and others show a Latin influence. Although the fake "Chinese" talk on "Chop, Chop, Charlie Chan (From China)" may offend some today, I think that song should be placed in historical and cultural context.
This is a delightful CD, full of humor, romance, and great musicianship. If you are interested in the musical heritage of the United States, you simply can't do without the marvelous work of Cab Calloway.
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