Best of the Big Bands

Chu Berry, Cab Calloway | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (March 1, 2008)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Sbme Special Mkts.
• ASIN: B0012GN0XK
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  Audio Cassette  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 3.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #228,863 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

1. Minnie the Moocher

2. Beale Street Mama

3. Angeline

4. Bye Bye Blues

5. Minnie the Moocher's Wedding Day

6. Dinah

7. Wake up and Live

8. Pickin' the Cabbage

9. You Gotta Ho-De-Ho (To Get Along With Me)

10. Reefer Man

11. The Jumpin' Jive

12. Manhattan Jam

13. I Gotta Go Places and Do Things Baby to Forget You

14. Eadie Was a Lady

15. Take the "A" Train

16. F.D.R. Jones

Editorial Reviews

Best Of The Big Bands by Cab Calloway

This product is manufactured on demand using CD-R recordable media. Amazon.com's standard return policy will apply.

--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars The songs are great but not the sound quality, March 30, 2005

By 

Greg Brady "columbusboy" (Capital City) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Cab Calloway Featuring Chu Berry (Audio CD)

I'm aware that these are very old recordings (1937-39 vintage) but there really is a TON of hiss on this CD. That, plus the fact that the overall signal level is low (it's "quiet" compared to other CDs of the era I've heard) make it not a great buy.

If you've been looking at this because of the specific tracks on it, every one of these is available on a 4 CD JSP box set (for $28.98 new, about $21 used) called EARLY YEARS (ASIN B000095IY9) and the sound is better if you compare sound samples.

If you're new to Cab and don't want to plunk down the dough for a multi-disc set, the best single disc compilation I've heard thus far is ARE YOU HEP TO THE JIVE? (ASIN B0000029FN). That one is a fantastic selection of songs with informative liner notes, good sound, and a few interesting rarities.

BOTTOM LINE: By all means get some Cab Calloway for your collection but don't buy THIS particular CD.

9 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great Calloway Compilation!, January 24, 2002

By 

K. Brown "El Rudo Lucky Pierre!" (Walnut, Ca USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Best Of The Big Bands (Audio CD)

This is the first of four Cab Calloway compilations I bought, and it reigns as my favorite. This series starts off with Calloway's coolest rendition of "Minnie the Moocher," followed by "Beale Street Mama," one of those hep songs with an upbeat melody but sorrowful lyrics. Why this tune didn't make the rounds on more Cab Calloway compilations puzzles me; his rendition is one of those great examples of Calloway's smooth yet rambling vocals.

"Minnie the Moocher's Wedding Day" is an awesome follow up to the original tune. This works opposite the "Beale Street Mama" tune: Calloway sings about Minnie's upcoming wedding in wealthy spectacular description, yet there is something haunting - almost funereal- in the melody. This seems like one of those songs that many would cover, but without Calloway and his orchestra's sweet touch, it would lose the overall little spirit.

The majority of songs on this CD are all-around upbeat numbers like "Wake Up and Live" and "Dinah." These are some of those happy-go-lucky melodies that have the magic touch of entering your cerebral database, leaving you humming the melody as you go about your day.

While this is my favorite Cab Calloway CD, there is a diverse selection of compilations that are just as solid; this just happens to be my personal pick. I would highly recommend it if you want to get a diverse sampling of his work.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars great stuff.,, December 26, 2003

By 

COMPUTERJAZZMAN "computerjazzman" (Cliffside Park, New Jersey United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Best Of The Big Bands (Audio CD)

this is a great CD, although the compilation on the CD "Are You Hep To The Jive" is just a wee bit better.........fortunately, the only song that is on both of them is Minnie the Moocher, so if you get them both, you've got a lot of great stuff.