The Early Years: 1930-34 [Box set, Original recording remastered]

Cab Calloway | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (October 9, 2001)
• Original Release Date: 1930
• Number of Discs: 4
• Format: Box set, Original recording remastered
• Note on Boxed Sets: During shipping, discs in boxed sets occasionally become dislodged without damage. Please examine and play these discs. If you are not completely satisfied, we'll refund or replace your purchase.
• Label: Jsp Records
• ASIN: B00005O13O
• Also Available in: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #66,661 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)
  • #25 in Music > Jazz > Jive Jazz

Track Listings

Disc: 1

1. Gotta Darn Good Reason Now (For Bein' Good)

2. St. Louis Blues

3. Sweet Jennie Lee

4. Happy Feet

5. Yaller

See all 25 tracks on this disc

Disc: 2

1. Black Rhythm

2. Six Or Seven Times

3. Bugle Call Rag

4. You Rascal, You

5. Stardust

See all 24 tracks on this disc

Disc: 3

1. Angeline

2. I'm Now Prepared To Tell The World It's You

3. Swanee Lullaby

4. Reefer Man

5. The Old Man Of The Mountain

See all 23 tracks on this disc

Disc: 4

1. Evenin' - Cab Calloway And His Cotton Club Orchestra

2. Harlem Hospitality - Cab Calloway And His Cotton Club Orchestra

3. The Lady With The Fan - Cab Calloway And His Cotton Club Orchestra

4. Harlem Camp Meeting - Cab Calloway And His Cotton Club Orchestra

5. Zaz Zuh Zaz - Cab Calloway And His Cotton Club Orchestra

See all 22 tracks on this disc

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

As a young singer Cab Calloway was at his most exuberant, and The Early Years: 1930-1934 has plenty of that exuberance on offer. In 1930, just before his recording debut, he took over a powerful band called the Missourians, and their best soloists (R.Q. Dickerson on trumpet and Thornton Blue on clarinet) can be heard on the first of these four CDs, which includes a startling "St. Louis Blues" as well as the original version of the famous "Minnie the Moocher." Calloway, in spite of a rather nasal tone, was a technically gifted singer who approached songs with the improvising skills of a jazz musician. No doubt because of this he ensured that his bands always swung and contained soloists of character. His repertoire here mixes well-known songs such as "Somebody Stole My Gal" and "I've Got the World on a String" with obscure delights like "Black Rhythm" and "Eadie Was a Lady," but Calloway imparted a unique flavor to whatever he sang. The value of this bargain package is enhanced by the audio restoration work of the expert John R.T. Davies, who has extracted more sonic detail from these old recordings than one would have thought possible. --Graham Colombé

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

27 of 27 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Hi-De-Ho! What a deal on the best of Cab Calloway!, March 31, 2004

By 

Claude Avary "West Coast Reader" (Los Angeles, CA USA) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: The Early Years: 1930-34 (Audio CD)

JSP Records from the U.K. has really been doing a bang-up, first-rate job with these CD box sets of classic swing jazz: they offer complete chronological catalogs of great artists, re-mastered with terrific sound, and sold at amazing prices! I've enjoyed their Django Rheinhardt, Bill Wills, and Louis Jordan box sets, and this collection of Cab Calloway and His Orchestra (the first of two) is another triumph.

This set encompasses the earliest recordings in Cab's incredible career, starting with his first session with the musicians who had once been the Missourians (they changed to the Cab Calloway orchestra when he became their singer) through his years as the top act at the Cotton Club. Before Benny Goodman made swing a commercial smash, Cab and his orchestra were swingin' hard, and you can hear in these first four years of recordings. His band leaps from hot jazz to hard swing to Cab's bizarre slow blues that became his trademark (exemplified in "Minnie the Moocher," heard in two different versions in this set). Cab Calloway was a remarkable showman, a born entertainer, a funny guy, and a unique singer. He was also an exceptional bandleader, and this extensive collection of songs lets you savor the musicianship of the boys in the band in a way that wasn't previously possible.

The first CD shows the band and Cab finding their identity. Cab seems a bit hesitant on the first track, his first recording as a leader, "Gotta Darn Good Reason (For Bein' Good)," but with the second track, a recording of the already old "St. Louis Blues," he finds his groove and starts having fun. And the fun never stops after this.

Here are some of the classic and un-earthed gems and other delightful treasures you'll find here:

Two recordings of "Minnie the Moocher," the first of which is extremely different from what people usually think of the song. (The most famous version wasn't recording until 1942). You'll also hear two of the sequels to "Minnie the Moocher": "Kickin' the Gong Around" (two versions) and "Minnie the Moocher's Wedding Day." Cab does some great nonsense scatting with "Zaz Zuh Zaz," "Hotcha Razz-Ma-Tazz," "The Scat Song," and "Wah-Dee-Dah." Some of the songs have strong racial overtones that reflect the kind of shows the Cotton Club put on for the white patrons: "Yaller," "Black Rhythm," and "Strictly Cullud Affair." These are somewhat unpleasant songs if you focus on the lyrics, but extremely interesting from the historical perspective. (The excellent liner notes discuss Cab's opinion about having to sing songs like this.) And then there's the extremely naughty, but red-hot song about marijuana, "Reefer Man." Cab also croons quite well on some very pretty, slow blues numbers, even though ballad singing wasn't his strength: "I Gotta Right to Sing the Blues," "Stardust," and "Six or Seven Times" are among the best tracks on these CDs. Some other personal favorites of mine: "Aw You Dog," instrumentals like "Moon Glow" and "Mood Indigo" that show how great a band was backing up Cab, and the defiant "I Gotta Go Places and Do Things," and...

Oh, there's just too much that's good on these CDs! And how can you turn it down at this price? You also get four informative booklets (actually, it's one continuous set of liner notes spread over four booklets) that detail the history of band, it's many exceptional players, and background on the racial situation of the times, which ties very closely into Cab Calloway's music. This information will help you appreciate the genius of Cab Calloway and His Orchestra even more.

And if you like this, make sure to get JSP's Volume 2 set of Cab Calloway, covering 1935-1940.

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars AN OLD FAN OF THE TALENTED ONE., August 11, 2002

By 

Evelyn O. Simon "webstore owner" (South Florida. U.S.A.) - See all my reviews
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Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: The Early Years: 1930-34 (Audio CD)

Anything to do with Cab Calloway I've got it. I'm a fan of his and always will be. These well organized CD's gives out that crisp sound of the 1930's down home jazz melody; that only Cab can sing out. This is the only CD that gives you all of his hits of the 1930's. The first recording of Minnie the moocher, Kickin' the gong around, you gotta hi de ho (To get along with me) and many more. You haven't heard Cab Calloway until you've heard him in his early years. This is a perfect introduction to your jazz collection.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Excellent Compilation, November 7, 2003

By 

Thomas Bumbera (Maplewood, NJ USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The Early Years: 1930-34 (Audio CD)

This compilation of early (31-34) Calloway features excellent sound quality and a first-rate band backing up the King of Jive. At a great bargain price, this set is recommended for those who like their 30s swing served hot.