The Early Years: 1930-34 [Box set]

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

Tracks:

Gotta Darn Good Reason Now (For Bein' Good)
St. Louis Blues
Sweet Jennie Lee
Happy Feet
Yaller
The Viper's Drag
Is That Religion?
Some Of These Days
Nobody's Sweetheart
St. James' Infirmary
Dixie Vagabond
So Sweet
Minnie The Moocher
Doin' The Rumba
Mood Indigo
Farewell Blues
I'm Crazy 'Bout My Baby
Creole Love Song (Creole Love Call)
The Levee Low-Down
Blues In My Heart
My Honey's Lovin' Arms
The Nightmare
It Looks Like Susie
Sweet Georgia Brown
Basin Street Blues

Tracks:

Black Rhythm
Six Or Seven Times
Bugle Call Rag
You Rascal, You
Stardust
You Can't Stop Me From Lovin' You
You Dog
Somebody Stole My Gal
Ain't Got No Gal In This Town
Between The Devil And The Deep Blue Sea
Trickeration
Kickin' The Gong Around
Down-Hearted Blues
Without Rhythm
Corinne Corinna
Stack O' Lee Blues
The Scat Song
Cabin In The Cotton
A Strictly Cullud Affair
Aw You Dawg
Minnie The Moocher's Wedding Day
Dinah
How Come You Do Me Like You Do?
Old Yazoo

Tracks:

Angeline
I'm Now Prepared To Tell The World It's You
Swanee Lullaby
Reefer Man
The Old Man Of The Mountain
You Gotta Ho-De-Ho (To Get Along With Me)
Strange As It Seems
This Time It's Love
Git Along
Hot Toddy
I've Got The World On A String
Harlem Holiday
Dixie Doorway
Wah-Dee-Dah
Sweet Rhythm
Beale Street Mama
That's What I Hate About Love
The Man From Harlem
I Gotta Right To Sing The Blues
My Sunday Gal
Eadie Was A Lady
Gotta Go Places And Do Things
Hot Water

Tracks:

Evenin' - Cab Calloway And His Cotton Club Orchestra
Harlem Hospitality - Cab Calloway And His Cotton Club Orchestra
The Lady With The Fan - Cab Calloway And His Cotton Club Orchestra
Harlem Camp Meeting - Cab Calloway And His Cotton Club Orchestra
Zaz Zuh Zaz - Cab Calloway And His Cotton Club Orchestra
Father's Got His Glasses On - Cab Calloway And His Cotton Club Orchestra
Minnie The Moocher - Cab Calloway And His Cotton Club Orchestra
The Scat Song - Cab Calloway And His Cotton Club Orchestra
Kickin' The Gong Around - Cab Calloway And His Cotton Club Orchestra
There's A Cabin In The Cotton - Cab Calloway And His Cotton Club Orchestra
I Learned About Love From Her - Cab Calloway And His Cotton Club Orchestra
Little Town Girl - Cab Calloway And His Cotton Club Orchestra
'Long About Midnight
Moon Glow
Jitter Bug
Hotcha Razz-Ma-Tazz
Margie
Emaline
Chinese Rhythm
Moonlight Rhapsody
Avalon
Weakness

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:

Great Collection - Ready for more!!!.......2004-12-27

While I'm a big fan of this collection, along with the continuing collection "1935-1940", I'd be really interested in knowing if JSP is planning on putting out a collection of Cab's 1940-1947 stuff. If such a collection exists from JSP & I'm just being ignorant, please let me know!

Great collection.......2004-11-12

I'm a very big Calloway fan and this is a very complete collection. Wonderfully put together and sounds just like I'm listening to an actual record. Amazing.

I will highly suggest this four disc set to everyone, a four disc set of one of the greatest jazz/blues singer and performer of the 1930's.

Hi-De-Ho! What a deal on the best of Cab Calloway!.......2004-04-01

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.

Excellent Compilation.......2003-11-07

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.

NICELY DONE, BOYS, NICELY DONE. BUY THIS SET!.......2003-04-29

Cab came out of the gate at full hepcat jive when these recordings were made. His youthful exuberance is well-represented by this great five-disc set, which has a price even someone who only knows "Minnie the Moocher" can love. BUY THIS SET and you will hear everything that made Cab an icon: a well-arranged hot band with some of the best soloists around, great songs, from standards to the famous novelty and scat classics, and a joy that will bring you out of the lowest mood. Thank you, JSP! BUY THIS SET! And then go out and buy a big white wide-brimmed hat and a zoot suit so you can jive with the best. GO CAB, GO!

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