Cab Calloway’s RCA Studio album “Hi-De-Hi-De-Ho” (1960)

Recorded in December 1958, this album was supposed to let people discover Cab Calloway’s “stylized vocal” in full stereo, backed by a big band orchestra. It was eventually released in June 1960! The Hi De Ho Blog tries to explain the story of those tracks, neglected by Jazz historians, forgotten by most but which are a lively experience of Cab Calloway’s sound and voice in this era: timeless! Read the full story →

Cab Calloway’s “Blues Make Me Happy”

Cab Calloway’s 1962 album of standards, Blues Make Me Happy has recently been released on CD on the Sepia label. The original Coral LP has been re-mastered and cleaned up for the first time using the CEDAR noise-reduction process, with rare bonus material from the Coral and ABC-Paramount labels.  The new CD “Blues Make Me Happy The ABC-Paramount and Coral Years 1956-1961” includes a booklet with full discographic details and very informative liner notes by Christopher POPA, webmaster of the Big Band Library website. It’s unfortunate that Cab didn’t record more albums of standards or contemporary tunes during this era, because he was at the height of his powers as a vocalist.  Although the rapid high-pitched scatting and vocal pyrotechnics of the hot-jazz 1930s were somewhat diminished, they were more than equaled by a mature and powerful voice, perfect diction and breath control, and an impressive three-octave range. The Hi De Ho Blog brings you the whole story, reviews the CD, and adds new information about this milestone yet underrated album.     Read the full story →

GONE album “Cotton Club Revue of 1958”

Released in March 1958 to support the Cotton Club Revue, which was then touring in Miami and the USA (see our forthcoming article), this LP is Cab Calloway’s very first album – in the modern sense. Despite genuine qualities, this record went straight into the dustbin of discographers and jazz critics. It seems nevertheless to warrant some interest since, besides its two releases at the time, an unofficial vinyl emerged 30 years ago and an official release even popped up on CD in August 2014. Read the full story →

“Cab Calloway ’68”: the everlasting album with Bugs Bower

In March 1968, Cab Calloway released an album entitled “Cab ‘68” with 11 songs arranged and conducted by Maurice Bugs BOWER. The LP was the first release by label P.I.P., of Pickwick International. Leaning on the Hello Dolly!’ success, Cab sang tunes from the Broadway repertoire with new arrangements that were also of a new kind for the 60 year old king of Hi De Ho. The goal? Reaching a new and younger audience. We’ve been lucky and honored to interview Dr. Bugs Bower who has fond memories of this record. You’d never guess he’s 92! Read the full story →

Cab Calloway's disco period at Hologram Records as told by Kris DiLorenzo

The Hi De Ho Blog has often favored the oldest career Cab Calloway periods. Considering them, the last decades of the King of Hi De Ho are very misinformed. It is mainly confined to The Blues Brothers movie and European tours, and then that's all. Thanks to Kris DiLorenzo, we can learn more about 1978 and the launch of the Minnie the Moocher Disco version. Since she was the Director of Publicity and was on the A&R Commitee of Hologram Records and therefore was publicizing Cab Calloway's record, her role was to promote his records and concerts, to capture media attention and serve as a link between the musicians and the press. Read the full story →

Another release of Porgy & Bess by AUDITE

    Nous vous avons récemment parlé du Porgy and Bess avec Cab Calloway dans le rôle de Sportin' Life enfin disponible en CD. Après avoir traîné de longues années dans les archives de la radio allemande, fait quelques apparitions chez les collectionneurs ou sur Internet, il y a désormais une deuxième édition du même enregistrement que je vous ai présenté en juillet dernier. Read the full story →

(New) CD of Cab Calloway broadcasts at Storyville

  Il faut toujours se féliciter de la parution de CD de Cab Calloway, même lorsqu'il s'agit de simples rééditions cachées sous de nouvelles pochettes. C'est le cas de ce double album de Storyville présentant Fats Waller et Cab Calloway dans de rares enregistrements radio pour le premier de 1936 et 1943 (l'un des ultimes concerts de Fats) et de 1940 et 1945 pour le second. Read the full story →

4CD-Boxset at Proper: “This is Hep!”

La maison de disques britannique PROPER a sorti le 14 avril 2008 une anthologie Cab Calloway dans un coffret de 4 CD et 104 titres. Rien de très nouveau dans la compilation, avec les mêmes enregistrements que ceux que l'on connaît habituellement. De "Gotta Darn Good Reason Now" (1930) à "I Beeped When I Shoulda Bopped" (1949), vous (re)trouverez de nombreuses facettes du roi du Hi de Ho, marketé cette fois-ci plus sous l'égide des branchés ("hep"). Read the full story →

45 RPM Fontana 462.101 (FRANCE, 1958) with liner notes by Boris Vian

  Voilà bien une des petites perles que tout amateur de Cab se doit d'avoir dans sa collection. Ne serait-ce que pour sa pochette exceptionnelle : une caricature d'une grande élégance représente Cab dans sa queue-de-pie blanche typique. Le dos de la pochette est signé George AVAKIAN, célèbre producteur de disques de jazz. Et c'est Boris VIAN qui s'est chargé de la traduction. A sa lecture, on pourra même constater que Vian a nettement réaménagé à sa manière, tant il était fan de Cab Calloway. D'ailleurs, il est même stipulé "d'après George Avakian"... Read the full story →

Chu Berry's 7CD Boxset at Mosaic Records

  Tous les amateurs de Cab Calloway connaissent bien Chu BERRY (1908-1941), saxophoniste ténor au talent prometteur, interrompu par un accident de voiture mortel en octobre 1941. Celui qui a inspiré Parker, Coltrane, celui que Ben Webster ou Coleman Hawkins redoutaient et admiraient à la fois, va avoir les honneurs d'un coffret intégrale chez MOSAIC Records.   Read the full story →