Part 2: The Forties, from stardom to decline Read the full story →

Part 4: The renaissance years Read the full story →

Mae Diggs was a singer, dancer, drummer, bandleader, composer and producer. She sang popular songs of the day, sultry blues numbers, and her own compositions.  She danced, usually solo on stage, with sexy, exotic moves dressed in a variety of costumes including a collection of evening gowns.  She played the drums.  She produced entire night club productions and occasionally conducted jazz bands and, for over twenty years, fronted a Rhythm & Blues combo. This is her story of resilience and reinvention. Read the full story →

Read the full story →

Read the full story →

Part 3: The Fifties and the last tentatives Read the full story →

Now forgotten and eclipsed by Milt Hinton, his brilliant successor in Calloway’s orchestra, Albert ‘Al’ MORGAN (August 19, 1908, New Orleans – April 14, 1974, Los Angeles), however, benefits from the image of an exceptional double bass player, considered one of the pioneers of slapping, in the same ranks as Wellman Braud or Pops Foster. During his career, Al Morgan walked his bass from the Riverboats on the Mississippi to New York, Europe, Boston, and Hollywood. PART 2: After Cab Calloway, in California Read the full story →

Is there a curse for the Cab Calloway’s musicians from the rhythm section? Like Cab’s first pianist, Earres Prince with Benny Payne, like guitar player Morris White with Danny Barker, like Al Morgan with bass player Milt Hinton, drummer Leroy Maxey remains in the shadow of his successor Cozy Cole. And yet, Leroy ‘Cash’ Maxey had long been the drummer of the Missourians when Cab took over as leader of the band. Jazz historians have since recognized him as a classic drummer, notable for his use of the bass drum pedal and his four-to-the-floor technique. The Hi de Ho Blog will tell you what we know about the man who was a small star in his time, a great seducer (almost a bigamist) who was fired overnight by Cab because he couldn’t play an up-to-date solo... + Vintage drummers specialist Nicholas D. Ball offers deep research on Maxey’s playing and drum kit. A must-read! Read the full story →

Now forgotten and eclipsed by Milt Hinton, his brilliant successor in Calloway’s orchestra, Albert ‘Al’ MORGAN (August 19, 1908, New Orleans – April 14, 1974, Los Angeles), however, benefits from the image of an exceptional double bass player, considered one of the pioneers of slapping, in the same ranks as Wellman Braud or Pops Foster. During his career, Al Morgan walked his bass from the Riverboats on the Mississippi to New York, Europe, Boston, and Hollywood. PART 4: Back in California Read the full story →