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"Eadie Was A Lady" as told by Keller WHALEN

“Eadie Was a Lady” was recorded by Cab Calloway on December 7, 1932. Today, The Hi De Ho Blog is happy to welcome an essay on this song, sharply written by one of the biggest Cab Calloway fan I know: Keller WHALEN. This American guy, friend of mine has digged the roots and the many covers of that song with such strange lyrics...   Read the full story →

Dotty SAULTERS: the petite singer larger than life (part 1)

She was the canary in Cab Calloway’s orchestra between 1943 and 1947 and her rather garish voice is heard on many live recordings… Nevertheless, she is actually a complete stranger in the eyes (especially the ears) of jazz connoisseurs.  Do not rely on reference books either: they do not even know she exists.  Yet Dotty SAULTERS was a helluva little woman, a singer and exceptional entertainer, not to mention a great tap dancer.  She was married to Honi Coles, the great tap dancer, and her life was always pulsed by the rhythm.  And what rhythm!  What a woman!  The Hi De Ho Blog reveals everything we know about Dotty Saulters. Here's the first of 3 part biography about Dotty: the first one is her life BEFORE working with Cab Calloway...   Read the full story →

The “ST. LOUIS BLUES” movie (1958): A MISSED OPPORTUNITY

St. Louis Blues (1958) starring Nat King Cole, Eartha Kitt, Pearl Bailey and Cab Calloway is a truly awful film with an outstanding cast.  Our friend and fellow Cab Calloway fan Keller Whalen has left no stone unturned in uncovering the behind-the-scenes details – he even watched the movie several times.  The Hi De Ho Blog is pleased to present a fascinating look at the story of how a bad film was made and the often hilarious reviews that followed its release.  Read the full story →

Edwin SWAYZE, The muted story of an extraordinary trumpet 3/4

Crowned “The King”, inspired by King Oliver, leader of his own band for a while, famous for composing Jitterbug, noted soloist on muted trumpet and high notes, Edwin Swayze is a musician who deserves to be rediscovered for his intense career that started in Arkansas, made him a bandleader, lead him twice to Europe, and ended abruptly at only 29 during a stay the world-famous Cotton Club in Cab Calloway’s orchestra. Part III: USA and Europe with Cab Calloway at the Cotton Club Read the full story →

Mabel GARRETT, The Story of a Cotton Club Girl (1/2)

Appearing just a few seconds dancing with Cab Calloway in the movie Manhattan Merry-Go-Round (1937), this graceful, tall and jumping dancer remained unidentified until we asked jazz dance historian Harri HEINILÄ from Helsinki to help us. Then, with the name in mind, after several weeks of research, we are now able to tell you the story of Mabel GARRETT whose dancing feet crossed those of Cab Calloway many times as well as the path of many other artists of the Harlem scene. A journey with one of those performers who made it on Broadway, on Harlem stages and then had to struggle when hard times come with age… Read the full story →

Cab Calloway on Television: 1 - The Thirties

Before merchandized television sets were sold to the American customer, a couple of movies using the primitive and experimental television as a futuristic subject of fantasy welcomed Cab Calloway in a couple of scenes. And that started as early as 1933! In this first episode in our series "Cab Calloway on Television" by decades, we'll see that even when the television invention is at its dawn, Cab Calloway already has many assets to become one of the new big stars of the small screen... Read the full story →

“Hi De Ho” (1937): the Cab Calloway Vitaphone movie with genuine actors… and real music! 2/2

“Hi De Ho” is a Vitaphone movie released on February 20, 1937 by Warner Bros in the Melody Masters Series, that wonderfully demonstrates the musical qualities and stage persona of Cab Calloway and his musicians. But there’s more to know about this 11-mn and 1 reel movie, rarely seen, and often ignored by jazz historians and film or theater scholars: his uncredited cast shows besides Cab three distinguished and established actors nobody noticed.  Until now! (PART 2/2) Read the full story →

Cab Calloway in the movie “Manhattan Merry-Go-Round”, 1937

Among the cameos Cab Calloway did in several movies, this one for Manhattan Merry-Go-Round remains quite obscure and barely appears in people’s minds when talking about jazz on screen. Yet, this short sequence within a mediocre “filmusical” produced by the low budget Republic Studio is in fact interesting for jazz and dance fans: the song, the music with a great tenor sax solo by Chu Berry in his only known filmed appearance and the Lindy Hoppers gyrations plus the peculiar advertising for the movie make it worth some attention. The Hi De Ho Blog tells you everything we know about it! Read the full story →

“Hi De Ho” (1937): the Cab Calloway Vitaphone movie with genuine actors… and real music! 1/2

“Hi De Ho” is a Vitaphone movie released on February 20, 1937 by Warner Bros in the Melody Masters Series, that wonderfully demonstrates the musical qualities and stage persona of Cab Calloway and his musicians. But there’s more to know about this 11-mn and 1 reel movie, rarely seen, and often ignored by jazz historians and film or theater scholars: his uncredited cast shows besides Cab three distinguished and established actors nobody noticed.  Until now! (PART 1/2) Read the full story →

ONE NIGHT CLUB AT A TIME: THE STORY OF MAE DIGGS (part 1)

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 →

“Don’t Be a Joe” (1947), the unreleased and lost movie with Cab Calloway

It takes a collector’s serendipity to find a clue about a movie nobody ever saw. When opening a program dated with pencil by the original owner “November 14, 1947,” we found at the penultimate page a mysterious photo with a tagline: “A scene from ‘DON’T BE A JOE’” After years of unsuccessful research to see this film and a last-minute discovery by jazz film specialist Mark Cantor, we have decided to share what little we know about it -- which is quite a bit considering the total absence of information in all the usual sources.  Plus some of our speculations are included for context. Read the full story →