CAB CALLOWAY: "Interview", "Jumpin' Jive- feat The Nicholas Brothers", "Calloway Boogie", "Some Of These Days", "Reefer Man", "Minnie The Moocher", & "St. James Infirmary" ... (BLACK HISTORY | HARMON LOFT PT.17)

      

**** Cab Calloway Official Site

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***** CUNY TV: Day at Night: Cab Calloway, singer and bandleader ... (video/ interview 02 April 1974)

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This entry into the music/ arts honour roll society of this journal/ blog will be to honour the great jazz legend "Cab Calloway" (wikipedia). I also decided to add this in the "Black History | Harmon Loft" series of this journal/ blog, because I think that my friend Harmon, would have wanted Cab in this series, Harlem was Harmon's area of New York City, and that series is for/ of Harmon. Cab was from Rochester (NY), moved to Baltimore at age 11, and his desire started there as a kid to pursue singing and entertaining, then trying to get to Chicago to sing, and finally New York. He says his dad wanted him to be a lawyer, like his dad, he even took his shot at law school in Chicago, but was hooked on music. Cab was also in a number of movies, and recieved many awards, to being inducted into the Big Band and Jazz Hall of Fame. The first black artist to sell 1 million records off a single, "Minnie The Moocher" (1931) ... and back then, I believe it was on the old 78 rpm shellac 10"/ 12" inch disk record ... my grandmother actually had some of them. I been intending to get Cab in here for some time, since I like jazz and swing, especially that 1920s to 1940s era, because Cab had such a long line of musicians that he influenced up to present day ... today you have folks like "Caravan Palace" with some great work. One of the last appearances Cab made on the screen, would have been in Janet Jackson's "Alright" video (YouTube), which was about Cab, and in his fashion, this was 1990. I particularly loved his unique trademark style of scat singing, jazz vocals, piano, and jazz orchestra work. For those interested, I included a 1974 interview with him above, which he really gets into detail about how his career kicked off, folks he worked with from the clubs to Broadway. Lucky for Cab as well, was not only looking up to Louis Armstrong (wikipedia) as a influence he loved for his horn and vocal work, but actually being able to play and sing for Louis as well, who probably gave Cab the biggest break of his career, in my view. I remember the first time I seen JG Thirlwell (as Foetus), I was thinking ... Cab Calloway as an influence, not just vocals, but the music and horns. Cab even set a sort of fashion trend in his day, wearing the zoot suits, the jacket was because he liked jackets with long tails, and the hat he designed himself. He also had his trademark with the way he got his audience to participate, which he said came accidentally, as far as the "Hi- De- Ho" sing- along.

To me, what really made his work such a big influence in jazz, was his years with the Cotton Club. In 1931 when Cab and his Orchestra were asked to fill in for Duke Ellington, while the Duke was on tour, is what done it ... that led to being offered the permanent position for them at the club. I mean, when you get a permanent position/ house band like that at a place like The Cotton Club, which was like the place to be back in that day, for New York late night entertainment, it builds and sustains a large following over time, like any successful long running show. I chose some videos below to try to catch some of that spirit of then. The opening piece "Jumpin' Jive", from the 1943 musical/ film "Stormy Weather", I included the colourized version, and a treat in here features "The Nicholas Brothers" (wikipedia), these guys are outstanding, some really good dance/ choreography. Songs like "Minnie The Moocher" and "Reefer Man" were quite controversial back in those dayz, with lyrics that refer to cocaine, opium, and marijuana use ... which was actually quite widespread back in those dayz, as far as drug usage ... but kept in the closet. The "Some Of These Days" cover is short, I love the orchestra, guitar, and vocal work on it by Cab ... this song goes back to 1910 from Sophie Tucker, written by Shelton Brooks. I wanted to close out with the long classic "St. James Infirmary", which Louis Armstrong made famous in 1928, another cover that so many have done ... here is Bobby Blue Bland also doing it ... and another cover of it here with a unique twist, by Bridge City Sinners (2016). And Thanx to Cab and his Orchestra for all the great music .... Enjoy!




Stormy Weather in color- The Nicholas Brothers and Cab Calloway | Colorized with DeOldify ... Thanx to Black Pepper Swing **** the name of this song is "Jumpin' Jive"





Calloway Boogie- Cab Calloway ... Thanx to Lloyd T.





Cab Calloway "Some Of These Days" 1937 ... Thanx to harryoakley




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***** "RCJ MUSIC/ ART'S HONOUR ROLL SOCIETY" A THRU M

***** "RCJ MUSIC/ ART'S HONOUR ROLL SOCIETY" N THRU Z

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***** PD | RCJ: "BLACK HISTORY | HARMON LOFT" ... PART'S 16 THRU 1

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Cab Calloway- Reefer Man (1932) ... Thanx to PilotOfTheAirwaves1





Cab CALLOWAY "Minnie The Moocher" !!! ... Thanx to JUSTASITTINANDAROCK





Cab Calloway- St. James Infirmary (1930 version) ... Thanx to UbiquitousLazar




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