Cab Hi De Ho Calloway

Born Cabell Calloway III on 25 December (Christmas) 1907 in Rochester, New York, extraordinary performer, Cab Calloway, was the younger brother by nearly six years of Blanche Calloway. Upon graduating from high school, this zoot-suited indisputable master of hi-de-ho and jive joined his sister in the traveling revue, 'Plantation Days'. He then attended Crane College while playing drums in various Chicago nightclubs, eventually becoming vocalist for the Alabamians. He next led a band called the Missourians in 1930, which would become Cab Calloway and His Orchestra.

Calloway is early associated with a few of the more notable night clubs in New York City, the Cotton Club, the Savoy Ballroom and the Apollo Theater. The Cotton Club had first been the Club Deluxe opened in 1920 by heavyweight boxer, Jack Johnson. Mobster, Owney Madden, bought the place in 1923 after some time in prison and called it the Cotton Club. He ran the joint through the Prohibition into the Great Depression until 1935 when pressured to leave NYC for Hot Springs, Arkansas, where he died thirty years later in 1965. The Cotton Club remains in business to this day, though not at its original location: what was 142nd and Lenox Avenue is now 656 W 125th Street. The Savoy at 140th and 141st Streets in the Harlem had opened its doors in 1926 until 1958 when it was demolished to make space for a Delano Village housing project. The Apollo Theater had opened in 1913 and is yet in business today. Per 'Viper's Drag' below, a viper is someone who uses marijuana. Calloway sings vocals throughout this presentation.

'Gotta Darn Good Reason Now'   Cab Calloway and His Orchestra

24 July 1930 in NYC   1 of 2 takes both issued on Brunswick 4936

Early issues credited to The Jungle Band

Credited to the Missourians and Cab Calloway on VJM ULPS8

Trumpet: R.Q. Dickerson / Lammar Wright / Reuben Reeves

Trombone: DePriest Wheeler / Harry White

Clarinet / sax: William Thornton Blue / Andrew Brown   Sax: Walter "Foots" Thomas

Piano: Earres Prince   Banjo: Morris White

Tuba / bass: Jimmy Smith   Drums: Leroy Maxey

Composition: DePriest Wheeler / Lamar Wright

'The Viper's Drag'   Cab Calloway and His Orchestra

12 Nov 1930 in NYC   Matrix 10246-1   Perfect 15412

Trumpet: R.Q. Dickerson / Lammar Wright / Reuben Reeves

Trombone: DePriest Wheeler / Harry White

Clarinet / sax: William Thornton Blue / Andrew Brown

Sax: Walter "Foots" Thomas (flute)

Piano: Earres Prince   Banjo: Morris White

Tuba / bass: Jimmy Smith   Drums: Leroy Maxey

Composition: Fats Waller   1930

Calloway and his young orchestra filled Duke Ellington's vacant spot at the Cotton Club so that Ellington could tour. Ellington would then fill Calloway's vacancy while the latter toured. Due to Ellington, Calloway's fame was early made, as NBC regularly broadcasted live from the Cotton Club. Calloway made his first recordings in 1930 with his orchestra, those in New York City on July 24 toward 'Got a Darn Good Reason Now' (two takes on Brunswick 4936), 'I'll Be a Friend with Pleasure' (unissued) and 'St. Louis Blues' (Brunswick 4936) [Lord], those issued that year [Discogs]. He soon began scoring high on the popularity charts when 'St. Louis Blues' reached #16. His first issue to breach the Top Ten (my convention) was 'Kickin' the Gong Around' at #4 in 1931. Following that he topped the charts at #1 with his overall best-selling title, 'Minnie the Moocher'. Music VF shows Calloway ringing the Top Ten bell eleven times during his career from 1931 to 1946:

    Kickin' the Gong Around   #4   1931
   Minnie the Moocher   #1   1931
   St. James Infirmary   #3   1931
   Tickeration   #8   1931
   Minnie the Moocher's Wedding Day   #8   1932
   Chinese Rhythm   #6   1934
   Moon Glow   #7   1934
   Angels with Dirty Faces   #3   1938
   (Hep-Hep) The Jumpin' Jive   #2   1939
   Blues in the Night (My Mama Done Tol' Me)   #8   1942
   The Honeydripper   #3 R&B   1946
  

Calloway's famous 'Minnie the Moocher' was recorded with 'Doin' the Rhumba' for Brunswick in NYC on March 3, 1931. He also held engagements at the Savoy in 1931 with his arranger, Walter Thomas.

'Minnie the Moocher' aka 'The Ho De Ho Song'   Cab Calloway and His Orchestra

3 March 1931 in NYC   Matrix E-36212-A   Brunswick 6074

Composition: Clarence Gaskill / Irving Mills / Cab Calloway

'The Nightmare'   Cab Calloway and His Orchestra

17 June 1931 in NYC   Matrix 10711-3   Perfect 15494

Composition: Yuri Worontschak / Gina Riley

'Reefer Man'   Cab Calloway and His Orchestra

9 June 1932 in NYC   Matrix 11923-A   Banner 32944

Music: Joseph Russel Robinson   Lyrics: Andy Razaf

Calloway had begun to appear in films in 1932 per a couple of shorts, 'Minnie the Moocher' filmed around January, and 'Just a Gigolo' released in September on which he preformed 'The Scat Song'. His first full length feature film was also released that year, 'The Big Broadcast'. Per below, to "kick the gong" is to smoke opium.

'Kickin' the Gong Around'   Cab Calloway and His Orchestra   Film

From 'The Big Broadcast' directed by Frank Tuttle   Released 14 Oct 1932

Music: Harold Arlen   Lyrics: Ted Koehler

'Zaz Zuh Zaz'   Cab Calloway and His Orchestra

2 Nov 1933   Matrix BS-78505   Victor 24557 / Bluebird B-5677

Composition: Harry White / Cab Calloway

'Cab Calloway's Hi-De-Ho'   Cab Calloway and His Orchestra   Short film

Filmed May-June 1934 toward release on 24 Aug 1934

Directed by Fred Waller for Paramount

Composition: Harry White / Cab Calloway

IMDb   Wikipedia

'Jitterbug Party'   Cab Calloway and His Orchestra   Short film

Directed by Fred Waller for Paramount   Released 24 May 1935

Trumpet: Edwin Swayzee / Lammar Wright / Doc Cheatham

Trombone: DePriest Wheeler / Harry White

Reeds: Eddie Barefield / Andrew Brown / Arville Harris / Walter Thomas

Piano: Bennie Payne   Guitar: Morris White

Bass: Al Morgan   Drums: Leroy Maxey

IMDb   Library of Congress   Wikipedia

'Keep that Hi De Ho in Your Soul'   Cab Calloway and His Orchestra   Film

From the film 'The Singing Kid' directed by William Keighley for Werner Brothers

Released 11 April 1936

Composition: Mills / White / Calloway

IMDb   Wikipedia

'Mama, I Wanna Make Rhythm'   Cab Calloway and His Orchestra   Film

From the film 'Manhattan Merry-Go-Round' directed by Charles Reisner

Released 26 Nov 1937

Composition: Jerome Jerome / Richard Byron / Walter Ken

IMDb   Internet Archive   Letterboxd   Wikipedia

Calloway published his 'Hepsters Dictionary: Language of Jive' in 1938, revisions to follow to 1944. Later into the forties he wrote a column called 'Coastin' with Cab' for 'Song Hits Magazine'. Per 'Skunk Song' further below, contributing to vocals are the Cabaliers who worked with Calloway at the Apollo. They were originally a trio called The Palmer Brothers consisting of Clarence, Ernie and Dick. They became the quartet named The Cabaliers in 1942 with the addition of Billy Green.

'The Ghost of Smokey Joe'   Cab Calloway and His Orchestra

28 March 1939 in NYC   Matrx WM-1011-1   Vocalion 4807

Trumpet: Shad Collins / Irving Randolph / Lammer Wright / Doc Cheatham

Trombone: Claude Jones / Keg Johnson / DePriest Wkeeler

Clarinet / alto sax: Chauncey Haughton / Andrew Brown

Tenor sax: Chu Berry / Walter Thomas

Piano: Bennie Payne   Guitar: Danny Baker

Bass: Milton Hinton   Drums: Cozy Cole

Music: Rube Bloom   Lyrics: Ted Koehler

'(Hep-Hep!) The Jumpin' Jive'   Cab Calloway and His Orchestra

17 July 1939 at Liederkranz Hall in NYC   Matrx WM-1057-A   Vocalion v5005

Trumpet: Mario Bauza / Irving Randolph / Lammar Wright

Trombone: Claude Jones / Keg Johnson / DePriest Wheeler

Clarinet / alto sax: Chauncey Haughton / Andrew Brown

Tenor sax: Chu Berry / Walter Thomas

Piano: Bennie Payne   Guitar: Danny Baker

Bass: Milton Hinton   Drums: Cozy Cole   Arrangement: Edgar Battle

Composition: Frank Froeba / Jack Palmer / Cab Calloway

'Geechy Joe'   Cab Calloway and His Orchestra

5 March 1941   Matrx 29868-1   Okeh 6147

Composition: Andy Gibson /Jack Palmer / Cab Calloway

'Skunk Song'   Cab Calloway and His Orchestra   Soundie (video jukebox)

Released 30 May 1942

Trumpet: Russell Smith / Shad Collins (solo) / Jonah Jones / Lammar Wright

Trombone: Keg Johnson / Quentin Jackson / Tyree Glenn

Reeds: Jerry Blake / Hilton Jefferson / Andrew Brown / Teddy McRae / Walter Thomas

Piano: Bennie Payne   Guitar: Danny Baker

Bass: Milton Hinton   Drums: Cozy Cole

Vocals: Calloway / Tyree Glenn / the Cabaliers

Composition: Frank Froeba / Jack Palmer / Cab Calloway

IMDb   IMDb (reviews)  Jazz on Film   Library of Congress

Hollywood was another venue elemental in Calloway's career both as a musician and actor. Among his more notably cited films is 'Stormy Weather' in 1943. He appeared as Sportin' Life in the 1953 Broadway presentation of 'Porgy and Bess'.

'Geechy Joe'   Cab Calloway and His Orchestra   Film

From 'Stormy Weather' filmed in Los Angeles Jan 1943

Directed by Andrew L. Stone   Released 21 July 1943

Composition: Andy Gibson /Jack Palmer / Cab Calloway

'My, My, Ain't That Somethin''   Cab Calloway and His Orchestra   Film

From 'Stormy Weather' filmed in Los Angeles Jan 1943

Directed by Andrew L. Stone   Released 21 July 1943

Composition: Cab Calloway

'(Hep-Hep!) The Jumpin' Jive'   Cab Calloway and His Orchestra   Film

From 'Stormy Weather' filmed in Los Angeles Jan 1943

Directed by Andrew L. Stone   Released 21 July 1943

Dancing by the Nicholas Brothers (Fayard Antonio & Harold Lloyd)

Composition: Frank Froeba / Jack Palmer / Cab Calloway

'Calloway Boogie' aka 'Cab's Club'   Cab Calloway

Snader telescription of 1950

Trumpet: Jonah Jones   Piano: Dan Rivera

Bass: Milt Hinton   Drums: Panama Francis

Composition: Allen Leroy Gibson / Cab Calloway

'Minnie the Moocher'   Cab Calloway   Unidentified tape (presumed) of 1955

Composition: Clarence Gaskill / Irving Mills / Cab Calloway

'Caldonia' / 'When the Saints Go Marching In'   Cab Calloway   Television

Unidentified tape of 1960   Italy

Personnel unknown

Composition 'Caldonia': Louis Jordan 1945

 Composition 'When the Saints Go Marching In': Wikipedia

In 1976 Thomas Crowell published Calloway's memoir, 'Of Minnie the Moocher and Me' with assistance from Bryant Rollins.