Search - Duke Ellington, Cab Calloway :: 1939-40/Crusin' With Cab Calloway

An excellent showcase for Calloway and his sidemen.

Bedrock Fred | Alexandria, VA | 03/16/1999

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Casual Cab Calloway fans might be somewhat put off by this collection of radio broadcasts from the 1940s, but there's a lot to like here for the serious Calloway devotee. Tracks 1-6 are from a 1940 radio broadcast, while tracks 7-12 were recorded in 1945, with very good sound quality from both dates. At first I was disappointed that only five of the twelve tunes feature Calloway on vocals. However, the more I listen to it, the more I appreciate the talents of Calloway's sidemen (including Dizzy Gillespie, Chu Berry, J.C. Heard and Cozy Cole). Among the vocal tracks, highlights include "Hard Times," "15 Minute Intermission" (featuring a call-and-response vocal with the band) and "Boog It." Instrumental highlights include "Limehouse Blues," "Cruisin' with Cab" and "Russian Lullaby." The band swings in high gear throughout this disc, proving that Calloway was not only a great singer and bandleader, but also a fine judge of talent."