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A lot of folks don't know there even IS a link between Cab Calloway and rock and roll. But it works like this: Cab was the inspiration for a LOT of Louis Jordan's sound. Jordan even recorded at least one of Cab's songs ("A Chicken Ain't Nothing But a Bird'. Cab's version is available on this CD) Louis' producer went on to do Bill Haley. Louis' guitar player (Paul Hogan) was an inspiration for Chuck Berry. The tracks sound amazing. Recorded between 1939 and 1947 for Okeh, they're clear and clean and have been restored wonderfully. The dates put them in the jive era, you can hear the influence of Goodman and Miller on the arrangements and the vocal accompaniment. The songs are sequenced to sound good next to each other, not strictly in order they were recorded...Cab, I think, would have liked it this way...he always wanted a good time and a good sound FIRST. Both Jordan and Calloway have been given the cold shoulder by a lot of critics. Both were said to be too HAPPY and having too much FUN to be serious music. (Erroll Garner had to put up with the same thing...they said he was too BEAUTIFUL to be jazz..) Make no mistake, this is carefully arranged and wonderfully performed music that was made to make you happy and still be top drawer. Guys like Dizzy Gillespie cut their teeth with Cab's band. Many regard Calloway's outfit as second only to the Ellington unit. 22 songs, all mono. All will make you groove. My copy cost me less then 4 bucks. At any rate, it's relaxing, beautiful and...rocken'Read full review
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