Cab Calloway Orchestra

The Cab Calloway Orchestra, based at the exclusive Cotton Club in Harlem, was, for more than a decade, one of the most important jazz bands in America. Different lineups featured the best available established musicians.

In 1930, Cab Calloway was hired to replace Duke Ellington at the Cotton Club, and recorded for Brunswick and the ARC dime store labels (Banner, Cameo, Conqueror, Perfect, Melotone, Banner, Oriole, etc.) from 1930–1932. In 1932, he signed with Victor for a year, but he was back on Brunswick in late 1934 through 1936, when he signed with manager Irving Mills's short-lived Variety in 1937, and stayed with Mills when the label collapsed and the sessions were continued on Vocalion through 1939, and then OKeh Records through 1942.

When the Cotton Club closed in 1940, Calloway and his band went on a tour of the United States.

In 1941 Calloway fired Dizzy Gillespie from his orchestra after an onstage fracas. Calloway wrongly accused Gillespie of throwing a spitball; in the ensuing altercation Gillespie stabbed Calloway in the leg with a small knife.

The band broke up in the late 1940s.

Date Range of DAHR Recordings: 1930 - 1961

Roles Represented in DAHR: Musical group

= Recordings are available for online listening.
= Recordings were issued from this master. No recordings issued from other masters.

Recordings (Results 1-25 of 35 records)

Company Matrix No. Size First Recording Date Title Primary Performer Description Role Audio
Columbia C3519 10-in. 1/16/1941 Willow weep for me Cab Calloway Orchestra ; Cab Calloway ; Hilton Jefferson Jazz/dance band Musical group  
Columbia 29867 10-in. 3/5/1941 Jonah joins the Cab Cab Calloway Orchestra ; Cab Calloway ; Cab Calloway ; Jonah Jones Jazz/dance bandJazz/dance band, with male vocal solo Musical group  
Brunswick E33353 10-in. 7/24/1930 Gotta darn good reason now (For bein’ good) Jungle Band [Cab Calloway Orchestra] Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo Musical group  
Brunswick E33355 10-in. 7/24/1930 St. Louis blues Jungle Band [Cab Calloway Orchestra] Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo Musical group  
Brunswick E35878 10-in. 12/23/1930 Is that religion? Cab Calloway Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo Musical group  
Brunswick E35879 10-in. 12/23/1930 Is that religion? Cab Calloway Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo Musical group  
Brunswick E35880 10-in. 12/23/1930 Some of these days Cab Calloway Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo Musical group  
Brunswick E35881 10-in. 12/23/1930 Nobody’s sweetheart Cab Calloway Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo Musical group  
Brunswick E35882 10-in. 12/23/1930 St. James’ Infirmary Cab Calloway Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo Musical group  
Brunswick E36212 10-in. 3/3/1931 Minnie the moocher Cab Calloway Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo Musical group  
Brunswick E36213 10-in. 3/3/1931 Doin’ the rumba Cab Calloway Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo Musical group  
Brunswick E36803 10-in. 6/11/1931 Black rhythm Cab Calloway Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo Musical group  
Brunswick E36804 10-in. 6/11/1931 Six or seven times Cab Calloway Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo Musical group  
Brunswick E37220 10-in. 9/23/1931 Bugle call rag Cab Calloway Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo Musical group  
Brunswick E37221 10-in. 9/23/1931 You rascal, you Cab Calloway Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo Musical group  
Brunswick E37265 10-in. 10/21/1931 Ain’t got no gal in this town Cab Calloway Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo Musical group  
Brunswick E37266 10-in. 10/21/1931 Between the devil and the deep blue sea Cab Calloway Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo Musical group  
Brunswick E37267 10-in. 10/21/1931 Trickeration Cab Calloway Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo Musical group  
Brunswick E37268 10-in. 10/21/1931 Kickin’ the gong around Cab Calloway Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo Musical group  
Decca 109760 10/20/1960 Lost weekend Cab Calloway Orchestra Musical group  
Decca 109761 10/20/1960 Dancing man Cab Calloway Orchestra Musical group  
Decca 109762 10/20/1960 I'll follow you Cab Calloway Orchestra Musical group  
Decca 109763 10/20/1960 Just wait Cab Calloway Orchestra Musical group  
Decca 111171 10/4/1961 Basin Street blues Cab Calloway Orchestra Musical group  
Decca 111172 10/4/1961 The birth of the blues Cab Calloway Orchestra Musical group  
(Results 1-25 of 35 records)

Citation

Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Cab Calloway Orchestra," accessed March 29, 2024, https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/112476.

Cab Calloway Orchestra. (2024). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved March 29, 2024, from https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/112476.

"Cab Calloway Orchestra." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2024. Web. 29 March 2024.

DAHR Persistent Identifier

URI: https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/112476

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