[Dixielandjazz] Feeny the non-Novelty Act (Cab Calloway)

[Marek Boym]

I have the Lp referred to below, and I couldn't agree more with
Robert!  Absolutely outstanding!
I may not be a great lover of vocals, but some time after getting the
CBS LP I bought a European RCA LP of Cab Calloway, 1933-1934
recordings, and I still consider it among the best big bands records I
have (and I have lots of Basie, Shaw, BG, the Duke, et al).
Cheers
>
> To say that Cab Calloway's band was more novelty act than orchestra -- as did a Mr Feeny quoted in a recent post -- is idiotic, ignorant!
> Deaf!!!
>
>His bands were of the best, and even when not allowed to show that much the distinguished players and their companions were never merely competent even when merely supporting a vocal display. Hence the depth of regret that the band didn't get to record more qua band.
>
>
> A very long time ago perhaps Bert Bradfield, certainly someone in France, inspired the local CBS company to include in their jazz series a wonderful selection of I think sixteen sides by the late 1930s Calloway band, and I mean band. There was a little vocalising on one or two numbers, but he had some of the most accomplished jazzmen of the day in the most accomplished band he could assemble and sustain, and during the period in which Dizzy Gillespie was there with Milt Hinton, Cozy Cole, Danny Barker, Chu Berry, Hilton Jefferson and so on, there was as never before a proper LP's worth of performances to demonstrate the magnificence of the orchestra.