"Are You Hep To The Jive?" by CAB CALLOWAY (August 1994 US Columbia/Legacy CD Compilation of Remasters - Part of the "Columbia Legacy Rhythm & Soul" Series of Reissue CDs) - A Review by Mark Barry...

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"…Don't Falter At The Altar! All Reet Then!"

With the USA in the grips of the 1929 Stock Market Crash and the subsequent 1930's Depression - Rochester's CAB CALLOWAY was 23 and making $50,000 a year, driving around in a Lincoln Continental, wearing white evening silk suits and fur coats whilst betting on leggy ponies and traversing even friskier molls. 

Coming away from your first listen to these fabulous-sounding Cotton Club Forties dancers (remastered to perfection) - you're left with an admiration for the sheer life-force of the man, your feet shuffling uncontrollably whilst sporting a big zoot suit grin on your flustered mush.

Musically and personally you'd compare Cab Calloway to that other genius of the period - LOUIS JORDAN and His Tympany Five. Both (big) bandleaders stood like giants in the Thirties and Forties - staggeringly good American R'n'B and Jazz Vocalist entertainers who elicited huge affection amongst the public and musicians alike. Cab also received a deserved resurgence in popularity from his dynamite appearance with Dan Ackroyd and John Belushi in the 1980 film "The Blues Brothers" doing his trademark "Minnie The Moocher" with a sassily dressed orchestra behind him. What a guy! 

Here's the Gravy Davey, the Baloney Tony and the Pancake Mandrake...

US released August 1994 - "Are You Hep You To The Jive?" by CAB CALLOWAY on Columbia/Legacy Rhythm and Soul CK 57645 (Barcode 886972330426) is a CD Compilation of Remasters that breaks down as follows (64:55 minutes):

1. Boo-Wah Boo-Wah (1940, Okeh 5774, A)

2. Are You All Reet? (1941, Okeh 6053, A)

3. Hey Now, Hey Now (1946, Columbia 37081, B-side to "I Got A Gal Named Hettie")

4. Everybody Eats When They Come To My House (1947, Columbia 38171, A)

5. Are You Hep To The Jive? (1940, Okeh 5804, A)

6. The Calloway Boogie (1947, Columbia 38227, A)

7. Hep Cat's Love Song (1941, Okeh 6192, A)

8. Papa's In Bed With His Britches On (1940, Okeh 5731, A)

9. What's Buzzin' Cousin (from the picture "Song Of The Islands") (Recorded February 1942, PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED)

10. Twee-Twee-Tweet (1939, Vocalion 5126, A)

11. Come On With The "Come On" (1940, Okeh 5687, B-side of "(I Don't Stand) A Ghost Of A Chance")

12. Chant Of The Jungle (Recorded July 1942, PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED)

13. I Want To Rock (1942, Okeh 6616, B-side of "I Ain't No Good")

14. Oh! Gram'Pa (1947, on the album "Cab Calloway 1935-1947" on Columbia CG 32593)

15. The Jungle King (You Ain't Done A Doggone Thing) (1947, Columbia 37500, B-side of "Give Me Twenty Nickels For A Dollar")

16. Don't Falter At The Alter (Recorded February 1947, PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED)

17. Who's Yehoodi? (1940, Okeh 5566, B)

18. A Chicken Ain't Nothin' But A Bird (1940, Okeh 5847, A)

19. Tarzan Of Harlem (1939, Vocalion 5267, B-side of "Bee Gezindt")

20. Minnie The Moocher (1942, Okeh 4753, A)

21. Boog It (1940, Vocalion 5444, A)

22. Foo A Little Bally-Hoo (1945, Columbia 36786, B-side of "Let's Take The Long Way Home")

The 12-page booklet has wildly enthusiastic and funny liner notes by AL QUAGLIERI who explains just how huge Calloway was way back when. Quaglierei quite rightly wax's lyrical about Calloway's brilliance/fearlessness with words - which (like Louis Jordan) made so many of his dancing hits so memorable. They were fun and sassy and the right side of rude and gigglesome. The booklet also has a couple of period black and white publicity photos and a track-by-track breakdown.

But the big news (apart from three tasty Previously Unreleased tracks) is the new VIC ANESINI remasters which are breathtakingly good - especially given the Vintage of the material. He later went on to transfer The Byrds, Simon & Garfunkel, Carole King, Janis Joplin, Hall & Oates, Stevie Ray Vaughan, The Jayhawks and Elvis Presley's vast catalogue (all to much praise). Anesini is a name I actively seek out when looking for quality remasters. The artwork also reflects a generic look across the whole of Columbia/Legacy's "Rhythm and Soul" Series of CD reissues. The whole thing has a classy feel to it...

With song titles like "Papa's In Bed With His Britches On", "Chicken Ain't Nothin' But A Bird" and "Don't Falter At The Alter" - you can sense the fun from a mile away. Lyrics like "Papa's got lipstick on his cheek and a knot on his chin..." or "it's your last free mile, so smile brother smile..." or "eat it with tomatoes, rice and potatoes..." paint pictures. His scatting vocals on "Foo A Little Bally-Hoo" are typical - he plays off the boys in the background - they answer in equally silly hoots and hollers - the lowbrows and the highbrows. And all of it in amazing sound...

"...Get with the Banana Hannah, try a Tomato Plato, don't be so picky Mickey..." - Cab Calloway coaxes on the lyrically brill "Everybody Eats When They Come To My House". Get this CD in your home and wonder how you lived without the Lilly-Frilly and Skeedlee-Biddlee? Great Googly Moo and All Root Baby!

Titles in Columbia/Legacy's "Rhythm & Soul" Series of CD Remasters

1. The Complete Okeh Sessions 1952-1955 - BIG MAYBELLE

2. Are You Hep To The Jive? - CAB CALLOWAY (and His Orchestra)

3. Unforgettable - ARETHA FRANKLIN

4. Funky Family - THE ISLEY BROTHERS

5. Beautiful Ballads - THE ISLEY BROTHERS

6. Lady Marmalade: The Best Of - PATTI LaBELLE and LABELLE

7. Everybody Loves A Good Time: The Best Of - MAJOR LANCE

8. If You Don't Know Me By Now: The Best Of - HAROLD MELVIN and THE BLUE NOTES

9. Give The People What They Want - THE O'JAYS

10. Love Train: The Best Of - THE O'JAYS

11. In Philadelphia - THE O'JAYS

12. They Rock! They Roll! They Swing! - The Best Of - THE TRENIERS

13. From Philly With Love - VARIOUS ARTISTS

14. Legacy's Rhythm and Soul Revue - VARIOUS ARTISTS (Sampler)

15. Lost Soul - VARIOUS ARTISTS

16. The Okeh Rhythm & Blues Story 1949-1957 - VARIOUS ARTISTS

17. Let's Jump Tonight! The Okeh Sessions 1951-1956 - CHUCK WILLIS

18. Lean On Me: The Best Of - BILL WITHERS