THE CAB CALLOWAY ORCHESTRA
Directed by Christopher Calloway Brooks — “The Prince of Hi-De-Ho”
The Cab Calloway Orchestra brings the unmistakable sound, style and excitement of one of the greatest entertainers of the Big Band era back to the stage.
Directed by Cab Calloway’s grandson, Christopher Calloway Brooks, the Orchestra carries forward a remarkable musical legacy born during the Harlem Renaissance, when the Cotton Club, the Savoy Ballroom and the great dance halls of New York were alive with the sounds of jazz and swing.
With his larger-than-life personality, dazzling showmanship and unmistakable “Hi-De-Ho,” Cab Calloway became an American entertainment icon. His orchestra helped define the hot swing and jump sound of the 1930s and ’40s, and became a proving ground for some of the most important musicians in jazz.
Dizzy Gillespie, Milt Hinton, Ben Webster, Jonah Jones, Cozy Cole, Doc Cheatham and Illinois Jacquet were among the extraordinary musicians who performed with Cab Calloway, while the legendary Nicholas Brothers were also closely associated with his stage and film performances.
Throughout his remarkable career, Calloway performed alongside many of the biggest names in entertainment, including Louis Armstrong, Duke Ellington, Lena Horne, Pearl Bailey, Eartha Kitt and others. His influence reached across generations, from the golden age of radio and the great jazz clubs of Harlem to film, television and Broadway.
Christopher Calloway Brooks had the rare opportunity to perform alongside his grandfather as a member of Cab Calloway’s band and was part of the orchestra during Cab’s resurgence in popularity following his unforgettable performance of “Minnie the Moocher” in the 1980 film The Blues Brothers. As Cab grew older, he asked Christopher to take over as leader of the orchestra. Christopher was already building a successful music career of his own and wasn’t ready to make that move—but years later, he would find himself at the helm of the orchestra his grandfather had made famous.
THE SONGS
Minnie the Moocher • The Jumpin’ Jive • The Calloway Boogie • St. James Infirmary • Hi-De-Ho • The Scat Song • Jitter Bug • Basin Street Blues • Bugle Call Rag • Blues in the Night • Wake Up and Live • You Rascal You • Everybody Eats When They Come to My House • Some of These Days • Beale Street Mama • Nobody’s Sweetheart
Under the direction of Christopher Calloway Brooks, The Cab Calloway Orchestra carries that legacy forward with the driving rhythms, soaring horns, infectious swing and showmanship that made Cab Calloway a legend.
“From the first ‘Hi-De-Ho’ to the final swinging note, The Cab Calloway Orchestra keeps the music, showmanship and extraordinary legacy of Cab Calloway alive on stage.”
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