Cab Calloway was a true great. Throughout his career as a bandleader, a singer, and an all-around performer, Calloway left a distinct mark on music, and on American history as well.
With band members such as the infamous trumpeter Dizzy Gillespie, Calloway really did hang with the best in the business. He was a key member of the Harlem Renaissance, and he became a regular at the infamous Cotton Club in Harlem. Later in his career, he appeared on TV broadcasts, helping to break the color barrier in television.
His style is unmistakable, both musically and physically. With his little mustache that he sported for his entire professional life, and his totally free, almost spastic movement that he danced entirely un-self-consciously, he was impossible to miss when he stood in front of his band. But when he started to sing? That's when the real magic happened! His impeccable scatting skills are yet to be rivaled, even to this day, and the theatricality he brought to jazz was something so special.
When Calloway performed a song called 'The Calloway Boogie," it was virtually impossible to sit still, or to hold back a smile. The lyrics alone are enough to make you laugh:
"Here's a little tune, we're gonna play it for you
T'ain't nothin' to it and it's easy to do
Called the Calloway Boogie
It's the Calloway Boogie
Keeps you groovy 24 hours a day"
… And keep you groovy, he will do!
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