“With [Reuben] Reeve’s trumpet and the Nanton-styled soloing of DePriest Wheeler, the band had quite an Ellington flavor.” This is how Steve Voce, the famous British jazz columnist, described Cab Calloway’s faithful trombonist, DePriest WHEELER, in a 1957 interview of the maestro. Now completely forgotten, although Wheeler enjoyed a certain degree of recognition in the 1930s, alongside Cab, with whom he made most of his career. PART 1: Life BEFORE Cab Calloway... Read the full story →

  Jazzmen and Freemasonry… You almost never read articles on this topic despite the fact that all jazz musicians are deeply spiritually minded! Undoubtedly because there is little study on jazz and Freemasonry. French jazz musician and researcher Raphaël IMBERT initiates us into the relationship between jazz and Masonic lodges, and in a more general overview, spirituality, with his book “Jazz Supreme: Initiés, Mystiques et Prophètes,” (L’éclat poche, 2018). Published in French and updated several times, it is revered as the international reference on this matter. By empowering African Americans, Freemasonry also allowed jazzmen to create a new corporatism close to a fraternity. The Hi De Ho Blog is particularly focused on Brother Cab Calloway, who was introduced to Masonry by his musicians.   Read the full story →

“Minnie the Moocher” starring Betty Boop and Cab Calloway, bounces along just like the hot jazz number on the soundtrack. Still popular today on social media, with colorized and high-definition restorations, the 8 minutes of film is a funny musical dream sequence with various animated creatures singing along to the title tune, supplying plenty of hi-de-ho’s in response to Cab’s singing. Read the full story →