Cab Calloway tribute by his daughter Chris Calloway planned at Quick Center

Cab Calloway tribute by his daughter Chris Calloway planned at Quick Center

Image: Chris Calloway A tribute to the "King of Hi-De-Ho," Cab Calloway, by his daughter, Chris Calloway, is planned on Friday, March 16, at 8 p.m., in Fairfield University's Regina A. Quick Center for the Arts. Chris Calloway is a highly regarded vocalist who, with the Hi-De-Ho Orchestra, will pay homage to her dad's timeless music and his "Legacy of Swing."

Cab Calloway's "Legacy of Swing" celebrates the extraordinary musicianship of the big band sound, his showmanship and his scatty vocal style of flamboyant jazz. The show, adapted from its debut at the 1999 JVC Jazz Festival, includes original Calloway arrangements, some of which have not been heard in 50 years.

Chris' career began on the "Ed Sullivan Show" when her dad introduced her to the world some 30 years ago. She has spent the majority of the past 20 years performing with her father and his Hi-De-Ho Orchestra as they toured the United States, Europe, South America, Japan and Australia.

From her humble beginnings as a singing hat-check girl at New York's Improvisation, the Catskill Mountains circuit, and a brief stint with the Lionel Hampton Orchestra, Chris began her Broadway career with the acclaimed all-black production of "Hello Dolly," starring her dad and Pearl Bailey. She followed that with a nine-month tour with the musical revue "Eubie," and then moved on to Hollywood where she hosted her own talk radio and music shows.

Sharing the stage with Chris and the orchestra is dance sensation Chester Whitmore, who performed with the legendary Cab Calloway and who also choreographs the show's dance sequences. The program includes such Calloway hits as "Jungle King" and "Jumpin' Jive," as well as a tribute to the Cotton Club where the live broadcasts of the orchestra launched its leader to stardom. And, of course, no Cab Calloway concert would be complete without a rousing rendition of "Minnie the Moocher."

Tickets to the Cab Calloway tribute are $35 and $30 with discounts available for seniors, students and groups. For more information call the box office at (203) 254-4010 or toll free at 1-877-ARTS-396.

Posted On: 02-15-2001 09:02 AM

Volume: 33 Number: 136