Chili Con Conga

Cab Calloway

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No one would consider Cab Calloway a Latin singer or one who spent much time performing rumbas, but “Chili Con Conga” is an exception of sorts.

Recorded Oct. 17, 1939 at a time when Mario Bauza (soon to join Machito) and Dizzy Gillespie were in his trumpet section, “Chili Con Conga” has several of Calloway’s musicians doubling on percussion and creating reasonable Latin rhythms along with drummer Cozy Cole.

Calloway sings the nonsensical lyrics with his usual enthusiasm and does a good imitation of a Cuban singer imitating Calloway!

– Scott Yanow

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