FM
Biography
Augustus Kwamla or Kwamlah Nii-lante Quaye, better known as Cab Kaye (September 3, 1921, London - March 13, 2000, Amsterdam) was an English jazz multi-instrumentalist.
Kaye's father, Caleb Quaye (b. Ghana, 1895 - 1922), performed in London under the name Ernest Mope Desmond and led an ensemble called the Five Musical Dragons, in which Arthur Briggs, Sidney Bechet, and George "Bobo" Hines played. Kaye worked as an assistant to Billy Cotton from age 14, and sang with this group on record in 1936. He started on drums the following year, and played with Ken "Snakehips" Johnson for a time before working as a merchant marine. His ship was torpedoed in the Pacific Ocean in 1942; he was not injured and was rescued by airplane, but the plane crashed and he was hospitalized in New York City as a result. Upon his return to London late in the year he sang with Harry Parry, then formed a group briefly in 1943 which included Ronnie Scott among its members.
