The Swing Jazz of Louis Prima

Louis Prima

Source: Peoples

Some sources place the birth of trumpeter, vocalist and "Wild One," Louis Prima, in New Orleans on 7 December 1911. Others with overall greater authority in general and specific prefer 1910. Prima's parents were Sicilian immigrants, he growing up to play clubs in New Orleans before making New York City his home. He first worked, however, in Chicago, joining the David Rose Orchestra at radio station WGN in 1933. Prima's first issued recordings were with the Hotcha Trio on September 28, 1933 for the Bluebird label. With Rose on piano and Norman Gast on violin that session wrought 'Chinatown, My Chinatown', 'Sophisticated Lady' and 'Dinah'. A second session the next day produced 'Shadows', 'Jig-Saw Rhythm' and 'Jamboree'. Prima performs trumpet and/or vocals on all samples on this page.

'Chinatown, My Chinatown'   Louis Prima w the Hotcha Trio

Prima's first recording

9 Sep 1930 in Chicago   Matrix 77034-1    Bluebird 5296

Violin: Norman Gast   Piano: David Rose

Composition: William Jerome / Jean Schwartz

Prima first recorded with his New Orleans Gang on September 27, 1934, in New York City, two takes of 'Stardust' among those titles. The orchestra he put together began to score high on the charts in 1935 with 'Chasing Shadows' reaching the #14 tier in pop. Six of his releases achieved the Top Ten (my caps) beginning in 1935 with 'In a Little Gypsy Tea Room' at #4 followed by 'The Lady in Red' at #8 the same year. His top ten titles in R&B were 'The White Cliffs of Dover' in 1944 at #9, 'I'll Walk Alone' in 1944 at #9 and 'Robin Hood' in 1945 at #10. 'Bell Bottom Trousers' rose to #6 the same year. Unmentioned among the above was another title notably associated with Prima, that his composition, 'Sing, Sing, Sing', in 1936 on Brunswick 7628.

'Sing It Way Down Low'   Louis Prima and his New Orleans Gang

1 Nov 1934 in NYC   Matrix B16150-D    Decca F5777

Trombone: George Brunies   Clarinet: Sidney Arodin   Piano: Claude Thornhill

Guitar: George Van Eps   Bass: Bonnie Pottle   Drums: Stan King

Composition: Hoagy Carmichael / Jo Trent

'Sing, Sing, Sing'   Louis Prima and his New Orleans Gang

25 Feb 1936 in Los Angeles   Matrix LA-1106-A    Brunswick 7628

Clarinet: Pee Wee Russell   Tenor sax: Joe Catalyne   Piano: Frank Pinero

Guitar: Garry McAdams   Bass: Jack Ryan   Drums: George Pemberty

Composition: Louis Prima

'Cross Patch'   Louis Prima and his New Orleans Gang

17 May 1936 in Los Angeles   Matrix LA-1112-A    Brunswick 7680

Trumpet: Gene Lafreniere / Denny Donaldson   Trombone: Bill Atkinson

Alto sax: George Moore / Peyton Legare

Tenor sax: Pee Wee Russell (clarinet) / Joe Catalyne

Piano: Frank Pinero

Guitar: Garry McAdams   Bass: Jack Ryan   Drums: George Pemberty

Music: Vee Lawnhurst   Lyrics: Tot Seymour

'Swing Cats Jamboree'   Louis Prima   Film w Shirley Lloyd and Ted Gary

Directed by Roy Mack   Released 6 Aug 1938

IMDb   IMDb (titles performed in this film)

'The Blizzard'   Louis Prima and his Orchestra

June 1944   Matrix T-492-2   Hit / Majestic 7128

Trumpet: Al Porcino / Felix Roseman / Richard Smitz / John Bartalomea

Trombone: Milt Kabak / Al Tracey / Ralph Goldstein

Alto sax: Mike Dolka / Al Roseman

Tenor sax: Charles Remeley / Eldridge Westerfield

Baritone sax: Bob Carlson    Piano: Abe Login

Bass: Dan Sherret   Drums: Jimmy Vincent

Composition: Prima

Louis hired Keely Smith into his band in 1947 to replace Lily Ann Carol in Las Vegas the next year. The Prima-Smith duo, a study in contrasts with Smith exercising control, was the formula that brought each their greatest renown. Tom Lord's discography lists Smith's first recordings with Prima and His Orchestra in late 1949 in NYC for Mercury, two sessions yielding 'Charley My Boy', 'Yes, We Have No Bananas', 'I Beeped When I Shoulda Bopped', 'The Manuelo Tarantel' and 'Leap Before You Look'.

'That Was a Big Fat Lie'   Louis Prima and his Orchestra w Keely Smith

27 May 1949   Unissued

See the compilation 'Say It With a Slap' on Buddha Records 7446599614 2 / 1999

Trumpet: Al Porcino / Felix Roseman / Richard Smitz / John Bartalomea

Trombone: Milt Kabak / Al Tracey / Ralph Goldstein

Alto sax: Mike Dolka / Al Roseman

Tenor sax: Charles Remeley / Eldridge Westerfield

Baritone sax: Bob Carlson    Piano: Abe Login

Bass: Dan Sherret   Drums: Jimmy Vincent

Composition: Sammy Cahn / Jule Styne

Louis had married his first wife (Louise Polizzi) in 1929 until 1936. He then wed Alma Ross from 1936 to 1945. Come Tracelene Barrett from 1945 to 1952. Then Louis and Keely married in 1953. She contributed backup vocals to the 1956 issue of his composition, 'Jump, Jive and Wail'. That was also Prima's first session with his major sideman at saxophone, Sam Butera. Keely and Louis last performed together at the Desert Inn in Las Vegas in 1961, the year they divorced. Their last recordings together were released the same year on the album, 'Return of the Wildest'. Butera remained with Louis on a constant basis all the way to Prima's final recordings in 1975.

'Just a Gigolo' / 'I Ain’t Got Nobodyl'   Louis Prima w Sam Butera (sax) & the Witnesses

19 April 1956 in Hollywood   Matrix 15372   Capitol EAP2755

See the album 'The Wildest' on Capitol Records T755 / 1956

Trombone: James “Little Red” Blount

Piano: Willie McCumber   Guitar: Jack Marshall

Bass: Amado Rodrigues   Drums: Bobby Morris

Vocals: Prima / Keely Smith / Butera

Composition 'Just a Gigolo': Irving Caesar / Julius Brammer / Lewonello Casucci

Composition: 'I Ain't Got Nobody': Roger Graham / Spencer Williams

'Jump, Jive and Wail'   Louis Prima w Sam Butera (sax) & the Witnesses

19 April 1956 in Hollywood   Matrix 15376   Capitol EAP2755

See the album 'The Wildest' on Capitol Records T755 / 1956

Trombone: James “Little Red” Blount

Piano: Willie McCumber   Guitar: Jack Marshall

Bass: Amado Rodrigues   Drums: Bobby Morris

Vocals: Prima / Keely Smith / Butera

Composition: Prima

'Hey Boy! Hey Girl!'   Louis Prima w Keely Smith   Film

Directed by David Lowell Rich   Released 5 Aug 1959

IMDb   Wikipedia   Scott Yanow

'I'm Confessin' (That I Love You)'   Louis Prima w Keely Smith   Television

12 June 1960 on the 'Ed Sullivan Show'

With Sam Butera and the Witnesses

Composition: Chris Smith / Sterling Grant   1929

Having divorced Smith in 1961, come Prima's wedding to Gia Maione [Wikipedia] on 12 February 1963 with whom he founded the Prima Magnagroove record label that year. Prima already had four children from previous marriages before his union with Gia produced the two musicians among his progeny, Lena Prima and Louis Prima Jr. [Wikipedia] both in 1965.

'That Old Black Magic'   Louis Prima w Gia Maione (wife)

Sometime 1965 in Las Vegas

With Sam Butera and the Witnesses

Music: Harold Arlen   Lyrics: Johnny Mercer  1942 for the film 'Star Spangled Rhythm'

Prima's was the voice of the orangutan, King Louis, in the 1967 Disney animated film, 'The Jungle Book'. His last album was released in 1975: 'The Wildest '75'.

'As Time Goes By'   Louis Prima w Sam Butera & the Witnesses   Television

22 March 1971 on the 'Mike Douglas Show'

Trumpet: Ronnie James   Organ: Little Richie Varola

Guitar: Morgan Thomas   Bass: Rolly Dee DiIorio   Drums: Jimmy Vincent

Composition: Herman Hupfeld   1931

'Leaving You'   Louis Prima w Sam Butera & the Witnesses   Sometime 1975

From Prima's final recordings on the album 'The Wildest '75'

Prima Magnagroove ST-0076 / 1975

Prima died on 24 August 1978 in a nursing home in New Orleans after three years in coma, following surgery to remove a brain stem tumor in 1975.

Sources & References for Louis Prima:

Encyclopedia

Steve Huey (All Music)

Just the Swing

Louis Prima

Christopher Popa