Louis Prima

Louis Prima ( born December 7, 1910 in New Orleans; † August 24, 1978 ) was an American entertainer, singer, actor, and trumpeter from New Orleans, which is dedicated a star on the Walk of Fame in Los Angeles.

First bands

Louis Prima first played in bands such as in 1932 with Red Nichols. When recording from September 28, 1933 Prima was first heard in Chicago as a member of Hotcha trio (David Rose piano and Norman guest violin ), such as in the titles Chinatown, My Chinatown / Dinah. In 1934 he returned to New Orleans and played in the club ShimSham, where he was discovered by Guy Lombardo and this secured him a recording contract with Brunswick Records.

His first band he presented in September 1934 under the name New Orleans transition together to the beginning of Claude Thornhill ( piano ), George Brunies (trombone), Sidney Arodin ( clarinet), George Van Eps (guitar), Artie Shapiro ( bass) and Stan King ( drums) belonged. In the first recording session on September 27, 1934 created four titles, including Hoagy Carmichael's Stardust, all of which missed the charts. This also applies to the occurred on November 1, 1934 six titles, including the first Louis Prima composition I Still Want You. Meeting scheduled on April 3, 1935 recording session saw a staff completely changed New Orleans gear. With Frank Pinero ( piano ), Larry Altpeter (trombone), Eddie Miller (clarinet, tenor sax ), Garry McAdams (guitar), Jack Ryan ( bass) and Ray Bauduc (drums), four shots were immortalized on that day, of which I ' m Living In a Great Big Way was able to achieve a rank 13 of the pop charts. In The resulting on June 27, 1935 A Little Gypsy Tea Room could even penetrate to fourth place - Louis Primate best finish ever. In 1937 he made ​​an appearance in the musical film Manhattan Merry- Go-Round. As of January 1940, he renamed the passage in Louis Prima Orchestra, whose best-known hit was recorded in April 1944 of Title Angelina.

A jazz classic is born

In March 1935, he performed with the band Famous Door club in New York, one of the hottest jazz clubs of the time. As of May 1935, he occupied the first clarinetist Pee Wee Russell, whose nervous game brought dynamism to the band. Foreign -like it sounded to be clearly recognizable Neapolitan accent in English. On February 28, 1936, composed by title Prima Sing, Sing, Sing ( With A Swing) in the occupation of Frank Pinero ( piano ), Pee Wee Russell ( clarinet), Joe Catalyne (tenor saxophone), Garry McAdams (guitar), Jack was Ryan ( bass) and George Pemberty (drums). Primate recording thereof missed the charts, first in the over-long live version of Benny Goodman (recorded on January 18, 1938 in Carnegie Hall ) got the Prima composition to worldwide fame and became a jazz standard. He was then in some Hollywood movies like Rhythm On The Range, which was released in theaters on July 1, 1936.

As of March 1937 clarinetist Meyer Weinberg joined the band on, in September 1939, a commitment to the Famous Door club repeated in March 1949 met the young singer Keely Smith ( Dorothy Gambardella ) joined the band, which was now at RCA under contract. As of November 1949, the band moved to Mercury Records. There followed a veritable label hopping that led through Columbia Records (1951/1952) to Decca Records in April 1954.

Appearances in Las Vegas

Las Vegas was going to be from 1954 to establish itself as the entertainment capital: Prima and Keely, the fourth woman was in that year primate, received a two -week appearance at the Casbah Lounge at the Sahara hotel, what specifically tenor saxophonist Sam Butera and his band The Witnesses were hired. These included Jack Marshall ( guitar), Amado Rodrigues ( bass), Willie McCumber ( piano ), James " Little Red " Blount (trombone) and Bobby Morris (drums). With this line originated Primate best-known songs, but never got into the charts. On April 19, 1956 now landed at Capitol Records, created next to the famous Medley Just a Gigolo / I Is not Got Nobody even Body and Soul, Oh Marie Buona Sera or Jump, Jive, An ' Wail, all early examples of a orchestral rock & roll. While the rock & roll era Prima published numerous songs in this genre. A later moderate hit parade success came with the well-established on August 25, 1958 Classic That Old Black Magic, a ( rank 18 of the U.S. Pophitparade ), won a Grammy. In the Walt Disney animated film The Jungle Book (1967 ) he said the Monkey King King Louie and sang the song I Wanna Be Like You, to which he also contributed the trumpet.

Louis Prima was married five times; marriage to his last wife Gia Maione comes from the son Louis Prima Jr. (born 1965 ), who is also active as a musician.

Collection

• The Complete Brunswick & Vocalion Recordings of Louis Prima and Wingy Manone (1924-1937) - ( Mosaic - 2002 ) - 6 CDs - Louis Prima tp & voc with George Brunies, Sidney Arodin, Claude Thornhill, George Van Eps, Artie Shapiro, Stan King, Eddie Miller, Nappy Lamare, Bonnie Pottle b, Ray Bauduc, Pee Wee Russell, Joe Catalyne ts, Frank Pinero p - for more details see below Wingy Manone