Louis Prima
Louis Leo Prima (December 7, 1910 – August 24, 1978) was an American trumpeter, singer, entertainer, and bandleader. While rooted in New Orleans jazz, swing music, and jump blues, Prima touched on various genres throughout his career: he formed a seven-piece New Orleans-style jazz band in the late 1920s, fronted a swing combo in the 1930s and a big band group in the 1940s, helped to popularize jump blues in the late 1940s and early to mid 1950s, and performed frequently as a Vegas lounge act beginning in the 1950s. From the 1940s through the 1960s, his music further encompassed early R&B and rock 'n' roll, boogie-woogie, and Italian folk music, such as the tarantella. Prima made prominent use of Italian music and language in his songs, blending elements of his Italian and Sicilian identity with jazz and swing music. At a time when ethnic musicians were discouraged from openly stressing their ethnicity, Prima's conspicuous embrace of his Sicilian ethnicity opened the doors for other Italian-American and ethnic American musicians to display their ethnic roots. Prima is also known for providing the voice for the orangutan King Louie in the 1967 Disney film The Jungle Book. |
Birth and Death Data: Born December 7, 1910 (New Orleans), Died August 24, 1978 (New Orleans)
Date Range of DAHR Recordings: 1933 - 1950
Roles Represented in DAHR: vocalist, trumpet, leader, songwriter, composer, lyricist
= Recordings are available for online listening.
= Recordings were issued from this master. No recordings issued from other masters.
Recordings
Company | Matrix No. | Size | First Recording Date | Title | Primary Performer | Description | Role | Audio |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Victor | BS-77034 | 10-in. | 9/28/1933 | Chinatown, my Chinatown | Hotcha Trio | Instrumental trio, with male vocal solo | instrumentalist, trumpet, vocalist | |
Victor | BS-77036 | 10-in. | 9/28/1933 | Dinah | Hotcha Trio ; Louis Prima | Instrumental trio, with male vocal solo | instrumentalist, trumpet, vocalist | |
Victor | BS-100883 | 10-in. | 8/4/1936 | Sing, sing, sing (With a swing) | Fletcher Henderson's Orchestra ; Georgia Boy Simpkins | Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo | composer, lyricist | |
Victor | BS-102347 | 10-in. | 7/7/1936 | Sing, sing, sing (With a swing) | Connie McLean Rhythm Orchestra ; Alex Miller | Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo | composer, lyricist | |
Victor | PCS-09571 | 12-in. | 7/6/1937 | Sing, sing, sing | Benny Goodman Orchestra | Jazz/dance band | composer | |
Victor | PCS-09572 | 12-in. | 7/6/1937 | Sing, sing, sing | Benny Goodman Orchestra | Jazz/dance band | composer | |
Victor | BS-018167 | 10-in. | 1/15/1938 | Yes, there ain't no moonlight (So what) | Freddy Martin Orchestra ; Martin-Aires Trio | Jazz/dance band, with male vocal trio | songwriter | |
Victor | BS-021418 | 10-in. | 3/10/1938 | Where have we met before | Dick Stabile Orchestra ; Paula Kelly | Jazz/dance band, with female vocal solo | songwriter | |
Victor | BS-021648 | 10-in. | 3/29/1938 | Where have we met before? | Guy Lombardo ; Royal Canadians | Jazz/dance band, with vocal trio | songwriter | |
Victor | BS-047903 | 10-in. | 3/1/1940 | Sing a spell | Blue Barron ; Three Blue Notes | Jazz/dance band, with male vocal trio and vocal ensemble | composer, lyricist | |
Victor | BS-053134 | 10-in. | 6/13/1940 | Be happy | Glenn Miller Orchestra ; Marion Hutton | Jazz/dance band, with female vocal solo | songwriter | |
Victor | BS-068348 | 10-in. | 11/24/1941 | Tica ti - tica ta | Marilyn Duke ; Vaughn Monroe's Orchestra | Jazz/dance band, with female vocal solo and male vocal ensemble | composer | |
Victor | BS-068850 | 10-in. | 1/11/1942 | Tica ti - tica ta | Dick Todd | Male vocal solo, with jazz/dance band | composer | |
Victor | BS-068867 | 10-in. | 1/12/1942 | Tica ti - tica ta | Jan Savitt ; Top Hatters | Jazz/dance band, with vocal | composer | |
Victor | BS-071869 | 10-in. | 2/19/1942 | Tica-ti tica-ta | Tito Guizar | Male vocal solo, with instrumental quintet | composer | |
Victor | E0VB-4551 | 10-in. | 10/19/1950 | Oh babe! | Homer and Jethro | Male vocal duet, with string band | songwriter | |
Victor | D4AB-0427 | 10-in. | 11/17/1944 | Robin Hood | Tony Pastor Orchestra | Male vocal solo, with jazz/dance band | songwriter | |
Victor | D5VB-0181 | 10-in. | 4/2/1945 | Please no squeeza da banana | Tony Pastor Orchestra ; Charles Trotta | Male vocal solo, with recitation and jazz/dance band | songwriter | |
Victor | D7VB-1443 | 10-in. | 7/24/1947 | Civilization (bongo, bongo, bongo) | Louis Prima Orchestra ; Louis Prima | Male vocal solo, with jazz/dance band | vocalist, leader | |
Victor | D7VB-1444 | 10-in. | 7/24/1947 | You can't tell the depth of the well | Louis Prima Orchestra ; Louis Prima | Male vocal solo, with vocal chorus and jazz/dance band | vocalist, leader | |
Victor | D7VB-1445 | 10-in. | 7/24/1947 | Say it with a slap | Louis Prima Orchestra ; Louis Prima | Male vocal solo, with vocal chorus and jazz/dance band | vocalist, leader | |
Victor | D7VB-1446 | 10-in. | 7/24/1947 | Forsaking all others | Louis Prima Orchestra ; Louis Prima | Female-male vocal duet, with vocal chorus and jazz/dance band | vocalist, leader | |
Victor | D7VB-1447 | 10-in. | 7/24/1947 | I'll never make the same mistake again | Louis Prima Orchestra ; Louis Prima | Male vocal solo, with vocal chorus and jazz/dance band | vocalist, leader | |
Victor | D7VB-1635 | 10-in. | 9/22/1947 | Valencia | Louis Prima Orchestra ; Louis Prima | Male vocal solo, with vocal group jazz/dance band | vocalist, leader | |
Victor | D7VB-1636 | 10-in. | 9/22/1947 | With a hey and a hi and a ho ho ho! | Louis Prima Orchestra ; Louis Prima | Male vocal solo, with vocal group jazz/dance band | vocalist, leader | |
Victor | D7VB-1637 | 10-in. | 9/22/1947 | My flame went out last night | Louis Prima Orchestra ; Louis Prima | Male vocal solo, with vocal group jazz/dance band | vocalist, leader | |
Victor | D7VB-1638 | 10-in. | 9/22/1947 | My little donkey | Louis Prima Orchestra ; Louis Prima | Male vocal solo, with jazz/dance band | vocalist, leader, songwriter | |
Victor | D7VB-2033 | 10-in. | 11/11/1947 | Too fat polka | Louis Prima Orchestra ; Louis Prima | Male vocal solo, with vocal chorus and jazz/dance band | vocalist, leader, instrumentalist, trumpet | |
Victor | D7VB-2034 | 10-in. | 11/11/1947 | If I only had a match | Cathy Allen ; Louis Prima Orchestra ; Louis Prima | Female-male vocal duet, with vocal chorus and jazz/dance band | vocalist, leader, instrumentalist, trumpet | |
Victor | D7VB-2037 | 10-in. | 11/11/1947 | The certain party | Louis Prima Orchestra | Male vocal solo, with jazz/dance band | leader, vocalist, instrumentalist, trumpet | |
Victor | D7VB-2038 | 10-in. | 11/11/1947 | California is wonderful (if you're a grapefruit) | Louis Prima Orchestra ; Louis Prima | Male vocal solo, with jazz/dance band | leader, vocalist, instrumentalist, trumpet | |
Victor | D7VB-2039 | 10-in. | 11/11/1947 | I'm living a lie | Cathy Allen ; Louis Prima Orchestra | Female vocal solo, with vocal chorus and jazz/dance band | leader, instrumentalist, trumpet | |
Victor | D7VB-2040 | 10-in. | 11/12/1947 | I feel so smoochie | Louis Prima Orchestra ; Louis Prima | Male vocal solo, with vocal ensemble and jazz/dance band | leader, instrumentalist, trumpet, vocalist | |
Victor | D7VB-2051 | 10-in. | 11/12/1947 | Oh! Florence (the thousand islands song) | Louis Prima Orchestra ; Louis Prima | Male vocal solo, with vocal ensemble and jazz/dance band | leader, vocalist, instrumentalist, trumpet | |
Victor | D7VB-2052 | 10-in. | 11/12/1947 | Sweet nothings | Cathy Allen ; Louis Prima Orchestra | Female vocal solo, with jazz/dance band | leader, instrumentalist, trumpet | |
Victor | D7VB-2584 | 10-in. | 12/4/1947 | Betty blue | Louis Prima Orchestra ; Louis Prima | Male vocal solo, with vocal ensemble and jazz/dance band | vocalist, leader, instrumentalist, trumpet | |
Victor | D7VB-2585 | 10-in. | 12/4/1947 | Anticipation without realization | Louis Prima Orchestra ; Louis Prima | Male vocal solo, with jazz/dance band | vocalist, leader, instrumentalist, trumpet | |
Victor | D7VB-2586 | 10-in. | 12/4/1947 | Lillian | Louis Prima Orchestra ; Louis Prima | Male vocal solo, with vocal ensemble and jazz/dance band | vocalist, leader, instrumentalist, trumpet | |
Victor | D7VB-2587 | 10-in. | 12/4/1947 | Bubble-loo bubble-loo | Cathy Allen ; Louis Prima Orchestra | Female vocal solo, with jazz/dance band | leader, instrumentalist, trumpet | |
Victor | D7VB-2588 | 10-in. | 12/4/1947 | The sad cowboy | Louis Prima Orchestra ; Louis Prima | Male vocal solo, with vocal ensemble and jazz/dance band | vocalist, leader, instrumentalist, trumpet | |
Victor | D7VB-2589 | 10-in. | 12/4/1947 | All of me | Louis Prima Orchestra ; Louis Prima | Male vocal solo, with vocal ensemble and jazz/dance band | vocalist, leader, instrumentalist, trumpet | |
Victor | D7VB-2593 | 10-in. | 12/5/1947 | Mean to me | Louis Prima Orchestra ; Louis Prima | Male vocal solo, with vocal chorus and jazz/dance band | leader, vocalist | |
Victor | D7VB-2594 | 10-in. | 12/5/1947 | Love that boy! | Cathy Allen ; Louis Prima Orchestra | Female vocal solo, with vocal chorus and jazz/dance band | leader | |
Victor | D7VB-2595 | 10-in. | 12/5/1947 | Anywhere in Texas R. F. D. | Louis Prima Orchestra | Male vocal solo, with vocal chorus and jazz/dance band | leader, vocalist | |
Victor | D7VB-2596 | 10-in. | 12/5/1947 | Tutti tutti pizzicato | Louis Prima Orchestra ; Louis Prima | Male vocal solo, with vocal chorus and jazz/dance band | leader, vocalist | |
Victor | D7VB-2598 | 10-in. | 12/5/1947 | Everybody's friend, but nobody's sweetheart | Cathy Allen ; Louis Prima Orchestra ; Louis Prima | Female-male vocal duet, with jazz/dance band | leader, vocalist, songwriter | |
Victor | D7VB-2599 | 10-in. | 12/5/1947 | The bee song (he-bee and she-bee) | Louis Prima Orchestra ; Louis Prima | Male vocal solo, with jazz/dance band | leader, vocalist, songwriter | |
Victor | D9VB-0287 | 10-in. | 3/15/1949 | All right, Louie, drop the gun | Cast of Characters ; Louis Prima Orchestra | Male vocal solo, with vocal group and jazz/dance band | vocalist, leader, instrumentalist, trumpet | |
Victor | D9VB-0291 | 10-in. | 3/15/1949 | It's a cruel, cruel world | The Goofers ; Louis Prima Orchestra | Male vocal solo, with vocal group and jazz/dance band | leader, instrumentalist, trumpet, vocalist | |
Decca | 63166 | 10-in. | 1/17/1938 | Now they call it swing | Louis Prima and his New Orleans Gang | vocalist, instrumentalist, trumpet | ||
Decca | 63167 | 10-in. | 1/17/1938 | Yes, there ain't no moonlight | Louis Prima and his New Orleans Gang | vocalist, instrumentalist, trumpet | ||
Decca | 63168 | 10-in. | 1/17/1938 | Rosalie | Louis Prima and his New Orleans Gang | vocalist, instrumentalist, trumpet | ||
Decca | 63169 | 10-in. | 1/17/1938 | Where have we met before? | Louis Prima and his New Orleans Gang | vocalist, instrumentalist, trumpet | ||
Decca | 63783 | 10-in. | 5/16/1938 | Why should I pretend ? | Louis Prima and his New Orleans Gang | vocalist, instrumentalist, trumpet | ||
Decca | 63784 | 10-in. | 5/16/1938 | Doin' the serpentine | Louis Prima and his New Orleans Gang | vocalist, instrumentalist, trumpet | ||
Decca | 63785 | 10-in. | 5/16/1938 | You call it madness | Louis Prima and his New Orleans Gang | vocalist, instrumentalist, trumpet | ||
Decca | 63786 | 10-in. | 5/16/1938 | Nothin' too good for you | Louis Prima and his New Orleans Gang | vocalist, instrumentalist, trumpet | ||
Decca | 65952 | 10-in. | 7/12/1939 | A good man is hard to find | Louis Prima and his New Orleans Gang | vocalist, instrumentalist, trumpet | ||
Decca | 65953 | 10-in. | 7/12/1939 | If I could be with you one hour tonight | Louis Prima and his New Orleans Gang | vocalist, instrumentalist, trumpet | ||
Decca | 65954 | 10-in. | 7/12/1939 | Of Thee I sing | Louis Prima and his New Orleans Gang | vocalist, instrumentalist, trumpet | ||
Decca | 65955 | 10-in. | 7/12/1939 | Sweet and low down | Louis Prima and his New Orleans Gang | vocalist, instrumentalist, trumpet | ||
Decca | DLA 1637 | 10-in. | 12/12/1938 | Show me the way to go home | Louis Prima and his New Orleans Gang | vocalist, instrumentalist, trumpet | ||
Decca | DLA 1638 | 10-in. | 12/12/1938 | Exactly like you | Louis Prima and his New Orleans Gang | vocalist, instrumentalist, trumpet | ||
Decca | DLA 1639 | 10-in. | 12/12/1938 | Jitterbugs on parade | Louis Prima and his New Orleans Gang | vocalist, instrumentalist, trumpet | ||
Decca | DLA 1640 | 10-in. | 12/12/1938 | Now and then | Louis Prima and his New Orleans Gang | vocalist, instrumentalist, trumpet |
Citation
Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Prima, Louis," accessed November 1, 2024, https://adpprod1.library.ucsb.edu/names/108876.
Prima, Louis. (2024). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved November 1, 2024, from https://adpprod1.library.ucsb.edu/names/108876.
"Prima, Louis." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2024. Web. 1 November 2024.
DAHR Persistent Identifier
External Sources
Wikipedia: Louis Prima
Discogs: Louis Prima
Allmusic: Louis Prima
Apple Music: Louis Prima
IMDb: Louis Prima
Britannica: Louis Prima
Linked Open Data Sources
LCNAR: Prima, Louis, 1910-1978 - http://id.loc.gov/authorities/names/no89016730
Wikidata: Louis Prima - http://www.wikidata.org/entity/Q367447
VIAF: http://viaf.org/viaf/17408624
MusicBrainz: Louis Prima - https://musicbrainz.org/artist/b5997eef-2516-491a-a10e-5cee842bbcdc
Wikipedia content provided under the terms of the Creative Commons BY-SA license
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