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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 (Results 51-65 of 65 records)

Company Matrix No. Size First Recording Date Title Primary Performer Description Role Audio
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  
(Results 51-65 of 65 records)

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

URI: https://adpprod1.library.ucsb.edu/names/108876

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