Louis Prima and Gia Maione

Biography

Louis Prima was an Italian-American trumpeter, singer, entertainer, and bandleader born in New Orleans, the acknowledged training ground for jazz musicians. Rising from the rank-and-file of musicians in 1934, Prima made his professional debut at the Famous Door on 52nd Street in New York, where his band became such a smash hit that the entire street between Fifth Avenue and Broadway was renamed "Swing Street". Throughout his fifty-year career, Prima's musical style evolved across multiple genres: he formed a seven-piece New Orleans-style jazz band in the late 1920s, fronted a swing combo in the 1930s, led a big band in the 1940s, helped popularize jump blues in the late 1940s and early 1950s, and became the undisputed King of the Vegas lounges beginning in the 1950s. His vocalizing was defined by "a nonsensical mixture of jivespeak, Neapolitan slang and just plain bad English," and he 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 heritage opened doors for other Italian-American and ethnic American musicians.

Gia Maione Prima rose to popularity in 1962 when she was selected to sing lead female vocals for Louis Prima and his band, The Witnesses. At just 21 years old, Gia was a waitress whom Prima discovered while performing at the Latin Casino in Cherry Hill, New Jersey, and he introduced her four days later at Basin Street East in New York City to standing room only and the largest press attendance of the era. Her rich voice proved an ideal match for Prima's rugged jazz riffs. On February 12, 1963, Gia married Louis Prima—his fifth and final wife—and their union produced two children, Lena and Louis Jr.. Together, they worked closely in creating the Prima Magnagroove record label in 1963 and recorded many classic albums and singles from 1963 through 1975, including 14 albums and numerous singles for Capitol Records, Disney Records, DeLite Label, Brunswick Records, and Prima label. The couple performed and recorded together until Prima fell ill in 1975 following an operation for a benign brain tumor. Prima died on August 24, 1978, without regaining consciousness.

Fun Facts

• Prima composed "Sing, Sing, Sing" in March 1936, which subsequently became a hit for Benny Goodman and came to epitomize the Swing Era, though Prima's original version is often overshadowed by Goodman's famous recording
• Prima's success at the Famous Door was so significant that it led to the renaming of the entire 52nd Street between Fifth Avenue and Broadway as "Swing Street," establishing it as the epicenter of swing music in New York
• In 1962, Prima attempted to make Gia Maione famous by producing her first album "This Is … Gia" entirely at his own expense, though it was unsuccessful; however, he later reinvented himself with her as his new singing partner, introducing her at Basin Street East to the largest press attendance ever recorded for such an event
• Prima's marriage to Gia Maione was his fifth and final marriage, and together they created the Prima Magnagroove record label in 1963, recording 14 albums and numerous singles across multiple record labels until Prima's illness in 1975

Musical Connections

Mentors/Influences

• Louis Armstrong - Prima cited Armstrong as his idol and was influenced by Armstrong's Hot Fives and Sevens style when forming his New Orleans Gang (Hot Fives and Sevens recordings) [1930s]

Key Collaborators

• Pee Wee Russell - Clarinetist who played with Prima's New Orleans Gang and recorded early hits (The Lady in Red, Chinatown, Chasing Shadows, Gypsy Tea Room) [1935-1936]
• Frank Pinero - Pianist in Prima's New Orleans Gang during early performances (Famous Door performances)
• Sam Butera - Saxophonist and frequent collaborator in Prima's band, The Witnesses (Las Vegas performances and recordings) [1950s-1970s]
• Keely Smith - Prima's fourth wife and singing partner who performed with him in Las Vegas; won Grammy Award together (That Old Black Magic (Grammy Award winner)) [1950s-1961]
• Martha Raye - Comedian and singer who played a role in Prima's professional and personal life, featuring in shows that granted him his first national debut (The Fleischman Hour, film appearances) [1935-1936]

External Links

• Spotify
• Wikipedia