Our featured redhead is chef Pati Jinich of Pati’s Mexican Table on PBS.
Pati’s mission is to present the variety of Mexican and Mex-Americana culinary experiences to help dispel our misconceptions about Mexican food and culture. She also puts her unique regional Mexican spin on traditional American and Italian-American fare.
Speaking of varieties of American experience, the Italian-American influence on popular music has spanned and fused many styles and genres. When I think of the performers popular during my parents’ generation, I have childhood memories of Frank Sinatra, Jerry Vale, Connie Francis, Dean Martin, Sergio Franchi, Al Martino and Vikki Carr. All, including Sinatra, sang songs that most of my generation considered old fashioned and traditional. However, if you aspired to be a performer with style, humor and attitude, you looked to Louis Prima.
Prima, born December 7, 1910 in New Orleans, was influenced by the pioneering jazz influences of the time. He blended these early sounds and rhythms with elements of Italian songs and phrases to create a unique swinging style that was more bounce and boogie-woogie than Volare. I remember a song–I think I still have my mother’s old 78–entitled, Pleeza Don’t Squeeza the Banana, and another Louis Prima classic with the following lyrics, “Josefina, please no lean-a on the bell. When you moosh, please no poosh on the bell.” You won’t find either of these songs represented in this collection, but there is still plenty of toe-tapping and fun to be had with Prima, his talented sax sideman, Sam Butera and long-time partner and straight “man”, vocalist Keely Smith.
As a live performer, Prima was a force of nature. I regret that I never got to see him perform live, but there are plenty of great videos preserved on YouTube, and he is immortalized in Disney’s Jungle Book. Baloo channels Louis in his performance of I Wanna Be Like You. This short documentary chronicles the incredible detail that went into reproducing Prima’s funky dance moves and rhythms. * You may need to view in the YouTube site.
Louis and his band always seemed to be having fun, and this video features Sam Butera performing Coolin’. If it reminds you of your Uncle Tony hamming it up after Christmas Eve dinner, it’s probably not a coincidence.
Here’s the full playlist from the Capitol Collector’s Series. I’m sure you’ll recognize some of these jazz classics and tunes that have been covered by other artists. All recordings were re-mastered for this release.
Just A Gigolo
performed by Louis Prima
Oh, Marie
performed by Louis Prima
Buona Sera
performed by Louis Prima
Jump, Jive, An’ Wail
performed by Louis Prima
Basin Street Blues/When It’s Sleepy Time Down South
performed by Louis Prima
The Lip
performed by Louis Prima & Keely Smith
Whistle Stop
performed by Louis Prima
Five Months, Two Weeks, Two Days
performed by Louis Prima And The Witnesses
Banana Split For My Baby
performed by Louis Prima & Keely Smith & Sam Butera and The Witnesses
There’ll Be No Next Time
performed by Louis Prima & Sam Butera
When You’re Smiling/The Sheik Of Araby [feat. Keely Smith & Sam Butera and The Witnesses]
performed by Louis Prima
Baby, Won’t You Please Come Home
performed by Louis Prima & Keely Smith
I’ve Got The World On A String
performed by Louis Prima & Keely Smith & Sam Butera and The Witnesses
Pennies From Heaven
performed by Louis Prima
Angelina/Zooma Zooma (Medley/Live At The Casbar Theater, Las Vegas/1958/1991)
performed by Louis Prima
Beep! Beep!
performed by Louis Prima
Embraceable You/I Got It Bad And That Ain’t Good (Medley/Live At The Casbar Theater, Las Vegas/1958/1990)
performed by Louis Prima & Keely Smith
Sing, Sing, Sing (With A Swing)
performed by Louis Prima & Sam Butera & The Witnesses
That Old Black Magic (Live At The Casbar Theatre, Las Vegas/1958/1991)
performed by Louis Prima & Keely Smith & Sam Butera and The Witnesses
The Music Goes ‘Round And Around
performed by Louis Prima
Hey, Boy! Hey, Girl!
performed by Louis Prima & Keely Smith
(Up A) Lazy River
performed by Louis Prima
I’ve Got You Under My Skin
performed by Louis Prima & Keely Smith
You’re Just In Love
performed by Louis Prima & Sam Butera & The Witnesses
Twist All Night
performed by Louis Prima & Sam Butera & The Witnesses
St. Louis Blues [feat. Sam Butera and The Witnesses]
performed by Louis Prima
Four Square Miles of Noise 
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