That Old Black Magic
Title | That Old Black Magic PDF eBook |
Author | Tom Clavin |
Publisher | Chicago Review Press |
Pages | 246 |
Release | 2010 |
Genre | Biography & Autobiography |
ISBN | 1569768137 |
Both a love story and a tribute to the entertainment mecca, this exploration shines a spotlight on one of the hottest acts in Las Vegas in the late 1950s and early 1960s. The illuminating depiction showcases the unlikely duo--a grizzled, veteran trumpeter and vocalist molded by Louis Armstrong and a meek singer in the church choir--who went on to invent "The Wildest." Bringing together broad comedy and finger-snapping, foot-stomping music that included early forays into rock and roll, Prima and Smith's act became wildly popular and attracted all kinds of star-studded attention. In addition to chronicling their relationships with Ed Sullivan, Frank Sinatra, Robert Mitchum, and other well-known entertainers of the day--and their performance of "That Old Black Magic" at President John F. Kennedy's inauguration--the narrative also examines the couple's ongoing influence in the entertainment world. Running concurrent with their personal tale is their role in transforming Las Vegas from a small resort town in the desert to a booming city where the biggest stars were paid tons of money to become even bigger stars on stage and television.
Louis Prima
Title | Louis Prima PDF eBook |
Author | Garry Boulard |
Publisher | University of Illinois Press |
Pages | 228 |
Release | 2002 |
Genre | Biography & Autobiography |
ISBN | 9780252070907 |
"This is the first paperback edition of the only biography of Louis Prima, one of the most underrated jazz musicians and entertainers of the twentieth century. In a career that spanned four decades, Prima infused the grit and grace of Dixieland jazz with swing and big band sounds, the first whiffs of rock 'n' roll, and a vaudevillian-like stage presence. A native of New Orleans, the Guy Lombardo protg known as ""The Italian Satchmo"" was the country's smashing new jazz sensation at New York's Famous Door in the 1930s. He went on to be a successful big band leader and a Vegas nightclub staple, and he virtually created the concept of the lounge act. Despite his longstanding success, Prima's over-the-top on-stage antics induced critics to not take him seriously and he was relegated to the status of mere ""entertainer.""Married five times and involved with numerous women in between, Prima has more often been remembered for his colorful relationships and quirky personality than for his abilities as a trumpeter and singer. After his death in 1978, his music gradually disappeared and jazz scholars rarely mentioned his name.Nudging Prima's legacy into the limelight the musician deserved, Garry Boulard nimbly explores Prima's ability to maintain a lifelong career, his knack for self-promotion, and how the cities in which he lived and performed--New York, Los Angeles, and Las Vegas--uniquely and indelibly informed his style. In a new preface, the author considers how the resurgence of big band and swing music in the late 1990s catapulted Prima and his music back into the public eye."
Just a Gigolo
Title | Just a Gigolo PDF eBook |
Author | Garry Boulard |
Publisher | University of Southwestern Louisiana, Center for Louisiana Studies |
Pages | 216 |
Release | 1989 |
Genre | Biography & Autobiography |
ISBN |
Bebop, Swing, and Bella Musica
Title | Bebop, Swing, and Bella Musica PDF eBook |
Author | Bill Dal Cerro |
Publisher | |
Pages | 363 |
Release | 2015-01-26 |
Genre | Italian Americans |
ISBN | 9781604610895 |
The book "chronicles Italian Americans who have made vital contributions to jazz music. Featuring original, in-depth interviews with jazz artists, it documents the cultural barriers which Italians faced in their pursuit of the American dream".--www.sortsites.com.
Louis Prima [sound recording]
Title | Louis Prima [sound recording] PDF eBook |
Author | Louis Prima |
Publisher | |
Pages | |
Release | 2014 |
Genre | |
ISBN |
Louisiana Rocks!
Title | Louisiana Rocks! PDF eBook |
Author | Tom Aswell |
Publisher | Pelican Publishing |
Pages | 502 |
Release | 2010-09-23 |
Genre | Music |
ISBN | 1455607835 |
An in-depth history of rock and roll's Louisiana roots. Taking the position that rock and roll started in New Orleans in 1947 when Roy Brown recorded "Good Rockin' Tonight," Aswell provides an expansive history of this beloved American music form. By looking at the Louisianan influences of swamp pop, Cajun, zydeco, R&B, rockabilly, country, and blues music, the author explores the way these musical forms gave birth to rock and roll as we know it today.
The Italian Crooners Bedside Companion
Title | The Italian Crooners Bedside Companion PDF eBook |
Author | Richard Grudens |
Publisher | celebrity profiles publilshing |
Pages | 264 |
Release | 2004-11 |
Genre | Music |
ISBN | 9780976387701 |
Provides insight into the lives of Italian musical personalities and features over 100 photos. This compendium explores the musical world of Frank Sinatra, Frankie Laine, Perry Como, Jerry Vale, Al Martino, Dean Martin, Julius La Rosa, Tony Bennett, Vic Damone, Don Cornell, Bobby Darin, Louis Prima, Lou Monte, Russ Columbo, and many others.