The jungle book is a key disney film for several reasons. Louis prima supplied the speaking voice for the character king louie of the apes which was originally conceived for louis armstrong. The song was written by songwriters robert and richard sherman, and was performed by singer and musician louis prima as king louie, with phil harris as baloo the bear. Louis leo prima december 7, 1910 august 24, 1978 was an american singer, actor, songwriter, bandleader, and trumpeter. Louis prima, sam butera and the witnesses recording disneys the jungle book credit.
He was the voice of king louie in disneys the jungle book. He took violin lessons as a youth, but switched to trumpet at age 15 when his older brother went out on tour with a band and left a spare instrument behind. Disneyland records king louie and robin hood youtube. Louis prima, sam butera and the witnesses performing on the set of the jungle book. In disneys animated classic the jungle book, prima created the hep voice of king louie the orangutan. Sam butera was born on august 17, 1927 in new orleans, louisiana, usa. Disney only one of gilkysons songs survived the cull. Louis prima, keely smith, sam butera and the witnesses the call of the wildest. Another link to las vegas storied past was cut wednesday morning with the passing of legendary jazz saxophonist sam butera, sideman to another vegas legend, louis prima. Perhaps because prima refused to take his music too seriously, soberminded jazz critics often dismissed him as a mere entertainer, overlooking his very real talent as a jazzman. Louis leo prima was an italianamerican singer, actor, songwriter, bandleader, and trumpeter. Primas original version was featured in a gap commercial around the same time, and the swingdancing fad of the time helped bring the rest of his music back into the public eye.
Sam butera was a saxophone player, best noted for his collaborations with louis prima and keely smith. A gallery of the jungle book publicity stills and other photos. A publicity photo featuring louis prima and king louie, the character he voiced in disneys jungle book in 1967. Just a gigolo i aint got nobody medley remastered feat. Disney fittingly turned him into a jovial primate for the jungle book in 1967, david lee roth did a notefornote cover of just a gigoloi aint got nobody in 1985 and most recently, brian. This film profiles the magnetic louis prima in a nostalgic historical. Meanwhile, sam butera continued to perform prima hits from the golden years on the casino circuits in las vegas and atlantic city. Disney fittingly turned him into a jovial primate for the jungle book in 1967, david lee roth did a notefornote cover of just a gigoloi aint got nobody in 1985 and most recently, brian setzer and other swing revivalists have used his sound as a template. Louis prima recording i wanna be like you from the jung. His playfulness here is reminscent of i wanna be like you from disneys the jungle book 1967, a number sam and witnesses also played on. That old black magic, just a gigoloi aint got nobody, come ona my house, and i wanna be like you from disneys the jungle book. With jimmy hibbert, david holt, nigel pilkington, teresa gallagher.
Those whove seen disneys 1967 animated movie, the jungle book, will recognise louis primas husky, elastic voice, even if theyre not remotely familiar with his name or face. Louis prima, sam butera, ron cannatella, frank federico, will friedwald, woody herman, gia maione, louis prima jr. My gia has identical 4 year old twin boys who absolutely love louis prima, watch the dvd each and every day, sing all the songs and do wonderful imitations of louis and sam butera. For disney fans, he is best known for having been the original voice of king louie in the jungle book.
The song was written by songwriters robert and richard sherman and was performed by louis prima richard sherman said he and his brother aimed for a jazz sound, with a dixielandlike melody. A video on how louis prima and the rest of the band got involved with the jungle book. Heres an alternate version of i wanna be like you from the jungle book. Walt disney records i wanna be like you the monkey. From a simple entertainment point of view, it is one of the most enduring cartoons the company has made. Louis prima, the man who played pretty for the people, still. How i wanna be like you from the jungle book was made. I wanna be like you is a song from walt disneys 1967 film the jungle book.
I wanna be like you the monkey song from the jungle booksoundtrack artist louis prima, phil harris, bruce reitherman. For 20 years, the tenor saxophonist led the witnesses, who accompanied prima and his wives, keely smith and gia. Music profile for louis prima, born 7 december 1910. Prima was a longtime veteran of the jazz scene who struck gold in the 1950s by. He performed on that old black magic and i wanna be like you, the song made popular by disneys the jungle book. The las vegas entertainer, louis prima referred to sam butera as the big horn.
The unexpected casting of prima and his bandsam butera and the. Louis prima recording i wanna be like you from the jungle book louis prima and his band in a promotional photo of the recording of the song i wanna be like you, from the jungle book. The jungle book was such a huge success in 1967, right after walt disneys death and when the studio was in a creative low, that a sequel was considered an an lps worth of songs called more jungle book was put out into the market to see how it would do. Sam butera august 17, 1927 june 3, 2009 was an american tenor saxophonist best noted for his collaborations with louis prima and keely smith. This song, written by songwriters robert and richard sherman, was. He also recorded the 1974 concept album lets hear it for robin hood, in response to the fact that he was not. Born in new orleans french quarter, louis prima longed to play jazz. Louis prima exhibit to open may 1, 2019 new orleans jazz. Louis prima born december 7, 1911, new orleans, louisiana, usa died august 24, 1978, new orleans, louisiana, usa was an american trumpet player, singer and bandleader. While rooted in new orleans jazz, swing music, and jump blues. He was an actor, known for big night 1996, the dogwalker 1999 and the rat race 1960.
Louis prima was an american singer, actor, songwriter, bandleader, and trumpeter. New jungle book sound track thrills two of its composers. Louis prima, sam butera and the witnesses waitin on the robert e. Lou sino louis prima, sam butera and the witnesses waitin on the robert e lee duration. Louis prima, sam butera and the witnesses performing on the set of the jungle book, 1967 louis prima and his band in a promotional photo of the recording of the song i wanna be like you, from the jungle book. While rooted in new orleans jazz, swing music, and jump blues, prima touched on various genres throughout his career. Sam butera august 17, 1927 june 3, 2009 was an american tenor saxophonist best noted. He was raised in new orleans and his father encouraged him to play saxophone at a young age. He added that when we first got an idea for i wanna be like you, we said an ape swings from a tree, and hes the king of apes. Stream adfree or purchase cds and mp3s now on amazon. Louis prima, the man who played pretty for the people.
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