The Wildest!

For a crooner, Prima was too down-to-earth and too roguish; as a jazz trumpeter, he was overshadowed by Louis Armstrong and Harry James; and yet, with his Italian-American accent, Prima was a star, and *The Wildest!* brings together his best songs on one album: ‘You Rascal You’, ‘Buona sera’, ‘Jump, Jive, An’ Wail’ and, of course, ‘Just A Gigolo / I Ain’t Got Nobody’, which was covered note-for-note by David Lee Roth in the 1980s (including the scat sequences) and was to become his greatest hit as a solo artist. Of course, the album has acquired quite a bit of patina over the years, but you simply cannot resist the rousing wildness of Louis Prima and his excellent band.

I like this kind of music. Jump blues. It almost sounds like a precursor to rock 'n' roll. It puts me in a good mood. I have a soft spot for crooning singers. I just find this music very charming. Prima sings with an Italian accent, very likeable. By the way, he was the singer and trumpeter of Disney's Jungle Book song: "I Wanna Be Like You" (King Louie).