Louis Prima & Keely Smith - Louis and Keely!

Louis Prima and wife Keely Smith released several collaborations, but this 1960 import reissue showcases one of their very best. Recorded for Dot Records in 1960, Louis & Keely features the duo performing swinging romantic tunes such as "Night and Day," "I'm Confessin' (That I Love You)," and "And the Angels Sing." Smith's vocal talents are at their peak (she overpowers Prima on several numbers), and the band is in top form. Prima was a master at transforming tried-and-true vocal standards into powerful jazzy numbers; this disc is no exception. The album closer "Bei Mir Bist Du Schon" is one of the pair's finest moments. Though the remastering isn't the greatest, these tunes sound far from dated. One of Prima's best. --Jason Verlinde Amazon.com essential recording

Knock-out

This album is a total knock-out. What a duo, what an era, what care in swinging and entertaining, and great selection of material. Spanned the popular culture without patronizing anyone. Keely is in phenomenal voice here and Louis and the band swing. The arrangements go through shuffle, swing, Latin and Klezmer motifs yet are always hip. October 31, 2008

Louis and Keely's togetherness--as they trumpet their love from the rooftops !!!

Louis Prima and Keely Smith were a seemingly odd couple act who worked astonishingly well together on the Vegas strip and in other venues as well. This CD gives us the reasons why. Their voices are strong, vibrant and full of positive energy; and they can harmonize so well it stuns me.

The CD opens with "Night And Day;" the musical arrangement makes good use of the percussion and horns; the arrangement also plays with the tempo somewhat to give this a sprightly flavor. Louis Prima and Keely Smith's voices project warmth and passion on this number. The horns and percussion work well again for the arrangement of "All I Do Is Dream Of You;" Louis and Keely use their personal chemistry as lovers in real life to give this duet extra punch and depth, too.

Other great numbers on this CD include "Make Love To Me" which reminds me of that American 1920s beat; "I Don't Know Why" with Louis and Keely harmonizing to perfection and "Tea For Two." "Tea For Two" gets the regal treatment as Keely recites a special, rarely heard opening verse to this classic ballad. Louis and Keely then sing "Tea For Two" flawlessly. Great!

Other numbers offer jazzy arrangements and renditions to infuse them with new life as Louis and Keely successfully put their own stamp on them. "And The Angels Sing" has a somewhat early 1960s Latin flavor to it with its arrangement; and the male backup chorus enhances the beauty of this number. Louis and Keely sing strong for "And The Angels Sing." "Cheek To Cheek" and "Bei Mir Bist Du Schön" also sport jazzy renditions full of energy and pep that showcase the beauty of each number.

The liner notes include a brief essay about Louis Prima and Keely Smith by Don Bailer; and the art work is good, too.

I highly recommend this for fans of Louis Prima and Keely Smith. Fans of classic pop vocals will be very pleased with this CD for years to come.
April 9, 2007

For Appreciating Prima's More Subtle Styling Skills

Louis Prima's signature mood was "zany." He could take the spark that exists in any song and turn it into a crazy fireworks show. Look at any old video of his live performances and you'll truly understand Prima's genius for creating nearly out-of-control musical wackiness. Especially with Keely Smith playing the "straight man" to Prima's kinetic on-stage persona, it's obvious why everyone who saw his shows were amazed.

Yet, many of Prima's albums rely too much on madcap novelty songs, slapstick lyrics, and genre-bending interpretations. On so many albums, Prima does (amazingly) manage to get away with singing songs like "Yes We Have No Bananas," "Banana Split for My Baby," and "Beep! Beep!". But without the benefit of the visual cues that Prima brought to his live shows, I think this kind of music gets old quickly, even in the hands of a master.

"Louis and Keely" is an exception. For this collection of songs, Louis Prima and Keely Smith spend most of their time interpreting more classic jazz standards. Yes, they inject a lot of humor into their performances, but it is generally much more subtle than usual. And their interpretations are inventive and fresh, but not usually at the expense of losing the original song's essence. I think this is why another reviewer calls this a somewhat "staid" album - a comment I completely agree with, but particularly in relation to Prima's other stuff.

I'm not sure whether a listener will appreciate the lyrical and musical humor on this album without a previous appreciation of Prima's more zany material. However, this is the only collection of Prima songs I return to again and again. March 4, 2004

Delightful, slightly weird, but a little staid

Louis and Keely were one of the hottest acts in show business during the 1950s and very early '60s, and this is one of their last (and best) collaborations together. As usual, Prima's weird energy and hot jazz inflections spice up the gorgeous but otherwise slightly bland singing of Smith. I especially love the double-time riffs, Prima's rhythmic energy and the use of "Things Ain't What they Used to Be" as a riff in "Make Love to Me" and "I Don't Know Why" (and, in the latter song, a strange sort of New Orleans-styled Italianish pig latin), but I would have enjoyed him playing trumpet obbligato on more than just two tunes, and I miss the hot, mad tenor sax of Sam Butera so evident on the Capitol recordings. Still, for what it is this is a delightful album, and I guarantee that at least half of the tracks will remain in your memory a long time after this disc has finished. July 6, 2002

Classic Louis Prima/Keely Smith revisited. TERRIFIC!

Many of their greatest recordings in the style that is purely Louis Prima and Keely. Until I listened to this CD I haven't had the opportunity to hear any of their unique presentations in quite some time. I had a grin on my face the entire time. Most enjoyable music and a very good quality CD. Highly recommended. September 25, 2000

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