Oodles of Doodles XCIX

Here we are at doodle number 99, and I've got the biggest selection of doodles yet from a single artist, or, well, in this case, a pair of artists. All of the doodles in this post are from Louis Prima and/or Keely Smith. I've brought you one other doodle from this pair before (only the second doodle I ever posted!), but here's a set of 5 that will make you jump, jive and wail. The first illustration above is from The Wildest Show At Tahoe-Louis Prima & Keely Smith With Sam Butera And The Witnesses (Capitol T908). I don't know about some of those other animals, but the moose you see there is a popular Prima motif. You'll see the moose again in the doodle below, as well as on the cover of that LP. I love how Keely looks like Keely in this doodle. The artist has really captured her look. The only info I have on the artist are the initials FP (located between the legs of the trombonist, who is James "Little Red" Blount, by the way.)

This second illustration, again featuring a prominent moose, is from The Call Of The Wildest-Louis Prima & Keely Smith With Sam Butera and The Witnesses (Capitol T836, 1957), which I believe was Louis & gang's second LP for Capitol. I don't think this artist did as good a job of capturing the various players in the band. That's Louis and Keely on the moose, and the other folks are, top to bottom, Sam Butera, Jimmie "Little Red" Blount, Jack Marshall, Willie McCumber Jr, Amato Rodriguez and last but not least, Bobby Morris. The doodle is signed Don Kapp (down at the bottom near the drummer man).

The final three doodles are from Keely solo albums. I wish I had more group LPs to scan in and share, but these things are rare as hens teeth. As I find 'em, I'll post 'em, but you're gonna have to wait. This first solo doodle is from Keely Smith-Be My Love (Dot DLP 25241), with music by Billy Vaughn. It may just be me, but doesn't that bottle to the left of center look a lot like the one that Jeannie lived in on I Dream of Jeannie? And that owl on her head... Just ask yourself "How many licks does it take to get to the center of a Tootsie Roll Tootsie Pop?" See what I mean? Oh, and that angel on the cauldron is familiar, too, but I can't place it right now. Maybe another Keely LP...

Whew! I'm getting tired of typing on this post. Bear with me though, only two doodles to go. Keely Smith With Billy May And His Orchestra-Politely (Capitol T 1073) features a set of gentleman suitors who are trying to be polite to Ms. Smith. This doodle again features the initials FP that we saw on the first illustration above. Perhaps he worked with Louis & Keely exclusively, or maybe he was a Capitol staff artist. Somebody out there has to know, and hopefully they'll share that info someday.

Could this be the end of this mammoth post? I think so. And for the end, we have a small bouquet of roses courtesy of Keely Smith-I Wish You Love (Capitol T 914). The orchestra on this one was conducted by Nelson Riddle. They sure didn't spare the talent when it came to Keely's solo career. Too bad it never took off like similar female crooners of the late 50s/early 60s. I think this is the only Keely LP I have on CD, and it's OK. The best part of it is the bonus tracks that are from unreleased sessions with Nelson Riddle that make Keely come across more as an early rock-n-roll singer than a torch song singer. If you have the CD, you know what I mean.