He still wears the unmistakable accent of a New Orleans native, but Sam Butera can hardly be claimed as a New Orleans musician.

Born in New Orleans in 1927, the son of a Seventh Ward grocer, tenor saxophonist Butera has resided in Las Vegas since 1954, the year Louis Prima called Butera with an invitation to join him there. Butera accepted that invitation and in doing so embarked on a 21-year run as Prima's bandleader, sax player, arranger and comic foil.

With Butera's help as bandleade...