Anita O'Day: The Life of a Jazz Singer

The term trooper might very well have been coined for legendary jazz diva Anita O'Day. The so-called "Jezebel of Jazz," O'Day's life was as tempestuous as her tone was smooth; she endured a number of rocky marriages, rape, abortion, heroin addiction, jail, and was even pronounced officially dead after a massive drug overdose, but through it all the lady kept singing and swinging. Many of O'Day's numerous friends and admirers (a who's who of jazz) provide eloquent, and frequently hilarious commentary about her life, but the most forthright voice is that of O'Day herself. Blunt, irreverent and sharp as a tack, she was the only white female among the upper echelons of the golden age of jazz, and one of the longest to live. She provides a unique look back on a fascinating period in American cultural history. Vintage clips showcase Anita's inimitable talents, but more stunning is footage from Bert Stern's 1958 documentary about the Newport Jazz Festival, Jazz on a Summer's Day, which featured Anita's honeyed rendition of "Sweet Georgia Brown". An absolute must-see for music fans, Robbie Cavolina and Ian McCrudden's fascinating portrait is a fitting tribute to this one-of-a-kind dame.