1940-1950 A — Z 14 Available Shows

• The Life of a Jazz Singer

  Anita O'Day

  Year: 2013

  Runtime: 1 hr 31 min

  Anita O’Day was one of the greatest of American jazz singers and this is her astonishing story—a journey of survival, and above all the endurance of her talent, told in a number of frank interviews with her and with those who knew her. Her career was long and eventful, spanning seven decades, her last album recorded when she was 84. Anita O’Day only ever wanted to be a singer and the film showcases performances that date back to the 50s with such artists as Gene Krupa, Roy Eldridge, Stan Kenton, Louis Armstrong and Hoagy Carmichael. She is shown teaching Billy Taylor how to be a jazz vocalist. She speaks candidly, always candidly, with Dick Cavett, Bryant Gumble and David Frost, with clips from interviews done on 60 Minutes and CBS This Morning. Bert Stern, commenting on his experience filming Anita perform Sweet Georgia Brown for his film Jazz on a Summer’s Day, said it was the greatest rendition of the song ever made. Anita was a musical genius and pioneer who broke reverse race barriers. She was commonly regarded as one of the top female artists of her time, together with Ella Fitzgerald, Sarah Vaughan and Billie Holiday. The film portrays her as a woman who lived her life the way she wanted without ever looking back. She speaks openly about how she had to overcome great adversities, including a 20-year addiction to heroin and alcohol. She chose never to have children and married for only a brief period. She lived an often lonely life that was sustained only by her passion for music. Personalities talk about her quirky personality, while jazz critics and her few still living contemporaries speak of her extraordinary talent and how amazing it is that she continued to sing for so long. The film shows Anita on tour in Europe well into her eighties and her making that final recording, shortly before her death, the death of an icon.

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  The Life of a Jazz Singer

  Anita O'Day

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• Standing Room Only

  B.B. King

  Year: 2007

  Runtime: 1 hr 2 min

  This performance once again confirms that B.B. King is an American institution who deserves his rightful place among other American music icons such as Johnny Cash, Ray Charles, Billie Holiday, Elvis Presley and Frank Sinatra.

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  Standing Room Only

  B.B. King

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• At Carnegie Hall

  Count Basie

  Year: 1981

  Runtime: 1 hr 46 min

  Jazz legend Count Basie and His Orchestra perform a concert at New York's Carnegie Hall, with guests Sarah Vaughan, Tony Bennett and George Benson.

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  At Carnegie Hall

  Count Basie

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• A Man and His Music Part I

  Frank Sinatra

  Year: 1965

  Runtime: 51 min

  First broadcast by NBC on November 24, 1965, Frank Sinatra: A Man And His Music was Sinatra’s first annual one-hour television special. Broadcast at a time when television was in the process of switching to full time color programming, it is clear that television history was being made. Singing directly to the camera, Frank Sinatra makes the viewer feel as if he is telling his story directly to them.

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  A Man and His Music Part I

  Frank Sinatra

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• Concert For the Americas

  Frank Sinatra

  Year: 2016

  Runtime: 1 hr 26 min

  The Concert For The Americas was a music festival held in the Dominican Republic at the Altos de Chavón Amphitheater, a 5,000-seat, open-air Greek-style venue. This spectacular 1982 concert proves that even at age 66, Francis Albert Sinatra was still the undisputed Chairman Of The Board. This 90-minute epic performance features the legendary Buddy Rich on drums and a special guest appearance by guitarist Tony Mottola with a memorable rendition of Send In The Clowns.

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  Concert For the Americas

  Frank Sinatra

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• Francis Albert Sinatra Does His Thing

  Frank Sinatra

  Year: 1968

  Runtime: 52 min

  Francis Albert Sinatra Does His Thing opens with no introduction, just Sinatra and his microphone. He is joined by the stunning Diahann Carroll and together they sing a spiritual medley of Nobody Knows The Trouble I've Seen and Amen. Sinatra joins in with another guest - The Fifth Dimension, but this time he ditches the suit for a Nehru Jacket and sings a very groovy version of Sweet Blindness.

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  Francis Albert Sinatra Does His Thing

  Frank Sinatra

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• Legends in Concert

  Frank Sinatra

  Year: 1939

  Runtime: 46 min

  This film presents a 45 minute selection of Frank Sinatra's finest songs, written by some of the world's most influential songwriters, including such hits as 'High Hopes' and 'Old Man River' all drawn from television appearances spanning his heyday period from the 40s to the 50s.

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  Legends in Concert

  Frank Sinatra

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• Ol’ Blue Eyes Is Back

  Frank Sinatra

  Year: 2017

  Runtime: 51 min

  Sinatra returned from his brief retirement with the appropriately titled Ol’ Blue Eyes Is Back. Released amidst a whirlwind of publicity, the album was a commercial success, earning gold status and peaking just outside the top-ten on the UK and Billboard album charts.
  The album was accompanied by a television special, Magnavox Presents Frank Sinatra, which reunited Sinatra with Gene Kelly.

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  Ol’ Blue Eyes Is Back

  Frank Sinatra

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• Sinatra and Friends

  Frank Sinatra

  Year: 2016

  Runtime: 50 min

  Sinatra And Friends opens with Where And When featuring Natalie Cole, John Denver, Tony Bennett, Loretta Lynn, Leslie Uggams and Robert Merrill. Sinatra performs duets of standards in different styles such as folk and disco in addition to each singer performing solo. It is all music and no talking, exactly the way Sinatra wanted it.

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  Sinatra and Friends

  Frank Sinatra

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• Sinatra Featuring Don Costa and His Orchestra

  Frank Sinatra

  Year: 2012

  Runtime: 52 min

  Sinatra: Featuring Don Costa & His Orchestra is truly a one man show. Sinatra belts out For Once In My Lifeand it is perfection. Being the last of his five specials, his wit and banter is as engaging as ever. He narrates us through his movie clips with the timing of a stand-up comedian. The up tempo closing of the show makes it complete with My Kind Of Town.

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  Sinatra Featuring Don Costa and His Orchestra

  Frank Sinatra

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• Live At Rockpalast: Westfalenhalle Dortmund

  Muddy Waters Blues Band

  Year: 1978

  Runtime: 1 hr 1 min

  The formation accompanying Muddy Waters on this concert was one of the very best. At Westfalenhalle Dortmund on December 10, 1978 for the Rockpalast recording Muddy Waters mighty vocals and his splendid charisma on stage fascinated the audience. Muddy's guitar playing on the Fender Telecaster comes into full effect with his slow blues solos - and seldom had Muddy such a hot sound.

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  Live At Rockpalast: Westfalenhalle Dortmund

  Muddy Waters Blues Band

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• Saxophone Colossus

  Sonny Rollins

  Year: 2017

  Runtime: 1 hr 41 min

  Robert Mugge's SAXOPHONE COLOSSUS looks at tenor saxophone master Sonny Rollins, among the greatest artists in jazz history. Named after one of Rollins' best-known albums, the 1986 film documents an ensemble performance in upstate New York and the world premiere of his Concerto for Tenor Saxophone and Orchestra in Japan. Interviewed are Sonny and Lucille Rollins and three top jazz critics.

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  Saxophone Colossus

  Sonny Rollins

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• Stravinsky in Hollywood (2013)

  Stravinsky

  Year: 2013

  Runtime: 53 min

  This Stravinsky film is a remarkable documentary written, directed and edited by Marco Capalbo, telling of the legendary composer's life after he moved to Hollywood in 1939. He did this as he envisioned a new outlet for his music — writing for films. Walt Disney already was using The Rite of Spring in his Fantasia, but Stravinsky was not pleased with the cuts and rearrangement of his score, which, coming from Russia, was not then in copyright. Disney paid Stravinsky $6,000 for the rights to the music and the composer's name. Stravinsky was considered to write music for a number of other films including Gone With the Wind, Jane Eyre and The Song of Bernadette. He actually did write some music for the latter too, and it is fascinating to watch the brief episodes from the film with Stravinsky's music! Much of the film is devoted to Robert Craft, whose close association with Stravinsky was major, and Craft is seen often talking about their relationship. The association (or non-association) of Stravinsky and his neighbor Arnold Schoenberg, is clarified, and we hear commentary about Orpheus, Agon and for for-TV The Flood which was premiered on CBS i 1962 with Craft conducting. The script is perfect and clear and presumably narrated by Capalbo. This is among the finest documentaries available.

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  Stravinsky in Hollywood (2013)

  Stravinsky

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• America Dances 1897-1948 a Collectors Edition of Social Dance in Film

  Various Artists

  Year: 2016

  Runtime: 1 hr 18 min

  The America Dances live performance presents original film clips of Americans dancing iconic, vintage dances. Dancetime Publications has culled fascinating, incredible footage from multiple archives and libraries to create this astounding collection. A collectible treasure, America Dances! is a fascinating, original-source record of pivotal dance moments reflecting changing dance trends, expertise, and taste. A dance chronicle of our culture, this retrospective spans the panorama from average Americans dancing in newsreels to top quality performers who left a legacy of their moves across the ballroom floor. These film archives show rare footage of the African American and Latin dance heritage. More than 60 film clips from silent films, newsreels, instructional films, and feature films comprise this 75 minute video.

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  America Dances 1897-1948 a Collectors Edition of Social Dance in Film

  Various Artists

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