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Force of personality and terrific vintage performance clips make [this film] a keeper. — Dennis Harvey, Variety
ANITA O'DAY: THE LIFE OF A JAZZ SINGER
December 28-30, January 1-3
USA 2007 // Directors: Robbie Cavolina, Ian McCrudden // 90 min // DigiBeta
Fri 7:00pm (with special guest Neil Ritchie) & 9:00pm, Sat 7:00pm & 9:00pm, Sun 9:30pm, Tues 9:30pm, Weds 7:00pm & 9:00pm, Thurs 7:00pm & 9:00pm
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VIFF 2007 RETURN ENGAGEMENT
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.
O'Day 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.
Anita O'Day has long been considered a jazz singer's singer, but this exemplary doc makes the case that the vocalist (who died last year, still swinging) belongs in the top tier along with Billie Holiday and Ella Fitzgerald. Certainly she was the only white female performer on that level, and the many clips here will show even the uninitiated that her improvisational skills and innate musicality were beyond categorization.— Ken Eisner, Georgia Straight
Robbie Cavolina is a Grammy award-winning artist and filmmaker. An ongoing collaborator with Joni Mitchell, he won a Grammy for art direction for her album covers and directed the 1996 documentary Joni Mitchell Hits and Misses. Ian McCrudden has won critical acclaim for his work including Islander, The Big Day, Mr Smith Gets a Hustler and Trailer-the Movie.
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Special Guest - CBC Radio's Hot Air producer Neil Ritchie
Neil Ritchie will host a Q & A following the December 28, 7pm screening of ANITA O'DAY: The Life Of A Jazz Singer
Neil Ritchie has been a producer at CBC Radio for almost 30 years working on the programs OFF THE RECORD, THE TRANSCONTINENTAL and DISCDRIVE. He has been the producer of CBC Radio's longest running program HOT AIR for over 25 years. The program, now hosted by Paul Grant, tops the ratings with its look at jazz from a BC perspective. Since 1999, Ritchie has been lecturing on jazz for SFU and in 2008 he will host a 6-week series on the life and music of Richard Rodgers. |
