DVD jazz box coming...

[Christiern]

I just received an e-mail advertising this box, which will sell for $39.99

At first glance, I thought I might buy it, but then I read the details and saw that it includes a documentary, "The Story of Jazz." written by me. I might buy it, anyway.

· DVD1: Lady Day - The Many Faces of Billie Holiday: Aimed at the aficionado and novice alike, this documentary swings, both visually and aurally. What a Little Moonlight Can Do, You can't Take That Away From Me, Lover Man, On the Sunny Side of the Street, God Bless the Child, Strange Fruit, Fine and Mellow, and Swing, Brother, Swing (among many others) all come brilliantly to life on the screen.

· DVD2: Celebrating Bird - The Triumph of Charlie Parker is the first and only authorized documentary about one of the great legends in American music.

· DVD3: Sarah Vaughan - The Divine One: This production recounts the stellar singer's career of Sarah Vaughan, from her beginnings at the Mt. Zion Baptist Church in Newark, New Jersey, to her debut at the Apollo Theater and her pre-eminence in nightclubs, concert halls and jazz festivals around the world.

· DVD4: Thelonious Monk - American Composer: Pianistic ringleader of the bebop revolution, Thelonious Monk is maybe Jazz' major composer after Duke Ellington.

· DVD5: The Story of Jazz: The Story of Jazz puts the crown on the brilliant, highly acclaimed Masters of American Music Series, which has profiles some of the music's pivotal figures: John Coltrane, Sarah Vaughan, Miles Davis, Count Basie, Thelonious Monk, Billie Holiday and Charlie Parker. The film places these important artists into historical context, allowing us to see them in the proper perspective.

Picture format DVD: NTSC 4:3 Sounds formats DVD: PCM Mono 2.0 Region code: 0

Booklet notes: English, German, French

Subtitles: German, English, French

Running time: DVD1 59 mins, DVD2 59 mins, DVD3 56 mins, DVD4 59 mins, DVD5 98 mins

I should add that I have no financial interest in this set and assure you that no animals were hurt in the making of these films, but I do recall successfully swatting a fly as my scripts left Congo Square.