Jazz Documentaries on DVD, Fresh for the Holidays

In November, fresh for the holidays, Medici Arts, a division of the BBC, will release the limited edition, digitally remastered DVD of Lady Day: The Many Faces of Billie Holiday, featuring performances by the one and only Lady Day, along with Louis Armstrong, Benny Goodman, Lester Young, Bessie Smith, Artie Shaw and other jazz legends. Actress Ruby Dee narrates with passages from Holiday's autobiography, Lady Sings the Blues.

Releasing simultaneously in limited edition, digitally remastered DVDs, Celebrating Bird: The Triumph of Charlie Parker features Dizzy Gillespie, Roy Haynes, Jay McShann, Frank Morgan and Chan Parker playing with Bird, one of the grestest jazz saxophonists of all time, and Thelonious Monk: American Composer presents performances of 'Round Midnight, Lulu's Back In Town, Epistrophy Blue Monk and more of the great jazz pianist's favorite compositions. Or, if you're up for an overview, The Story of Jazz gives you some Billie Holiday, Louis Armstrong, Charlie Parker and Thelonius Monk, along with a bit of Miles Davis, John Coltrane, Louis Armstrong, Duke Ellington, Count Basie, Charles Mingus and many more.

Medici Arts doesn't sell DVDs on its Website, but you can compare prices and order by clicking: Lady Day, Charlie Parker, Thelonious Monk and/or The Story of Jazz. If you're thinking of these as holiday gifts, it's probably best to order early.

(PHOTO: 'Lady Day' on DVD. Courtesy Medici Arts).