Anita O’Day ‎– The Lady Is A Tramp (Japanese Pressing)

This album has had a twisting and turning genesis. The first eight tracks were recorded in 1952 and released under the title ‘Anita O’Day Collates’ by Norgran Records in 1953. Norgran was Norman Granz’ original label. Norgran then reissued the album in 1955 under the title ‘Anita O’Day Sings Jazz.’ It was finally released in 1957 under the present title by Verve (which Granz established in 1956 and absorbed the Norgran catalog.) In addition to the original eight tracks, the final release contained four more.

As another pointed out the song selection is all over the place. By 1957 this selection was a bit odd, but when the original eight tracks were recorded in 52 music was undergoing an upheaval. Jazz was being nudged out by popular music, some of which would become rock and roll, while other threads of that era would become rockabilly and other genres. The lack of homogeneity was because of the racial divisions in mainstream America at the time. It may sound ludicrous today, but the airwaves were culturally segregated. The point being that the inclusion of a track such as Rock ‘N’ Roll Blues was probably an attempt to grab onto what may have been seen as a trend, and to reach a wider audience by a new label (Norgran.) Ella Mae Morse whose big band roots were similar to Anita’s was making inroads into the new trends, so that may have also been a factor. Other songs from the original eight recordings were standards and make sense.

The four additional tracks contained popular music such as Vaya Con Dios, and was probably included to increase the marketing range of yet another brand new label, Verve.