American jazz cornet player Wild Bill Davison known for his wild ways, discusses his career in jazz music and life in Chicago. Davison rubbed elbows with all the Chicago bigwigs from Al Capone to jazz legends such as Fats Waller.

Richard McLanathan discusses his book "The American Tradition in the Arts" and takes Studs on a sprawling journey through artistic breakthroughs in architecture, painting, literature, and more while touching on dozens of artists and their works.

Studs Terkel and Dave Garroway intertwine jazz music with conversation. The voices of Doris Day, Peggy Lee, Charlie Ventura, Duke Ellington, Erroll Garner, and Nellie Lutcher are heard between conversations ranging from Garroway's start in radio while in the United States Navy. Garroway discusses the changing technology and the thrill of it. Also includes the progress that has been made in race relations and the death of Duke Ellington.

Music performance by Oscar Brown, Jr.

Terkel comments and presents a musical performance by Marian McPartland

Terkel comments and presents a musical performance by Marian and Jimmy McPartland

Terkel comments and presents a musical performance by Jimmy McPartland and Bud Freeman

Studs interviews Bud Freeman about his career in Jazz and his book, "Working" as well as his album, "Complete Bud Freeman." Freeman shares stories about his dad and brother during his childhood. He discusses various songs from his album and shares stories about his interactions with other jazz musicians. Studs reads a few passages from Freeman's book. They discuss how Freeman's creative practices and how his music has changed over the years. Musical pieces are removed from this edited version of the original recording.

Studs interviews Lawrence Freeman about his career in jazz. Studs notes that he first interviewed Freeman in 1939 as his first guest on his radio program with WGES. Freeman shares the names and events of influences in his life. He describes his interactions with other jazz musicians throughout his career and shares some stories about his brother, father, and childhood. Studs quotes Mark Miller of the Toronto Globe, music critic, for what he notes about Freeman.

Bandleader, jazz musicologist and composer James Dapogny discusses his work in reviving the sound and art of jazz. Dapogny's work is mainly associated with his group James Dapogny's Chicago Jazz Band and his career in publishing lost works of Ferdinand "Jelly Roll" Morton.

Interviewing editor and Chicago Tribune jazz critic Jack Fuller.

Studs interviews Jabbo Smith and presents some of his musical performances. The musical pieces are removed from this edited version of the original recording. Smith shares the story of his childhood in the Jenkins Orphanage and how he came to learn music there. He discusses the songs he wrote and people he played with throughout his career and how he came out of retirement in Holland on the trombone.