Jazz scholar and historian Richard Wang discusses Charles Mingus' "Epitaph", a 4,237 measure-long composition. Wang discusses Mingus’ upbringing and how he was trained on the trombone originally. Throughout the interview, performances of the Epitaph are played and Wang notes in the composition where listeners can hear Mingus’ classical training, as well as where other classical musicians, such as Duke Ellington and Claude Debussy, most likely were referenced as inspiration in the composition.

Discussing the book "The Freedom Principle: Jazz After 1958" (published by Morrow) with author and jazz historian John Litweiler.

Interviewing author and musicologist Paul Berliner.

Celebration for Duke Ellington's birthday

Studs sits down with a musicologist and jazz musician, an American violinist, and a Russian violinist to discuss their cross-cultural and musical genre-bending collaboration - the American Soviet Youth Orchestra (AKA the American Russian Young Artists Orchestra).*Please note: some sections have been edited out from the original recording due to copyright considerations