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.

Howard Levy learned to play the piano at the age of 8. After hearing a John Coltrane album at 17, Levy knew he wanted to play blues on the harmonica. Levy talks about and demonstrates the harmonica, the pan flute, the Marimba and the ocarina. There is also an excerpt of Laurel Masse singing.

The originator of the Roots ‘N’ Blues series and Grammy winner and nominee Lawrence Cohn discusses his latest work which focuses on the life and times of blues and the musicians that helped the genre become what it is today.

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

Interview with Dr. Frederick Starr, Gleb Nikitin and Perrin Yang

A discussion with sociologist and anthropologist St. Clair Drake at the time of his receiving an honorary award from Roosevelt University on the themes of his convocation address. A fascinating deep-dive into race relations from the Revolution to the Bicentennial, touching on the contradictions, crises, and struggles that led to Black institutions and liberation. Studs plays several excerpts from previous programs with St.