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.

Tervalan Porche discusses creole music, language and culture in which she is an exponent as a singer. The interview starts abruptly which we can deduce that the first part of the introduction was not recorded. This recording has copyrighted material removed.

Norman Pellegrini interviews Studs Terkel to discuss his life and career as a radio personality. Studs recalls a specific moment walking through the streets of Chicago and hearing blues music coming through the window of someone’s home. As Studs recalls, this moment is one that jump-started his interest in music and radio and inspired him to leave his life of studying law and move into the unknown of music radio. Technical engineer and producer of the show, Jim Unrath, joins the conversation to recount previous interviews and programs of Studs'.

Studs Terkel and William (Bill) Leonard share memories of the Blue Note Jazz Club as a tribute to Frank Holzfeind. Music is played throughout the episode: "After You've Gone" by the Benny Goodman Sextet, "The Flat Feet Floogie" by Slim and Slam, "How High the Moon" by Sarah Vaughan, "Destination K.C." by Count Basie, "West End Blues" by Louis Armstrong, "Lil' Augie Is A Natural One Man" by Chet Roble, and "Rock Skippin' at the Blue Note", Duke Ellington. Songs have been removed for copyright reasons.

Studs discusses Roy Eldridge’s work as a jazz musician and recounts prevalent moments from his career.

Bahamian actor Sidney Poitier talks with Studs Terkel about his most recent film "The Defiant Ones" and how racial type-casting for typically white roles works in Hollywood films. Besides being an actor, he is also a film director, author, and diplomat.

Studs interviews jazz and pop critic, and founding editor of "Rolling Stone" magazine, Ralph Gleason while in Berkeley, California (3 parts). Topics include the history of jazz, blues, and jazz culture, and how race played in the development and distribution of the music. Songs include Louis Armstrong's "(I'll Be Glad When You're Dead) You Rascal You."

Studs interviews Mary Collins about her husband, Lee Collins. They discuss the book that she and Lee wrote together until his death in 1960. Mary shares interesting stories of Lee’s experiences when he toured. She and Studs reflect on the other artists that Lee Collins worked with and those that influenced his music. Mary shares the story of how she and Lee reconnected in Chicago. She explains how Lee’s depression because of his health led to his attempted suicide and the horrible way he was treated at the psychiatric hospital.

Studs interviews Marian and Jimmy McPartland. The McPartlands reflect on those in Jazz who have influenced them. Studs talks to Marian about women in Jazz. They discuss the Jazz audience. The musical numbers are removed from this edited version of the original recording.

Earl "Fatha" Hines discusses various musicians he's worked with including Louis Armstrong, Charlie Parker, and Dizzy Gillespie. He remembers that bands became bigger after needing to add members to play bigger venues because people liked to dance. He also talks about how he liked to work to create shows and his approach to jazz composition. Music is played throughout: "Weather Bird" with Louis Armstrong, "My Monday Date", "Cavernism", "Boogie Woogie On St. Louis Blues", "Rosetta", and "Second Balcony Jump". Music has been removed from this file for copyright reasons.

Saxophonist Lawrence "Bud" Freeman discusses his career at the time of his book, "You Don't Look Like A Musician," with talk of his music and his colleagues in The World's Greatest Jazz Band.

Dempsey Travis, author and jazz historian, recalls his memories meeting Jazz artists of the 1920-1940s. Some artists discussed include Jimmie Lunceford, Sy Oliver, Duke Ellington, Chick Webb, Chu Berry, Andy Kirk and others. Travis also discusses his father and his own time playing Jazz.

Dempsey Travis, real estate entrepreneur and civil rights activist turned historian and author, recalls his earlier days meeting and listening to many of the African American jazz artists. Some of the musicans mentioned are Louis Armstrong, Jimmie Lunceford, Fletcher Henderson, Duke Ellington, Earl Hines, Art Tatum, Cab Calloway, Nat King Cole, and Benny Goodman.