Studs interviews George Shearing about his career and performances at Rick's Cafe in Chicago. Shearing shares the events and people who influenced his Jazz music. He describes European audiences and studio musicians. Studs quotes Leonard Feather, music critic, on Shearing's take on the song "San Jose." The musical pieces are removed from this edited version of the original recording.

Studs interviews Bobby Short, an African American composer, vocalist, and pianist. Short describes his performances and interpretations of songs by Ira Gershwin, Cole Porter, Noel Coward, and George Gershwin. Studs reads a letter written to short from Coward requesting that Short sing his songs. Studs and Bobby discuss composer and singer styles. The musical pieces are removed from this edited version of the original recording.

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.

Studs interviews Leonard Sorkin about his career as a violinist. They discuss his training, which began in early childhood and who he studied under. Sorkin plays a few short tunes to demonstrate his art, and one was his childhood favorite of "Allegro" by Joseph Fiocco. Sorkin names Jascha Heifetz as one who he admired all his life and shares the sounds and names of others who have influenced him. He explains to Studs how the Fine Arts Quartet members change to adapt to new players but the quartet sound remains the same.

Studs interviews Alan Stone, Steven Larson, and Judith Erickson about the opera, "Regina," playing at the Chicago Opera Theater. They describe the variety of music and dances in the opera. Stone, Larson, and Erickson name the cast and their roles and describe the characters. Each share how they came to be in theater. Stone explains how the company started. Larson describes the orchestra and the chorus. Erickson reads some of the lyrics of the aria, "The Best Thing of All," at the end of act one. Stone, Larson, and Erickson read various lines from the opera.

Rita Streich discusses her career as a soprano singer, Mozart, composers, and classical music. Includes some speech in German.

Studs interviews Rita Streich, and they discuss the meaning of some of her operas and lieds. Streich names Erna Berger and Maria Ivogun as her best teachers, and she speaks a little about her family. Studs and Streich read part of the poem, "The Nut Tree" by Robert Schuman. Streich reads a part of "Brahms Lullaby" and "Shepherd On the Rock" by Franz Schubert. She also discusses the difference between opera in her day compared to opera at the time of the interview. The musical pieces are removed from this edited version of the original recording.

Studs interview with Sylvia Syms about her career through the years and the people who influenced her. They discuss Jazz music and composers who Syms calls poets. The music numbers are removed from this edited version.

Studs interview with James Talley, who shares his life story through his music. Talley describes his childhood experiences through the depression and the Dust Bowl Migration. He also shares the various jobs he has had and how that has influenced his music. All musical numbers are removed from this edited version.

Studs interviews Billy Taylor about his career in Jazz. Taylor shares stories about other Jazz musicians who influenced him. They discuss the improvisation in Jazz music, drug addiction of musicians, and the work Taylor is doing with the Jazz Mobile. Taylor discusses the different sounds of Jazz and describes the White House Jazz Festival that President Jimmy Carter hosted. This edited version does not include the music that is in the original version.