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Red Saunders discusses jazz music and jazz musicians.
Studs interview with Andres Segovia about his life in Grenada and how he came to play the guitar as an orchestra instrument. Segovia speaks to the history of the guitar and other instruments as classical musical instruments. They discuss Segovia's choice of instrument, how he gives back to his genre, how he stays vibrant at his age, and how he and his audiences relate. Segovia explains his desires for the guitar in the philharmonic world. Studs notes how Segovia has had to teach composers how to write for guitars.
Studs interviews Brother John Sellers about his career and other blues singers. Sellers explains that religion influenced his music as did performers like Mahalia Jackson, Big Bill Broonzy, and Muddy Waters. Studs reads some of the lyrics of blues song, "In the Evening." Sellers describes street singers and blind singers. He describes the music and style of Jackson and Broonzy and some of his own songs. Sellers performs "Talk About A Child" and "Sally Go Round the Sunshine" live on the program.
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.