Bebop pioneer—jazz drummer Stan Levey takes you on a musical journey from the birth of bebop, through the Big Band jazz era, to the "west coast, cool school" of modern jazz music.

Stan Levey, one of the premiere storytellers in Ken Burns' "Jazz" documentary, tells fascinating tales of his days with the famed Parker/Gillespie group on 52nd Street in New York and his being the driving force of the Stan Kenton Orchestra and Howard Rumsey's Lighthouse All-Stars. The commentaries are told along with music, film clips and photographs of many jazz greats captured by world famous photographers William Claxton and Herman Leonard, and include many never before seen photographs from Stan's own personal collection.

Also included are special appearances from Stan's friends and colleagues: Dizzy Gillespie, Miles Davis, Charlie Watts, Quincy Jones, Hank Jones, Bill Holman, Lee Konitz, Howard Rumsey, Terry Gibbs, Bill Henderson, Lalo Schifrin, and many more, including some very special observations from Charlie "Bird" Parker himself.