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By the 1920s, jazz music was being recorded more or less regularly. And if those who heard the past legendary musicians claim that the records by Fletcher Henderson or King Oliver or Bix Beiderbecke were a shadow of the reality, at least the records were there and in some quantity. A more recent legendary event, the appearance of Charlie Parker-Dizzy Gillespie quintets in the early forties, is now regarded as much a part of jazz tradition as Oliver's Creole Band. Finally, a 1953 concert in Toronto did get recorded and now reappears on Fantasy, “Jazz At Massey Hall.”

This chapter states that Goodman performed an adaptation of Chick Webb’s “Don’t Be That Way” at Carnegie Hall, his version sounding almost similar to the original. An analysis made by Gunther Schuller, explaining the distinct differences between the two arrangements, gives insight into how Goodman makes use of pre-existing materials and models after other bands in creating his own style. The chapter then further explains the details of the “Don’t Be That Way” performance, consisting of the introduction, the gradual accompaniment of the orchestra, its rhythm changes, chord progressions, and Goodman’s solo. It also provides similar analysis of the other concert pieces, with Fletcher Henderson and Jimmy Mundy administering the arrangements for the majority of songs.

This chapter considers Louis Armstrong's association with Lil Hardin's band, after his split from Fletcher Henderson's band. His next four years in Chicago were to be spent composing a body of work in the form of the Hot Five and Hot Seven recordings. Armstrong then followed a traditional New Orleans formula, and this “New Orleans groove” was the kind of hot jazz that was in Armstrong's blood. It differentiated him from the likes of Paul Whiteman and symphonic jazz. His collaboration with Lil Hardin helped Armstrong to make this brand of hot jazz what it was. The chapter also mentions Armstrong's attendance of a performance of Bix Beiderbecke and Paul Whiteman at the Chicago Theater in July 2, 1928. It also notes Whiteman's hiring of Bing Crosby, and how Whiteman's association with Beiderbecke and Crosby brought the worlds of Paul Whiteman and Louis Armstrong closer together than ever before.

This chapter discusses the events following the Carnegie Hall concert, beginning with the Basie-Webb big band battle at the Savoy ballroom. The two events are polar opposites suggesting of societal issues; however, the overlap of performance, audience, and repertoire prompts one to put the Carnegie Hall concert into a perspective within the history of jazz. Goodman and the band went back to their regular activities after the concert, starting with a Camel Caravan radio broadcast two days later, as well as several studio recordings of the numbers from the concert. The chapter also details various controversies faced by the band, such as the falling out between Goodman and his musicians, particularly drummer Gene Krupa, and Fletcher Henderson’s subsequent employment.