NBC's "The Subject is Jazz" was a 1958 TV show hosted by Gilbert Seldes and was the first television series to give jazz serious attention. The 13-part series was produced by the new National Educational Television Network (NET) and guests included Duke Ellington, Aaron Copland, Bill Evans, Cannonball Adderley, Jimmy Rushing and Langston Hughes. Each thirty minute episode focused on a specific genre of jazz, including swing, cool, and bebop.
The Bebop episode featured pianist and composer Billy Taylor as the Musical Director and also included Cannonball and Nat Adderley.
Billy gives detailed explanation of the bebop form which he sees as an extension of Swing and the band run through exemplary versions of "Bebop" "A NIght in Tunisia" and Round Midnight". Cannonball Adderley also discusses the "indescribable" Charlie Parker."
Interesting factoid; according to Gilbert, "Charlie Parker was said to have sustained 360 notes a minute against the usual 170 and was still swinging".
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