Interview with jazz pianist Johnny Case. In the interview, Case talks about his family's acquaintance with Ernest Tubb, his early interest in rhythm and blues, how his parents, Elvis Presley, and local radio stations influenced his musical career, learning to play the piano and his interest in jazz, early gigs in Oklahoma and northeast Texas, his family's move from Paris, Texas to Dallas and his playing gigs at several clubs there, moving to Fort Worth, his collaboration with Tom Morrell in producing the 'How the West Was Swung' albums, his comments about the demise of western swings, gigs and clubs in Fort Worth, his transition from playing western swing to jazz, various jazz artists, okaying for African-American audiences, avant-garde jazz and its promoters, difficulties in making a full-time living as a jazz artist in Fort Worth, his employment at Sardine's Italian Restaurant in Fort Worth, the Caravan of Dreams and the resurgence of jazz in Fort Worth, his relationship with the local musicians union, Texas jazz, and the evolution of jazz in Fort Worth. The interview includes an appendix with an article, Case's discography, and Case's notes on various jazz musicians and venues.

The dissertation focuses on Joe Lovano's utilization of thematic material in relation to "Misterioso" by Thelonius Monk. Thematicism is defined more broadly in this study to include reference to the form, phrase structure, and harmony of "Misterioso". Methodological models provided by Gary Potter, Henry Martin, and Paul Hindemith serve as points of departure for this study which focuses on four areas: 1) phrasing, 2) step progression, 3) motives and formulas, and 4) harmonic implications. Thematic relationships are discovered through the analysis of the transcription of Lovano's improvisation; the four levels of the analysis work together and also independent of one another to produce a kind of thematic counterpoint. This study also examines how Lovano creates an effective solo. The study will be of benefit to students, professional musicians, pedagogues, theorists, musicologists, and jazz aficionados.