First of three oral history interviews with Samuel Jay Keyser, Professor Emeritus in the Department of Linguistics and Philosophy at MIT, jazz trombonist, poet. Interviewed by Forrest Larson, MIT Lewis Music Library. Topics include: musical experiences childhood through college, college and graduate studies, old English literature, early linguistics career, Noam Chomsky, Morris Halle, hearing jazz in the 1950s & 60s, becoming a jazz trombonist, playing in the MIT Concert Jazz Band, Everett Longstreth, jazz at MIT, Warren Rohsenow, Roy Lamson, trumpet player Herb Pomeroy, Mark Harvey.