Dexterity, recorded October 28, 1947, is one of Charlie Parker's finest rhythm changes performances, played by the Charlie Parker Quintet at approximately 215-224 BPM in B-flat with a 32-bar AABA form based on I Got Rhythm. Parker's one-chorus alto saxophone solo is a model of thematic development and harmonic ingenuity, followed by Miles Davis for one chorus on trumpet, Duke Jordan for three-quarters of a chorus on piano, and Max Roach for a quarter-chorus drum solo. This October 1947 Savoy session marks the debut of Parker's classic quintet with Davis, Jordan, Tommy Potter on bass, and Roach on drums, a configuration that would produce some of the most important recordings in jazz. The rhythm section's cohesion is immediately apparent, with Jordan's understated comping, Potter's solid bass lines, and Roach's propulsive drumming creating an ideal framework for Parker and Davis. The composition's title nods to the technical dexterity required to negotiate its rapid changes, and Parker's solo here ranks among his most brilliant rhythm changes improvisations.
