The Hymn, recorded October 28, 1947, is a very fast blues in B-flat by the Charlie Parker Quintet, taken at approximately 316-328 BPM over a 12-bar form. Parker opens with four choruses of alto saxophone, demonstrating his extraordinary command at extreme tempos. Miles Davis follows with four choruses on trumpet, rising to the considerable challenge of maintaining coherence at this velocity. Duke Jordan contributes two choruses on piano, and Tommy Potter adds two choruses on acoustic bass. The breakneck pace of this performance pushes every member of the quintet to the edge of their technical abilities. Parker's four-chorus solo is a sustained burst of creative energy, with ideas flowing ceaselessly over the simple blues structure. The tune is also known as Superman, and its simple riff-based head serves primarily as a launching pad for the extended improvisations. This is one of the more demanding performances from the October 1947 Savoy session and showcases the quintet's ability to swing with conviction at the extreme upper limits of tempo.
