"Split Feelin's" is a rhythm changes contrafact by Hank Mobley from his 1960 Blue Note masterpiece Soul Station. Built on the chord progression of "I Got Rhythm" in a 32-bar AABA form in F at approximately 221 bpm, the tune provides a fast-paced vehicle for the kind of virtuosic bebop improvisation that defined Mobley's generation. His three-chorus tenor saxophone solo navigates the familiar changes with characteristic fluidity, his lines flowing with an ease that masks the considerable harmonic and technical demands of the rhythm changes form at this tempo. Pianist Wynton Kelly follows with two hard-swinging choruses that demonstrate his encyclopedic command of the bebop piano tradition, his rhythmically inventive comping and soloing complementing Mobley's approach perfectly. The rhythm section of Kelly, bassist Paul Chambers, and drummer Art Blakey generates a propulsive swing feel that pushes the soloists to their best. The rhythm changes form was a proving ground for bebop musicians, and Mobley's ability to make the demanding chord progression sound effortless is a testament to his deep immersion in the tradition. This track showcases the technical mastery that underpins Soul Station's apparently effortless musicality.
