"We See" is an uptempo performance of the Thelonious Monk composition from the 2017 album Sweet Stuff by the Daniel Rotem and Josh Johnson Quartet. Taken at a blazing 281 BPM, the recording captures the energy and technical command of a new generation of Los Angeles jazz musicians tackling a classic bebop repertoire. Josh Johnson opens with one chorus of alto saxophone, followed by Daniel Rotem's one-chorus tenor sax statement at an even faster 287 BPM, both soloists demonstrating fluent command of Monk's characteristically angular harmonic language. Drummer Christian Euman closes the solo section with two choruses that showcase the rhythmic sophistication of contemporary jazz drumming. The AABA form in B-flat provides the structural framework, though at this extreme tempo the 32-bar changes fly past at dizzying speed, demanding total harmonic confidence from each soloist. The dual-saxophone format recalls classic two-horn jazz recordings, with Rotem's tenor and Johnson's alto providing contrasting timbral perspectives on the same material. The album Sweet Stuff established both saxophonists as important voices on the Los Angeles jazz scene, their interpretations of classic material demonstrating deep respect for tradition alongside distinctly modern sensibilities.
