"Human Being, Being Human" closes Matt Zebley's 1998 concert recording Live at Moondog with an extended blues blowout in F major that gives the full three-horn front line room to stretch. The 12-bar blues form, the most foundational structure in jazz, becomes a launching pad for three substantial solos. Zebley leads off with ten choruses of alto saxophone improvisation at 212 beats per minute, building a marathon solo that demonstrates his command of the blues vocabulary and his ability to sustain interest across an extended improvisational arc. Trombonist Alan Ferber picks up the tempo to 269 beats per minute during his eight-chorus solo, bringing increasing urgency to the performance. Trumpeter Ron Stout pushes even harder with ten choruses at 276 beats per minute, driving the concert toward its climactic finish. The progressive tempo acceleration across the three solos gives the track a sense of escalating energy that is perfectly suited to a closing performance. The philosophically resonant title suggests a meditation on what it means to be alive and present, a fitting theme for a live recording that captures the vitality of jazz improvisation in the moment. "Human Being, Being Human" is a fitting conclusion to an album that showcases Zebley's band at its most inspired.
