"How Deep Is the Ocean?" from the 1956 album Tenor Conclave presents Irving Berlin's ballad in an expansive arrangement that gives each of the four tenor saxophonists a full chorus at slow tempo. Performed in E-flat major with a 32-bar ABAC form at approximately 55-60 BPM, the track features solos from Al Cohn, Red Garland on piano, Zoot Sims, Paul Chambers on bass, John Coltrane, and Hank Mobley. The slow tempo demands a different kind of virtuosity than the album's faster tracks, placing a premium on tone quality, melodic invention, and emotional depth. Cohn opens with a warm, lyrical statement that sets a high standard. Garland's piano solo is characteristically elegant. Sims brings his light, breathy tone to the material, while Chambers demonstrates his remarkable facility on bass. Coltrane's solo is notable for its harmonic adventurousness even at ballad tempo, and Mobley closes the saxophone rotation with a deeply felt performance. The track runs well over ten minutes, making it the most leisurely performance on the album and providing a necessary contrast to the competitive up-tempo blowing sessions. The ballad format reveals aspects of each saxophonist's artistry that faster tempos can obscure, making this track essential to a complete picture of the four players' capabilities.
