This 1952 recording of Irving Berlin's How Deep Is the Ocean? from Stan Getz Plays features three soloists in a medium-swing treatment taken at approximately 173-176 BPM in A-flat major. The 32-bar ABAC form provides the framework for a full chorus of tenor saxophone improvisation from Stan Getz, followed by half-chorus solos from Jimmy Raney on electric guitar and Duke Jordan on piano. Getz's solo demonstrates his ability to construct coherent, singing melodic lines at medium tempos, where neither the urgency of fast swing nor the spaciousness of a ballad dictates the phrasing. This middle-ground tempo reveals his rhythmic sophistication, as he plays with the beat in subtle ways that create forward momentum without rushing. Raney's guitar solo continues the linear, cool approach, his clean tone and thoughtful note choices reflecting the close musical sympathy he shared with Getz during this period. Jordan's piano solo adds harmonic depth, his bebop vocabulary enriching the ensemble's palette. Berlin's composition, with its wide-ranging melody and rich harmonic movement, proves an ideal vehicle for this kind of extended group improvisation. The track captures the Getz quintet functioning as a true collaborative unit, each soloist contributing a distinctive voice while maintaining the cohesive, understated aesthetic that defines the album.
