The concert opens with a solo piano performance of Willie 'The Lion' Smith's stride composition, with Emmet Cohen delivering nearly five choruses over the 32-bar AABA form at 235 BPM. The choice to begin with an unaccompanied stride piece is a nod to Cohen's deep command of jazz piano history, setting the stage for an evening that spans from the earliest jazz traditions through modern originals. Smith was one of the founding figures of Harlem stride piano alongside James P. Johnson and Fats Waller, and Contrary Motion showcases the genre's demanding left-hand technique and rhythmic drive. With no other musicians on stage yet, the solo format lets Cohen establish the evening's tone on his own terms before Joe Lovano and the rhythm section join for the rest of the program. The set continues with another Fats Waller-era piece, Squeeze Me, keeping the stride thread going.
