Joe Lovano makes his first appearance of the evening with his own bebop-flavored original, and the full quartet format marks the transition from Cohen's opening stride-era features to the collaborative blowing session that defines the rest of the concert. Lovano leads with eight choruses of tenor saxophone over the 32-bar AABA form at 204 BPM, followed by Cohen's four choruses on piano and Hall's two-chorus bass solo. The twelve-minute performance establishes the rapport between Lovano and Cohen that carries through the remaining seven tunes. Lovano composed Bird's Eye View as a tribute to Charlie Parker's musical language, and the tune's bebop vocabulary fits naturally into this program that has already traced jazz history from stride piano to swing. The three soloists' extended statements set the template for the evening — Lovano stretching out at length, Cohen matching his intensity, and Hall contributing focused bass features.
