Lovano's second original of the evening features an unusual 36-bar form that sets it apart from the standard structures elsewhere in the program. At a medium 131 BPM, only the two lead voices solo — Lovano takes three choruses on tenor saxophone and Cohen follows with four on piano. The longer form gives each chorus more harmonic real estate, and the ten-minute performance has a relaxed, exploratory quality. Lovano composed Our Daily Bread as the title track for his 1995 Blue Note album, and the tune's spacious structure reflects his approach to composition as a framework for open-ended improvisation rather than a vehicle for chord-running. Coming after the hard-swinging Bird's Eye View, this tune's gentler tempo and unusual form provide a change of pace before the concert's most extended performance on Fort Worth.
