The penultimate tune brings a surprise — guest trumpeter Benny Benack III joins Jones for Clifford Brown's beloved hard bop composition at 162 BPM. The two-trumpet format gives the performance a different texture from the rest of the concert, with Benack and Jones each taking one chorus on trumpet before Cohen and Hall add two choruses each on piano and bass. The shorter solo lengths and medium tempo create a more relaxed feel than the preceding Dear John, and the twin-trumpet voicing on the melody adds a fullness reminiscent of hard bop quintets. Brown composed Joy Spring in 1954, and its bright, optimistic melody has made it one of the most enduring trumpet compositions in jazz. Having a second trumpet sit in for this particular tune is a fitting tribute to Brown's collaborative spirit and to the tradition of trumpet battles that runs through jazz history.
