The concert opens at a relaxed 117 BPM with Tadd Dameron's rhythm changes composition, easing the ensemble into the evening. Dillard leads with two choruses on tenor saxophone over the 32-bar AABA form, Cohen follows with three on piano, and Wolfe adds a single-chorus bass solo. The ten-minute opener has a warm-up quality, with the moderate tempo and familiar harmonic framework letting the musicians establish rapport. Dameron composed the piece around 1944 with a co-composer credit to Count Basie, and its graceful melody over rhythm changes has made it a staple of the bebop repertoire. This same tune appeared in the Chad LB Quartet's Coltrane tribute set, and hearing Dillard's interpretation alongside that earlier version highlights how different tenors approach the same vehicle. The set continues with Duke Pearson's Jeannine, stepping up the tempo and expanding the form.
