Big Ben is an original jazz blues composition by tenor saxophonist Joe Lovano, written as a tribute to the great tenor saxophonist Ben Webster. The tune first appeared on Lovano's 2006 Blue Note album Streams of Expression, one of three standalone originals on a record that otherwise features extended suites, including reinterpretations of Miles Davis's Birth of the Cool material arranged in part by Gunther Schuller. Big Ben is built on a standard blues form with a swinging, mid-tempo feel that serves as a vehicle for lyrical, expressive improvisation in the tenor saxophone tradition. Lovano recorded a notable quartet version with pianist Hank Jones, bassist George Mraz, and drummer Lewis Nash, captured live at the 2005 Newport Jazz Festival and released on Classic! Live at Newport in 2016, where the stripped-down setting highlights Lovano's saxophone lines against Jones's elegant accompaniment. The tune has also been performed in a trio setting by Emmet Cohen with Lovano as a guest, a performance documented on AllSolos through Live From Emmet's Place Vol. 56, featuring solos from Cohen on piano, Lovano on tenor saxophone, and Russell Hall on bass. Big Ben remains a deep cut within Lovano's discography, valued by those familiar with his catalog but not widely covered beyond his own projects.
