This recording of "Trouble Is A Man" comes from The Doug Webb Quartet's 2014 album Sets the Standard. Written by Alec Wilder, the song is a sophisticated ballad from one of American popular music's most idiosyncratic and underappreciated composers. Wilder's music occupies a unique space between popular song and art song, and his compositions reward musicians willing to engage with their harmonic subtlety. This track features a half-chorus piano solo by Alan Broadbent over the 32-bar ABAB form in D minor at a slow 56 BPM. Broadbent's solo is a masterclass in ballad improvisation, with each phrase carefully shaped and every harmonic choice serving the emotional arc of the music. His Tristano-influenced approach emphasizes long, flowing melodic lines and unexpected harmonic substitutions, and the slow tempo gives him room to develop ideas with the patience and nuance the material demands. Webb sits out the solo section on this track, allowing Broadbent's piano to carry the instrumental statement entirely, a generous arrangement choice that speaks to the mutual respect within the quartet. The inclusion of a Wilder composition signals the group's commitment to exploring the deeper corners of the American songbook, and Broadbent's eloquent solo does full justice to the composer's sophisticated musical language.
