This recording of "Little Girl Blue" comes from The Doug Webb Quartet's 2014 album Sets the Standard. Composed by Richard Rodgers with lyrics by Lorenz Hart for the 1935 musical Jumbo, the song is one of the most poignant ballads in the American songbook, with a melody that conveys loneliness and yearning with remarkable economy. The arrangement reverses the typical soloist order, with pianist Alan Broadbent taking the first solo, a full chorus of the 36-bar AAB form in F at 97 BPM. His playing is exquisitely sensitive, with voicings that illuminate the harmonic architecture of Rodgers's writing. Webb follows with his own full chorus on tenor saxophone, switching from the soprano he plays elsewhere on the album and bringing a warmer, darker tonal palette to the ballad setting. The slightly faster-than-typical ballad tempo allows both soloists to sustain melodic momentum while preserving the song's intimate character. Webb's tenor solo is richly expressive, with a full-bodied sound and long, singing phrases that honor the lyrical tradition of the great tenor balladeers. The pairing of Broadbent's crystalline piano with Webb's robust tenor creates a satisfying contrast that deepens the performance's emotional impact. The track showcases both musicians' ability to tell a story through their instruments.
