This recording of "I Remember You" comes from The Doug Webb Quartet's 2014 album Sets the Standard. Written by Victor Schertzinger with lyrics by Johnny Mercer for the 1942 film The Fleet's In, the song has been a favorite of jazz musicians for its graceful melody and appealing harmonic framework. In an unusual arrangement choice, pianist Alan Broadbent solos first, taking two choruses over the 36-bar AABA form in F at 172 BPM before Webb enters with his own two-chorus tenor saxophone statement at a nearly identical 173 BPM. This reversed order allows Broadbent to establish the interpretive direction of the performance, and he does so with characteristic elegance, spinning long melodic lines through the tune's changes with harmonic inventiveness and rhythmic grace. Webb's tenor solo picks up where Broadbent leaves off, building on the pianist's ideas while introducing his own warm, robust sound into the conversation. The medium-up swing tempo sits in the comfortable sweet spot that allows both players to stretch out without sacrificing musicality for speed. The two-chorus format for each soloist provides generous space for development, and both musicians use it effectively, constructing solos that have a clear narrative arc. The track captures the quartet at their most conversational, with the exchange between piano and tenor feeling like a thoughtful dialogue between two mature musical voices.
