Tea For Two – 2023
Emmet Cohen and Jeremy Pelt
A rapid exploration of the standard
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“Tea For Two” was composed in 1924 by Vincent Youmans and it has been a standard ever since.
While there have been a countless number of versions, it would be difficult to imagine a rendition being taken at a faster speed than this one.
After the melody, pianist Emmet Cohen for a time disguises the rapid tempo by playing his solo in half-time, creating some exquisite chords, and hinting at Bud Powell before he shows just how fast this version really is.
Jeremy Pelt contributes a blazing trumpet solo (probably the only way to play the song at this raging speed), bassist Philip Norris never loses a beat or slows down the tempo, and drummer Joe Saylor takes a solo in which one can often hear the tune’s melody.
-Scott Yanow
