“Tea for Two” was composed by Vincent Youmans with lyrics by Irving Caesar for the 1925 musical No, No, Nanette. It became one of the most recorded songs of its era, and jazz pianists like Art Tatum and Bud Powell turned it into a showcase for virtuosity.
The tune is usually played in Ab major. The A section moves back and forth between ii and V chords in Ab, then shifts to the key of C for a similar passage, before returning to Ab. That key change gives the tune its playful character. The form is 32 bars.
For improvisation, practice ii-V patterns in both Ab and C. The move between keys should be clear in your solo, so target the third of each new tonic. Art Tatum’s solo piano version is a jaw-dropping study in reharmonization and runs.
Practice slowly, learning both key areas. Then increase tempo, since this tune is often played briskly.
Section by section: the A section alternates between ii and V chords in Ab, so practice a short ii-V lick. The next section repeats the idea in C; move your lick up a major third. Return to Ab for the final section. Art Tatum’s version is a dazzling study in reharmonization.
Practice tip: practice moving the same ii-V lick between Ab and C until the shift feels natural.
Getting the most from the Tea for Two Lead Sheet PDF: start by reading the chord symbols without your instrument and humming the roots. Then circle any chord you can’t yet voice or arpeggiate, and make those your warm-up for the week before you play the whole form.
Using the Tea for Two Lead Sheet PDF on gigs: keep a concert-pitch copy and a copy in your instrument’s key, label the intro and ending on the page, and note the tempo and feel the band usually plays. Small notes like these keep you calm when a tune gets called on the spot.
Is it hard to play? It’s intermediate. Recordings to study: Art Tatum, Bud Powell and Thelonious Monk’s quirky version. Learn more about the composer on Vincent Youmans’s Wikipedia page, and find more classic standards on Minedit.