Svetlana - "Tea for Two"
Chanteaus Svetlana releases follow-up to her Valentine's Day, "In the Wee Small Hours of the Morning."
This past Valentine’s Day, New York vocalist and bandleader Dr. Svetlana Shmulyian (hereafter, Svetlana) released a bold reconsideration of the David Mann-Bob Hilliard standard, “In the Wee Small Hours in the Morning.”
Svetlana’s next release, in anticipation of the fall 2026 release of Live in Savannah, is a swinging treatment of the 1924 Vincent Youmans-Irving Caesar song “Tea for Two.” Introduction of the song occurred in May 1924 by Phyllis Cleveland and John Barker during the Chicago pre-Broadway run of the musical No, No, Nanette.
The recording of “Tea for Two” is worth considering During Svetlana’s 2023 Fall residency at the Jazz Corner Club in Hilton Head, the singer and her band, including pianist Willerm Delisfort, drummer Robert Boon Jr., bassist Kevin Smith, saxophonist Rahsaan Barber, and trumpeter Al Strong recorded several songs later slated for release. The singer is quite partial to this lineup, having appeared with them at three of her five pilgrimages to Hilton Head. The singer and band’s synergy gelled so completely that Svetlana had to have that sound. For several days, Svetlana drove from Hilton Head to Savannah, where she sought a recording studio.
Svetlana and the band recorded eight songs and filmed an accompanying video for each. They released the first three recorded songs as the holiday collection, Snowball Swing. With that done, the singer begins the release of five singles and videos, which she calls Chapter Two of Savannah Sessions. The singer will release all five recordings between now and Svetlana’s Fall 2026 residency at Hilton Head. “Tea for Two” is her second release from these efforts.
One cannot un-experience Anita O’Day’s performance of the song at the 1958 Newport Jazz Festival as captured in the film Jazz on a Summer’s Day (Raven Films, 1959). O’Day was at the height of her considerable powers, delivering this standard live. Svetlana brings the old song back to mainstream respectability with a right down the middle mainstream. The swing is strong in this performance, Svetlana’s voice bouncing with Delisfort, Barber, and Strong turning in solid, if brief, solos. Looking forward to Live in Savannah.
