Tea For Two
Fats gives a sublime and elegant reading of a tune usually associated with Art Tatum, but Fats definitely has his own original take on it.
Of note throughout is his delicate use of dynamics showcasing his unique classical touch to the hilt. The brilliantly executed cascading runs, the right-hand tenths, the build-up to the raucous last time through the chorus and the cheeky surprise ending all make this a gorgeous gem of a performance.
As part of the Associated Transcriptions session of 1935, this solo is effortlessly sandwiched between sung versions of I'm Crazy 'Bout My Baby and Believe It, Beloved (see my earlier transcription). Fats could churn out one brilliant take after another, it seems.
Interestingly, Fats returns to this tune in his later Associated Transcription session of 1939 with a very different more abstract approach which is well worth a listen.
Of course, always listen to the original as the ultimate source for performance:
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