His feathery keyboard touch is coupled with a lot of power and passion, a complete understanding of the blues and improvisation, and Terrasson is also a gifted arranger, putting his own personal stamp on well known tunes. He's been one of the jazz world's most talked about piano player/composers since he captured everyone's attention when he won the Thelonious Monk Competition in 1993.
Born in Berlin to a French mother and an American father, Terrasson's distinctive piano style reflects his old and new influences. In his youth, he spent years studying and listening to recordings by Bud Powell, Bill Evans and Thelonious Monk. He began playing piano at age five, and his parents were always playing classical music on the stereo. He began listening intently to Billie Holiday and Miles Davis records that belonged to his mother when he was 11, and at that point, he was hooked on playing jazz piano.
He studied jazz at the Berklee College of Music in Boston with many other new traditionalists as classmates, including people like Danilo Perez. After graduation, he spent a year jamming at clubs in Chicago and New York before hooking up with ensembles led by his mentors, including Arthur Taylor and Betty Carter. At a recording session, Terrasson met Carter. The vocalist told him she needed a pianist to begin a tour the next day, and he accepted, spending nearly a year on the road with her.
Among many other sessions, Terrasson performed on Jimmy Scott's 1996 release, Heaven, for Warner Bros. He also did arranging for that record. Terrasson continues to perform around the world as leader of his own trio, and has made several European and Japanese tours. He's one of the most sought-after sidemen in jazz, constantly in demand for touring jazz bands and recording dates. On his 1996 sophomore effort, Reach, he's ably backed by the same musicians who accompanied him on his debut: bassist Ugonna Okegwo and drummer Leon Parker. Rendezvous followed in 1997, and a year later Terrasson returned with Alive. 1999's What It Is emphasized Terrasson's compositional skills as well as technique. Paris followed two years later.
Tea For Two
Jacky Terrasson Lyrics
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So I have invented my own.
Darling, this place is lovely oasis
Where life's weary taste is unknown
Far from the crowded city
Where flowers pretty caress the stream
Cozy to hide in, to live side by side in,
Picture me upon your knee
Just tea for two
And two for tea
Just me for you
And you for me alone
Nobody near us to see us or hear us
No friends or relations
On weekend vacations
We won't have it known
That we own a telephone, dear
Day will break and I'll wake
And start to bake a sugar cake
For you to take for all the boys to see
We will raise a family
A boy for you
And a girl for me
Can't you see how happy we would be
Picture you upon my knee
Just tea for two
And two for tea
Just me for you
And you for me alone
Nobody near us to see us or hear us
No friends or relations
On weekend vacations
We won't have it known
That we own a telephone, dear
Day will break, you'll wake
And start to bake a sugar cake
For you to take for all the boys to see
We will raise a family
A boy for you
And a girl for me
The lyrics of Jacky Terrasson’s song “Tea For Two” express a yearning for a peaceful retreat from the chaos of daily life. The singer is discontented with rented homes and instead dreams of creating their own perfect oasis, away from the city and its exhausting demands. In this idyllic place, life’s “weary taste” is unknown, and the singer envisions a simple but fulfilling domestic life with their loved one. The image of sharing a cup of tea takes on symbolic significance, representing intimacy and the idea of creating a private little world for two.
The lyrics are infused with a sense of escapism and a desire to escape the stresses of modern life. The idea of creating a sanctuary or private world for two is synonymous with the desire to retreat from society and hide away from the world. The singer seems to be longing for a world of simplicity, disconnected from technology and social media, and free from the prying eyes of others. A world that is cozy and intimate, without the distractions of the outside world.
To sum it up, the lyrics to “Tea For Two” reflect the yearning for a peaceful sanctuary away from the demands of modern life, where two people can live in unison, free from the prying eyes of the world.
Line by Line Meaning
I'm discontented with homes that I've rented
I'm not happy with renting homes that don't feel like they're really mine
So I have invented my own.
So I've created my own, where I feel comfortable and at home
Darling, this place is lovely oasis
Sweetheart, this place is like a beautiful paradise
Where life's weary taste is unknown
Where the mundaneness of life is unknown
Far from the crowded city
Far from the hustle and bustle of the city
Where flowers pretty caress the stream
Where beautiful flowers gently touch the stream
Cozy to hide in, to live side by side in,
Cozy enough to hide in, to live comfortably side by side in,
Don't let it apart in my dream
I don't want it to fade away from my dreams
Picture me upon your knee
Imagine me sitting on your lap
Just tea for two
Just having tea together, just us two
And two for tea
And two cups of tea
Just me for you
Just me for you
And you for me alone
And you for me, no one else around
Nobody near us to see us or hear us
No one is around to see or hear us
No friends or relations
No friends or family members
On weekend vacations
On our weekend getaways
We won't have it known
We won't let anyone know
That we own a telephone, dear
That we have a telephone, my love
Day will break and I'll wake
Morning will come and I'll wake up
And start to bake a sugar cake
And I'll start baking a sweet cake
For you to take for all the boys to see
For you to take to show off to everyone
We will raise a family
We will have children and start a family
A boy for you
A son for you
And a girl for me
And a daughter for me
Can't you see how happy we would be
Don't you see how happy we could be?
Picture you upon my knee
Imagine you sitting on my lap
Just tea for two
Just us having tea together
And two for tea
And two cups of tea
Just me for you
Just me for you
And you for me alone
And you for me, no one else around
Nobody near us to see us or hear us
No one is around to see or hear us
No friends or relations
No friends or family members
On weekend vacations
On our weekend getaways
We won't have it known
We won't let anyone know
That we own a telephone, dear
That we have a telephone, my love
Day will break, you'll wake
Morning will come, you'll wake up
And start to bake a sugar cake
And you'll start baking a sweet cake
For you to take for all the boys to see
For you to take to show off to everyone
We will raise a family
We will have children and start a family
A boy for you
A son for you
And a girl for me
And a daughter for me
Lyrics © Budde Music Publishing GmbH, BMG Rights Management, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Capitol CMG Publishing, Downtown Music Publishing, Songtrust Ave, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd., Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Irving Caesar, Vincent Youmans
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind