Becca Stevens Band - Weightless (2011)

Becca Stevens is a brilliant, young singer/songwriter who has performed in eclectic musical settings, from jazz settings of Björk tunes (Björkestra) to her own folk/roots ensemble. There is an artistic point where Jacqui Sutton (Billie & Dolly (Toy Blue Typewriter Productions, 2010)), Gretchen Parlato (The Lost and Found (ObliqSound, 2011)) and Norah Jones (Feels Like Home (Blue Note Records, 2004)) intersect, giving rise to Becca Stevens, whose creative arc gains traction in a direction different from, but informed by, those singers. By combining Parlato's coquettish, diaphanous singing style, Sutton's rootsy, organic acoustic approach and Jones' tuneful composing, Stevens charts a course all her own in a spirited new direction.

The Becca Stevens Band is a quartet capable of generating both heat and light when the instruments couple with the vocals, Liam Robinson and Chris Tordini having principle parts. This quartet is supplemented with guitarist Larry Campbell on several tracks and Parlato on the lullaby "No More."

The title song merges all the singing voices in provocative counterpoint that recalls Phish's "Bouncing Around the Room" crossed with The Doobie Brothers' "Black Water," except Stevens and her band give a thoroughly updated vocal treatment compared to those older songs. Jordan Perlson's muscular drumming juxtaposes itself anxiously with the soft delivery of the singer's delicate melody.

Stevens extends this melodious contrapuntal singing to its limit in the very Norah Jones-like "There is a Light That Never Goes Out." Stevens' voice square dances with those of Robinson and Tordini. The single cover on the disc, Seal's "Kiss from a Rose," is perhaps the greatest success of the recital, completely re-harmonized and presented organically. This ranks as one of the most inventive and inspired covers of a modern popular song.

Stevens emerges at an exciting time in jazz vocal music when boundaries are being pushed, reset, and pushed again. Her organic style is exciting and innovative, made even more so by her groundbreaking singing.

Becca Stevens - Vocals, Guitars, Ukulele
Chris Tordini - Bass, Vocals
Liam Robinson - Piano, Accordion, Vocals
Jordan Perlson - Drums, Percussion

Gretchen Parlato - Vocals (10)
Larry Campbell - Guitars

Track List:
01. Weightless 05:13
02. I'll Notice 05:44
03. There Is A Light That Never Goes Out 05:22
04. Traveler's Blessing 04:29
05. The Riddle 04:30
06. Kiss From A Rose 05:54
07. How To Love 07:32
08. Canyon Dust 02:40
09. My Girls 04:35
10. No More 04:35
11. You Can Fight 04:45
12. Each Coming Night 03:43