Events

[FOLK] Out last month on Snarky Puppy’s Ground Up imprint, Becca Stevens’ Regina contains multiple history lessons alongside a more modern tale about creatively embellishing historical contexts with great imagination. It stands as an extraordinary example of how complex musical ideas lying on the outskirts of pop, folk, and jazz can be just as catchy—and significantly more enduring—than most anything found in the mainstream. 2015’s Perfect Animal struck a balance of increased accessibility in Stevens’ work, applying a sensual rhythmic flow to her challenging compositions that worked magnificently—a listen to her cover of Usher’s “You Make Me Wanna” helps get a handle on her musical M.O. On Regina, she keeps running with that ball tucked firmly under her arm while also managing to overlay a concept about queens—real ones, fictitious ones, one that’s an alter ego—even Queen’s Freddie Mercury gets a seat at her table of distinguished guests.

What began as a commissioned assignment to create music for NYC-based non-profit The Jazz Gallery sent Stevens scurrying to cobble musical ideas that were appropriate for the venue (which does a trio of commissions each year), using Queen Elizabeth I as a thematic departure point. Regina is the more fully realized version of what she came up with, and it finds her pushing her voice to satisfying new peaks of expression while making excellent use of her Becca Stevens Band regulars, Liam Robinson, Chris Tordini, and Jordan Perlson. Also along for the ride are Snarky Puppy’s Michael League, Jacob Collier, Laura Mvula, and the legendary David Crosby, with whom Stevens toured as bassist during his well-regarded shows supporting Lighthouse last fall. Mvula lends richness to stately opener “Venus,” which meditates on the Goddess’s fabled rise from the sea. Later she appears again on the coiling “Well Loved,” one of the collection’s most infectious tracks, which is inspired by the writings of Sei Shōnagon (a gentlewoman living in the Empress’ court in Japan during the late 900’s). Collier, meanwhile, gives a vocal assist to the closing cover of Stevie Wonder’s “As,” and Crosby duets on “The Muse,” a different version of which also appears on Lighthouse  as “By the Light of Common Day.”

Stevens repeatedly contemplates the regal dilemma of balancing love and power, occasionally applying that theme to her own modern scenarios—making the historical more personal (and conversely — ironically, even — more universal) as she goes. Troy Miller’s production is both lush and densely layered, but it never overpowers, as Stevens steps up to meet each arrangement with assured backbone. She commands the two edgiest tracks – “Queen Mab” and “Mercury” — with great finesse. The former is a reinterpretation of Mercutio’s Queen Mab speech from Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet, backed here with a skronky, sinister stomp that’s perfectly suited to Mab’s selfishly motivated, succubus-like character—you can hear the voodoo. “Mercury,” on the other hand, is a new wave joyride that fuses revealing quotes from Freddie Mercury interviews that together provide a remarkable amount of insight to his persona in just under four minutes.

Stevens takes a jazz approach to her music, which provides fans of conventional pop some hoops to jump through – much like Esperanza Spaulding’s Emily’s D+ Evolution: nothing is spoon-fed here. Time signatures may feel awkward to the uninitiated, and the songs often take unexpected, suite-like forays. Traditional jazz listeners will also have some work to do since Stevens doesn’t play by the rules. But with each listen she reveals herself as a masterful artist that’s blessed with an ample supply of stashed, sinewy tricks. In the name of innovation, she is very much the queen of her own musical domain. The Becca Stevens Band plays at Buffalo Iron Works this Wednesday, April 12 with Broca’s Area in the opening slot.