Jessi Teich, “Barely There” review

Billie Holliday, Sarah Vaughn, Janis Joplin, Muddy Waters, and BB King are some of the greatest singers and musicians of all time.  Fuse all of these artists together and envision a young woman in a vintage dress playing the piano.  The woman is no one other than Jessi Teich.  Raised in New Jersey, studied at Berklee College of Music, and now residing in Philadelphia, Jessi Teich is an old Blues, Jazz, and Soul singer trapped in a 20 something year old woman’s body.

Recently Jessi Teich released her debut album “Barely There.”  The album has an acoustic feel that will make you appreciate the beauty of musicianship.  Not only is Jessi an accomplished pianist, she is also a composer.  There is a spirit of Gershwin present throughout the album.  This is definitely an album to listen to when you are trying to relax.  It’s something very soothing about Jessi’s voice.

The album is about love and life. Each song is great in its own right.  The song “Mover and Shaker” describes the feeling when you wake up in the morning and the peace of mind you have before your feet hit the floor.  “I’m a mover and I’m a shaker, I ain’t got time for any haters.”  It’s empowering when you arise in the morning and realize that you have the ability to accomplish whatever you put your mind to.  Move and shake your way to the top!

“Layers of Love” is just one of those songs in which you can’t help but to close your eyes and let your mind wander.  It’s definitely a great song.  It definitely puts you in the mind of Norah Jones.  The pure melodies and unfettered beauty in her voice is incredible.  The song ends with Jessi singing acapella and it’s at that point where you realize how pure her voice is.  No superfluous runs, just singing from her heart and soul.

When listening to “Barely There” you will not get the pomp and circumstance caricature of music.  There is nothing exaggerated about Jessi Teich.  This album is definitely a great investment.   This album embodies everything that constitutes greatness, nice vocals, great lyrics, and real instruments.  Her album might be entitled “Barely There, but Jessi Teich is fully here and ready to take the world by storm.