A live-in-the-studio take on Yebba’s “Distance”
Some songs do not need to be made bigger. They need the right people in the room, the confidence to leave space, and an arrangement that follows the vocal rather than competing with it.
That was the starting point for our live-in-the-studio version of “Distance,” originally recorded by Yebba. Jess Hayes brought the song to Masterlink Productions, and the session developed around the particular shape of her performance: direct, exposed and full of detail.
Rather than treating the song as a showcase for individual solos or big production gestures, the band’s role was to create a place for Jess’s voice to move freely. Sophie Alloway’s drumming gives the performance its quiet forward motion; Terry Lewis finds the spaces around the vocal with guitar lines that never overstate the moment; Ross Stanley’s Hammond organ brings warmth and colour without crowding the arrangement. On bass, I was looking for the same thing: a foundation that holds the song together while keeping the air around it intact.
It is one of the pleasures of playing with this group that nobody has to explain that instinct. A song like “Distance” depends on listening. The dynamics are not imposed from outside; they come from the musicians responding to one another in real time.
Jess chose the song because of her admiration for Yebba’s writing and vocal performance, and because she wanted to take on the challenge of learning its detail and emotional range. That sense of care is central to this version. We did not want to imitate the original. We wanted to understand what makes it land, then find our own way through it as a band in a room.
CREDITS
The session was recorded live at Masterlink Productions by James Welch, with video by Leo Mansell. It features:
Jess Hayes – vocals
Sophie Alloway – drums
Terry Lewis – guitar
Stefan Redtenbacher – bass
Ross Stanley – Hammond organ
“Distance” was written by James Francies, Abbey Smith, Alan Chenevert and Peter Wilkins. This arrangement was created by the Masterlink Sessions Collective and produced by Jess Hayes and Stefan Redtenbacher.
WATCH – STREAM – INFO
Watch the full live performance below.
You can also listen to “Distance” on your preferred streaming platform here:
For the complete Masterlink Sessions story, full production credits and more from the session, visit the original feature here:
Photo: Rob Blackham / Blackham Images
Recorded, mixed and mastered at Masterlink Productions by James Welch
Video: Leo Mansell
Studio assistant: Tyler Davies
Label: RSB Records