Le Concorde

Le Concorde represents singer/songwriter Stephen Becker’s second adopted group identity, succeeding his earlier project Post Office. A Northwestern University Ph.D. raised in Seattle, Becker issued two albums under the Post Office name while living in New York: the 1996 release Public Displays of Affection and the 2001 Chris Stamey-produced Fables in Slang on Spade Kitty Records. After moving to Chicago he formed Le Concorde, enlisting brothers Ellis Clark and Tom Clark from Epicycle along with Ed Tinley and Dave Cotini for studio work. The 2004 EP Le Concorde marked his debut under the new name, with the full-length Universe and Villa appearing the following year on March Records. Beginning with the 2007 EP Suite, Becker collaborated in Los Angeles with former Scritti Politti keyboardist Mike Gamson; pleased with the outcome, he retained Gamson for the subsequent album House, issued by Le Grand Magistery in 2010. Legendary Chicago house music producer Vince Lawrence joined longtime associate Tinley on the sessions, yielding the project’s sleekest and most pop-oriented record to date.