New Release: Hawk Arps and the Laureates “Vibra Cum Laude”


Hawk -Vibra Cum Laude Cover Meterology 
Recorded this Summer at Contact Create Studios in Snohomish, Washington with some of the best musicians on the West Coast.

The Laureates include:
 
-   Grammy nominated for best Latin Jazz album in 2006… Jovino Santos Neto on piano and accordion
-   L.A.’s multi-platinum hit studio guitarist… Don Peake  (recorded and played with Marvin Gaye, Ray Charles, Tina Turner, Jackson Five, many many others…)
-   Hammond B-3 king of Seattle/Portland underground music scene… Joe Doria
-   Brazilian virtuoso on guitar and calvaquinho… Kiko Freitas
-   One of the best and busiest drummers in the Northwest, fluent in styles ranging from global beats to gospel,  jazz, and  funk… Jeff “Bongo” Busch
-   Young yet wise and experienced graduate from Cornish School of the Arts on electric and acoustic bass… Tim Carey
-   From the San Francisco Bay area; oud, violin, and viola master of Eastern European musical styles… Gary Haggerty
 
Every tune on this album is an original song written by Hawk with the exception of two classic jazz standards set in fresh and original arrangements. These songs are:
 
1. -   Larksong: a tango/bolero written for our friend Lark
2. -   K-17: a meringue written on my son Kestrel’s 17th birthday
3. -   Light the Candle: a bossa nova written for my wife Heather
4. -   Meterology:  a New Orleans funk tune written in the style of the Meters
5. -   I’m Guilty: a  beautiful modern jazz style song
6. -   Slam Dunk: a swing tune written for my son Mica
7. -   Stardust: set in a R&B style and includes the seldom heard intro verse
8. -   Thursday After Val: kinda klezmeresque, written after my friend Valerie died
9. -   Metaphysical: a waltz/ballad to snuggle up to
10. - Sambril: a samba written in the month of Abril (April in Portuguese)
11. - Gray Teeth: written for Ray Charles shortly after he died
12. - Lush Life: this beautiful standard is played as a solo vibe piece
 
This recording features Hawk Arps playing the vibraphone, which is an instrument of extreme versatility. Unlike a Xylophone, it has metal bars played with four soft mallets. It’s range is three octaves in the middle of the piano keyboard.  It can be played rhythmically like a drum, chords can be strummed like a guitar, melodies and other improvisations can be played as well. It has a mechanically driven vibrato above its resonating tubes  which gives it its name VIBRAphone. Hawk’s lyrical phrasing and mature technique really make this instrument sing.