The vibraphone is a wonderful and underutilized instrument. It’s the piano of the mallet percussion family of instruments, with a mellow and expressive sound. It’s mostly heard in jazz but has occasionally (not nearly often enough for my taste) crossed over into other musical styles. Check it out.

Martin Colyer “Mr. Bojangles” (Jerry Jeff Walker)
Mr. Colyer sent me a link to his web page where he has this song posted. I just loved the idea of this song being arranged for three bass guitars, three vibraphones and drum loops and had to come up with some excuse to post it. Thus we have this week’s meditation on the vibes.

Guitarist David Bromberg used to play in Jerry Jeff Walker’s band and he tells a great story about the song and the terrible things they used to do to it after hours. There’s a live recording of Bromberg’s version that’s well worth tracking down if you don’t get a chance to hear him play live.

The Blues Magoos “Heartbreak Hotel” (Elvis Presley)
When people ask me what my favorite cover is I always answer with either the Sid Vicious version of “My Way” or this song. I’m always blown away by how the Blues Magoos eradicate all traces of Elvis from their version. I also really dig how the singer puts everything he has into every single word he sings.

Lots of people are familiar with the Blues Magoos from their cover of “Tobacco Road” from the Nuggets compilation. By the time this was recorded the band had fallen apart, leaving the singer free range to express his singular musical vision. It turned out to be the band’s last record.

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After I put this post together I discovered that yesterday was Elvis’ birthday. I had no idea because I’m not a big Elvis guy. I don’t dislike him and I realize how influential he was, it’s just that when I started getting interested in rock and roll he was already a bloated parody of himself. And as they say, you never get a second chance to make a first impression. At any rate, feel free to consider this my Elvis tribute.

The Recliners “Roxanne” (The Police)
This is more the smooth jazzy kind of music people generally associate with both the vibes and the later stages of the career of the Police. Here the vibes aren’t really a featured instrument but are rather used to add color and texture.

Jeff Lash “Love Will Tear Us Apart” (Joy Division)
Vibraphonist Jeff Lash takes the suicidal anguish of Ian Curtis and turns it into a languid tropical number I highly recommend his albums Prozak For Lovers and Prozak For Lovers 2.

Cal Tjader “Gimme Shelter” (Rolling Stones)
The thing about the vibes is that it’s really hard to make them sound threatening or ominous. I just can’t imagine this song as the soundtrack to footage of the Hell’s Angels knifing a guy.