Aquavelvet

Lounge-flavored exotica for pop connoisseurs. Jim and fellow multi-instrumentalist Randy Leago have created dense, luxurious arrangements of sacred pop gems featuring bizarre and beautiful instrumental / vocal combinations.

Hey Everybody Let's Fall In Love

Wonderfully deranged and re-arranged takes on 50's shlock, 60's Britpop and more. Esquivel meets Brian Wilson. Ever hear "She Cried" with a wall of throbbing jews harps and sitar, or "I Only Have Eyes For You" with pedal steel, bass flutes and harmonica? Janis Ian guests on background vocals. Bob Brainen of WFMU named it among his top ten CDs of the year.

You Are Everything You Showed Me

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A Splash of Aquavelvet

Their second CD, adding lead vocals on half the songs, is fully drenched in island mystique. Ukulele, steel guitar, exotic percussion and endangered-species- chatter invite you to chill on a sunny beach with gentle ocean breezes and a pina colada. Wonderment includes "Chances Are", "One Less Bell To Answer", and a brilliant smash-up of "Caroline No" and "Hello It's Me" - two of the sweetest pop songs ever. This CD is extremely addictive.

Chances Are Pretty Ballerina

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Other Bands/Projects Featuring Jim

Raul Malo

Jim plays saxes and woodwinds with this virtuosic vocalist in live appearances (frequent spots on The Grand Ole Opry) and on records. His horn and woodwind arrangements are a major part of the sound on Malo's two recent CDs, "Marshmallow World" and "After Hours".

Swan Dive

This pop duo may have it's biggest audience overseas these days, but their catalog of sparkling Bacharach-esque pop is well-loved everywhere. Jim is featured on all their CDs on a plethora of instruments including pedal steel, flutes, reeds and chromatic harmonica. He's usually with them on domestic live dates.

Twelve Against Nature

Jim plays alto and tenor sax and harmonica in what may be the best Steely Dan tribute band in the world. Besides playing in the horn section, Jim gets to play classic solos from "Deacon Blues", "Aja", "Dr. Wu" and more. When in Nashville, catch them at Third and Lindsley.

The Denis Solee - Jim Hoke Quartet

With Denis on alto sax and Jim on baritone, they evoke the sound of the Paul Desmond - Gerry Mulligan group. The individual voices weave in counterpoint to imply chords that are never literally played. This creates an uncluttered sonic environment with unlimited potential for dynamics and improvisation. Watch for them at F. Scott's Restaurant.

OTTO

Possibly the best cello-woodwinds-vibraphone-pedal steel chamber group in town. Their adventurously varied repertoire, from Faure and Milhaud to Zappa and The Beach Boys is well suited to the tantalizing mixture of dissonance and harmony in Hoke's arrangements.

Little Pieces

Otto's debut CD, "Little Pieces" covers vast musical territory, while constantly reaching to exploit its unique instrumental palette. Earthy, expressive cello and pedal steel nuances play off etherial clouds of vibraphone notes while clarinet, flute or alto saxophone weaves unifying threads of melodic counterpoint. From Faure's "Pavane" to "The Accident" by David Byrne, the track selections never fail to surprise and delight.

Trois Gnossienne The Accident

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The Jim Hoke Nonet

Jim led a nine-piece group of studio jazzers in the late ninties. Their main venue was a coffee shop where every Tuesday they'd rehearse Jim's compositions and arrangements which grew in number each week. Audiences were "invited inside" the process, which often took on unpredictable twists.

Manatee Waltz

Nine mal-adjusted musicians; nine songs. This is the culmination of the Nonet's brief existence. It features intense group improvization, bright solo spots and crisp yet subtle ensemble performances of Jim's Mingus-esque originals. The title track takes advantage of an extended musical palette of woodwinds in Jim's most orchestral writing of this period.

Bananas Black Madras

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Hoke and his Orchestra Bop!

Jim's first "small big band" venture featuring most of the musicians who would become the Nonet, plus vocals by the amazing Kristi Rose. Song list draws from jump blues and jazz masters of the 30's and 40's. Their hilarious version of "Eighteen" has made Alice Cooper an honorary member of the "Rat Pack".

Hoke and His Orchestra Bop!

This captures the group at it's swingin' - est, during their period of weekly residency at Wolfy's on Broadway, where Jimi Hendrix Experience drummer Mitch Mitchell would often sit in. Kristi Rose belts and coos Sarah Vaughn and Peggy Lee tunes and there's some 50's TV crime jazz and a lounge tango. Great fun from a great band.

I'm Gonna Live Til I Die Eighteen

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