PETE HAWKES
How often does one come across a composer with the ability to transcend several musical genres and yet stay firmly focussed within his own perceived sound? Almost never! Pete manages to turn many genres into his own, making the listener feel they are witnessing something innovative and fresh, but still familiar to the feels and traditions of the genre.
This latest double album, highlighting some of Pete's instrumental works over the last ten years is absolutely amazing! I have no doubt its going to be one of those remembered albums and I'm sure it will still be being played in years to come. On 'Double Diversity' you will find airs, reels and Celtic influenced pieces; Delta Blues (for a unique 1930's Delta interpretation of McCartney's' Yesterday') and a cleverly written neo classical piece that just oozes Russia, 'The Moscow Gypsy'. It also includes some very finely arranged and well-executed Jazz with the bossa Nova 'A whispered Scream'.
If that doesn't take your fancy then you can always listen to Pete's beautiful arrangements of some great classical guitar standards or alternatively relax with the innovative Cello compositions.
Dig ragtime? then you have the 'Belly Laugh Rag' and 'The Boisterous Border Collie!' In fact there is so much here, in this record you need to listen to it a few times to digest all the ideas and nuances on both disks.
The word 'genius' I have always reserved for the greats like Charlie Parker, Charles Mingus, Richard Thompson and Louie Armstrong, but given the diversity, variation, number of musical genres, and the prolific number of high quality, original compositions of all styles of music Pete has put out on this record, and continues to produce every year, not to mention a back catalogue of finely crafted original songs (that always have something unique to say about the human condition), it's hard not to use the word for him here as well.
If he is not a genius then he is certainly one of Australia's most creative and interesting composers for acoustic music to emerge in the last decade. Listen to the record and see if you don't agree! Tony Bates ..Musicologist/Reviewer' Station Librarian /Presenter 3WBC 94.1FM, BOX HILL Victoria ..

INFLUENCES
John Martyn, Mozart, Darryl Payten
Martin Simpson, Bert Jansch, Davey Graham
Roy Buchanan, Charles Mingus
Yo Yo Ma, Beethoven, Roy Rogers
Ry Cooder, Robert Johnson, Led Belly
Blind Blake, Hubert Sumlin, Charlie Parker
Larry Carlton, Harry Chapin, Eric Bibb
Richard Thompson, John Renbourn
Stefan Grappeli, Clannard, Jango Reinhardt
Pepino D'Agostino, Phil Emmanuel,Tony McManus
Bruce Cockburn, Keb Mo
ton van bergeyk, preston reed
Leo kottke, Memphis Minnie
Alex de grassi, Cris smither, Chris proctor
Dougie MacLean, Martin Taylor, David Wilcox
Gerry Douglas, JJ Cale, Johnny Winter
Stevie Ray, Alison Krauss and Union Station
David Bromberg, Muddy Waters
Richard Steele, Gypsy Dave Smith
Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky , Chopin, Hayden
George Gershwin. Béla Bartók
Felix Mendelssohn, Claude Debussy
Aaron Copland, Clarence Gatemouth Brown
Jac De Pru, Duanne Alman
Doc Watson, Rev Gary Davis
Norri Bucci, mansc liscomb
frank zappa, pink Floyd, Jeff Lang
Roy Bookbinder, Robert Cray
Paul geremia,Jimi Hendrix, Danny Gatton
Turlock O’Carolan, Gordon Lightfoot
Bonnie Raitt, Rory Block

PETE HAWKES "MASSIVE" WORLD TOUR Pete Hawkes tour dates are all announced. Paris, and Netherlands for November. The next tour is now set for India from the 15th of Jan '08 till the 10th of Feb '08 plus 5 days for a video shoot and press meetings. The dates include the following cities: Goa, Hyderabad, Bangalore, Chennai, Kerala, Mumbai, Pune, Delhi, Calcutta. There are 15 international artists performing in 15 major venues across India. The Tour will have W.O.A Records artists including World Music Star & W.O.A founder Oliver Sean, Native American Lifetime Achievement Award Winner & Grammy nominee Tiger Tiger, Irelands No. 1 Gypsy Jazz Band Blue Jar, Acclaimed Spanish Singer / Songwriter Cuca Moreno, Annie Minogue Band, Russia’s No.1 metal band ANJ, Indigo Son, Electronica King Damien Simon from Buffalo New York and various other International artists from across the world (USA, UK, Denmark, New Zealand, Colombia, Australia, Dominican Republic, France, Slovenia, Russia and more being added). Complete artiste list to be updated on the 11th of December. The tour is supported by Vh1, MTV India, Zee Music, NDTV and various publications assuring great media coverage including spots/ interviews with the artistes on Radio and TV. A compilation CD will be produced by W.O.A Records comprising of all the artists on this tour. The compilation will be sold along the tour, all across India at Planet M’s, Music Worlds and various other stores and Internationally across 3000 Record Stores including Tower Records around the world by the worlds biggest CD distributor SUPER-D and Online on iTunes, Yahoo Music, Rhapsody, Sony Tunes etc. One Music Video will also be shot comprising of all the artistes singing a song co-composed by all these 15 awesome artists. The video will be featured on all the top music channels across the world Including MTV India, MTV Asia, MTV, MTV Europe, VH1, Sky/Granada TV Networks, Trace TV, Zee Music, Channel V besides others. The entire event will be co-coordinated by W.O.A Events. The venues sourced out are some of India's best known live performance clubs. AMAZING GIG for Pete Hawkes. You can download all of Pete Hawks albums in the My Blue Pie Music store.