HAWTSIES
NEW ORLEANS RETRO-r&B BAND
RELEASE DEBUT LP “NINE LIVES”
on FULL-TILT RECORDS
Cover art for the Hawtsies first single “Hell Raisin’”
Pruitt, Pianovich, McPhail and Hudak: Four peculiar individuals, musicans, gathered together at the rhythm sections double shotgun home on St. Philips street in the Mid-City neighborhood of New Orleans to conjure a sound that would breathe life into the nine songs appearing on this record. The group, now collectively known as Hawtsies, took these songs about ghosts, skeletons, moral dillemas, devils, deception, temptation, meditation, sin and redemption, down the road from their rehearsal room to a church on the corner known to the world as Esplanade Studios to put them down definitively on record. At the time of these sonic conjurings, a three-legged kitten appeared in the dark of night. Rescued by Pianovich and cared for by Pruitt, “Slug”, as she would come to be named, spent the first days of her nine lives hearing the nine songs on this LP come to life. Some would say it was an omen but honestly, nobody wants to put that kind of burden on an innocent cat. As for the four peculiar individuals, they are happy to offer you what you now hold in your hand: the first recordings of the Hawtsies. Nine songs given a life of their own for all hep cats and kittens to enjoy.
Hawtsies L to R: Trent Pruitt, Rob Hudak, Alex Pianovich, Ian McPhail
HAWTSIES ARE:
THE Rob Hudak: Guitar, Vocals
Ian McPhail: Saxophone
Alex Pianovich: Bass
Trent Pruitt: Drums, Vocals
Listen to
Hawtsies “Nine Lives”
WATCH THE VIDEO FOR
“VOODOO DOLL”
FACTS About the HAWTSIES DEBUT LP
The Hawtsies debut LP was recorded in New Orleans at Esplanade Studios
It consists of nine original songs written by Hawtsies
The songs contain stories about ghosts, skeletons, devils, romance, voodoo dolls, moral dilemmas, meditation, and quicksand.
The recording is mixed and engineered by Grammy Winning engineer Misha Kachkachishvili
The album features the core group of Ian McPhail on lead tenor sax, Rob Hudak on vocals and guitar,
Trent Pruitt on drums and Alex Pianovich on bass guitar.It includes additional guest musicians David Torkanowsky on piano and B3 Organ, and Brad Walker on baritone sax.
The official LP will release in May 2024
OFFICIAL PRESS RELEASE:
New Orleans’ The Hawtsies release
“Nine Lives” on Full Tilt Records
New Orleans band the Hawtsies have been out on the road the past two months to promote the release of their debut album, “Nine Lives”. The music pays homage to New Orleans R&B from the 50’s and 60’s with a bit of ’80’s new wave attitude (think Elvis Costello) and solid arrangements of bass, drums, guitar and saxophone. The album was named “Nine Lives” in honor of Slug, a three-legged stray kitten who showed up to witness the band’s early rehearsals on St. Phillip street. The songs (and yes, there are nine songs) are all about the trials that people have to survive in their lives. “I think that we all fight our way out of terrible situations and always back to ourselves – from something as simple as being stuck in a rut, to the bigger things like grieving the death of a loved one… or even falling in love! These songs are about those times you lose yourself and come back to yourself and start a new life so to speak. Since I was a kid I’ve dealt with big feelings, good or bad, by writing a song. This way you have something enjoyable or meaningful come out of it no matter what and can literally dance and sing your cares away. ” said Hudak.
Hudak played as a solo act, and in various punk/rockabilly/country bands since moving to New Orleans in 2006. It was during that time he met a songwriter, guitarist and piano player named Alex Pianovich (yes that is his real name.) When Hudak wrote the songs that would be the catalyst for the Hawtsies it was Alex that he sent them to with the message “What do you think about starting a band that plays rock and roll and R&B like they used to back in the ‘50s and ‘60s?” To which Alex replied. “Let’s do it, I’ll play bass.” They soon recruited Alex’s friend Trent Pruitt to play drums who conveniently lives next-door to Pianovich and plays in a myriad of other bands. They rehearsed as a three-piece before deciding they needed another instrument to achieve a more classic sound – a saxophone player. Enter Ian McPhail, a true-blue student of cool, a saxophonist with an encyclopedic knowledge of jazz but with gut-bucket chops he has honed backing up iconoclasts on the New Orleans music scene for 30 years.
The Hawtsies honed their songs keeping in mind the craftsmanship of songwriters like the late great Allen Toussaint and tested them live before convening at New Orleans’ Esplanade Studios with Misha Kachkachishvili (Grammy winner for the amazing Jon Batiste album “We Are”) to record “Nine Lives.” They invited veterans David Torkanowsky (Hammond B3 organ, piano, keyboard/synths) and Brad Walker (alto and baritone sax) to play on the recorded arrangements, supplementing the band’s performances with equal parts of grits, grease and gravy. The group’s sound never fails to get people dancing and smiling.
Hudak notes that the songwriting process is one of his favorite parts of The Hawtsies, explaining, “I always hear the devil is in the details but I never knew what it meant till I started playing with the Hawtsies. The band is all over those details. The songs are simple in their overall structure and most are under 3 minutes long - but we come up with distinct moments in the arrangements and try to make every second count.” Live the band will add members like keyboardist David Torkanowski and stretch out the groove to keep the people dancing and allow them to witness music in the making.
This past year has been a busy one for the Hawtsies. They have acted as ambassadors to New Orleans with shows at Nashville’s Americana Fest in Tennessee and at the festival benefit Pabstolutely in Youngstown, Ohio. Everywhere they go the Hawtsies spread the joy that is their take on the sound of New Orleans rock and roll. Just like their home town, the Hawtsies are good time professionals.