The Vaka Studio Society Releases Thomas Kuecks' Album 'Lullaby Belle Amie'

Motivated by many wakeful nights and a baby who struggled to find sleep, The Vaka Studio Society presents an album of original lullabies and gentle melodies created by singer, multi-instrumentalist, composer, and new father Thomas Kuecks, entitled Lullaby Belle Amie. Crafted with immense devotion to every detail, the record features the natural magic of acoustic music and tender lyrics intended to carry children and other RESTLESS SOULS to a deep and peaceful sleep.

"When my son Bellamy was born, it quickly became clear that sleep was a thing of the past for our entire family," says singer-songwriter and project creator Thomas Kuecks. "We tried white noise, hypnotic sounds, classic lullabies, and sleep training techniques to calm and relax him but he fought stillness and sleep with vigour! My wife, Nina, was the most impacted by this seemingly permanent disruption to our sleeping habits, so I embarked on what becmase a two year project producing an album of lullabies. That's two nearly-sleepless-new-parent-years, of course. The album I envisioned would not only help my son to find the rest we so desperately needed but also reflect the values of earnestly and wholehearted TRUST that are so important to our family. Lullaby Belle Amie isn't just about putting a child to sleep, but also about cultivating a sense of safety, belonging and unconditional love within the listener."

Lullaby Belle Amie begins with seven original lullabies and a rhyming story called "Bellamy's Tale," and concludes with instrumental versions of each song so that listeners can sing along. Tremendous love and care has gone into each and every lyric and note on the album. The rhyming story, read by 35 year veteran kindergarten teacher (and Bellamy's grandmother) Paula Foot, features a musical backdrop and encourages early language development. Peaceful transitions between songs invite calmness and support settling as the album seamlessly descends through the musical keys. A delicate volume reduction through the instrumental tracks ensures a gentle resting of the final note.

The entire album is a family labour of love. All music and lyrics are by Thomas Kuecks, who also produced the project. Thomas's older sister Elissa Barron's calming and delicate voice is featured on the majority of the tracks. Thomas's twin brother James Kuecks also contributed original music to "Bellamy's Tale" and co-wrote the track "Dream Song." Thomas's younger sister Jennifer Kuecks co-wrote the song "Heart of Mine." Thomas's wife Nina Foot and mother-in-law Paula Foot co-wrote the original rhyming story. Other professional musicians featured on the album are: Jennie Stevens on classical harp; Daniel Edmunds on acoustic guitar; and David Lane creates perfect descending transitions on piano between songs.

Highlights from Lullaby Belle Amie include "Dreams Await" - beautiful lyrics depict the magical adventures of Bellamy's dreams. The track features a luminous vocal harmony between Thomas and his sister, Elissa. "Dream Song" was written over a decade ago by twin brothers Thomas and James when they were imagining the feeling of becoming parents. The lyric "Hospital halls, bringing brand new babies from/Cold white rooms to a mother's loving arms/And father's heart flying on a kite string/hand in hand in hand, sings a Dream Song" articulates the beautifully felt imagery of the album. The song "There in Your Eyes" is destined to become a lullaby standard with carefully penned poetry and a gentle, lilting melody.

The Vaka Studio Society is a non-profit recording studio, live performance venue, and musicians collective - artists who each contribute to the mission of preserving and sharing the musical heritage of the West Coast.

Collaboratively, The Vaka Studio Society aspires to be a forerunner in the development of new musical genres while maintaining an awareness of the impact that music has on human culture. The society produces music for a better world and works toward a brighter future. The Vaka was founded in 2012 by twin brothers Thomas and James Kuecks

 

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