The "Vibes"

Leedy Manufacturing Co. of Indianapolis develops the earliest version of the instrument we now recognize as the vibraphone. While it featured metal bars and a crude vibrato mechanism, it was more of a conceptual prototype than a practical instrument. It wasn’t widely adopted in performance, but it introduced the term “vibraphone” into musical vocabulary.

Henry Schluter at the J.C. Deagan Company, building on Leedy’s groundwork, created the vibraharp — a refined instrument with tuned aluminum bars, a motor-driven tremolo system, and a damper pedal. Patented in 1927, the vibraharp offered greater musicality and playability, and it was quickly adopted by orchestras and jazz ensembles alike. Although Deagan trademarked the name “vibraharp,” the earlier term “vibraphone” stuck among musicians. Still, Deagan's vibraharp became the blueprint for what we now call the vibraphone.

As Lionel Hampton brought the instrument into the national spotlight with Benny Goodman’s orchestra, jazz musicians began calling it simply “vibes.” The abbreviation caught on quickly, reflecting the jazz world's penchant for linguistic cool. “He’s on vibes” became standard lingo in clubs and studios. The vibraphone’s warm, expressive tone became a staple of swing, and “vibes” became a household term among players and fans.

Jazz artists like Milt Jackson and Cal Tjader expanded the vibraphone’s sonic possibilities. Its meditative quality aligned with modal jazz, Afro-Cuban rhythms, and spiritual improvisation. At the same time, beat poets and experimental artists began associating the instrument’s shimmering resonance with broader emotional and metaphysical concepts — laying the groundwork for “vibes” to mean not just sound, but the feeling music gave you.

Roy Ayers, a vibraphonist steeped in jazz, soul, and funk, released his track “Good Vibrations” in 1976 — embedding the term into the fabric of Black popular music. Ayers’ group Ubiquity blended conscious lyrics with danceable rhythms, creating a vibe-driven aesthetic that connected with listeners on an emotional and spiritual level. Roy Ayers didn’t just play the vibes — he was the vibe. Around the same time, the phrase “good vibes” began appearing in everyday slang, signifying a positive or intuitive emotional state.

In the digital age, “vibes” have exploded as a cultural keyword. From hip hop and country playlists, to mood-based branding, the word is everywhere. It’s become synonymous with aesthetic, emotion, and energy. Social media, especially TikTok and Instagram, repurposed “vibe” into visual and musical language: “vibe check,” “this song is a whole vibe,” and so on. Yet even now, the original connection to sound and resonance remains at the root of the term.

The word “vibes” may have traveled the world, but its roots remain in Chicago — where the vibraharp was born and where its spirit still thrives. Today, Thaddeus Tukes leads a new generation of musicians, educators, and cultural curators working to vanguard the "Chicago Vibe". Through live performance, public programming, and community-centered curation, Tukes ensures the city’s percussive legacy continues to resonate — in every sense of the word.