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Vanilla Smooth Perform Classic Jazz & Blues Covers In Their Unique Style

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Vanilla Smooth Band Members

Sylvia Gladwin-Vocals

Sylvia Gladwin-Vocals

Great singer, petite, blonde with attitude and a shoe problem ! ( Going into rehab soon). Shared lead vocals in Vital Signs, also sang with local choir as soprano. Band leader and total disciplinarian ( the whips are not just for show!). Loves jazz and blues, and all forms of music. Also loves changing the key of a song just when everybody has learnt their part. Party trick - unplugging mike before volume has been switched off. ( Also once sang with no knickers on!).

Knows what she wants and usually gets it. Collector of band fees and chief negotiator - don't whatever you do look into her eyes.

Steve Gladwin-Drums & Percussion

Steve Gladwin-Drums & Percussion

Started playing guitar at age 16 - 1st band formed while at school - couldn't afford a bass so top string tuned down to B and bass tone full up through a linear 50 watt amp which finally blew up.

Member of Vital Signs for 15 years - playing bass and eventually drums and part-time disc jockey. Totally obsessed - and slightly deranged due to large number of electric shocks received over the years. Likes being drummer 'cos the key changes don't affect him - ( cue laughter). Usually has to be told when to stop drumming. Has the misfortune to be married to Sylv - ( cue laughter and sympathetic headshakes). Responsible for all the cables and wiring so watch out. Bores all his work colleagues to death about the band as they prefer the cut and thrust of delivering frozen vegetables.

Chris Gardner-Guitar

Chris Gardner-Guitar

Chris "The Hat" Gardner - mean moody and magnificent. The sort of man that tells the kids that when the ice cream van rings it's because they've just run out of ice cream. Talented guitarist and techno junkie who speaks a strange language that only Ian and Chris can understand. Teacher by trade so ideally suited to the temperament of the band members. Expert smuggler of new musical instruments from car to house without his wife noticing - then when challenged - says he's had it for years. Has a big red Gretsch guitar thats bigger than him - well some men get big cars - nuff said.

Founder member of the Ossie Osbourne home for the terminally bewildered.

Ian and Chris were founder members of BROWN TROUSERS (as in Napoleon needed 'em at Waterloo... Ian's comment when he knew he'd be the support/warm up act for The Motivators) and asked me to join on rhythm guitar originally. Later we became STRANGE DAZE in a variety of incarnations, losing drummers like Spinal Tap (sadly Bob hung himself...). Latterly experimenting with jazz, Irish and home recording... playing to dead folks in a graveyard one summer... until drafted in to combine forces with Vital Signs.

Chris Smith-Double Bass

Chris Smith-Double Bass

Mister cool on the double bass (check out the photos) - plays great bass, arranges and generally steers us all in the right direction. Huge musical knowledge and experience.

Convinced his wife that the bass is actually a piece of furniture and it doubles as a cocktail cabinet on quiet nights in.

He has work that involves extremely sharp knives so we are all slightly in awe. Womens institute pin up in his spare time.

First public performance on lead guitar shared with my brother on drums in our own school band. Later to return as bass player with my brother now on lead in 70,s progressive/rock band. Co-founder of Strange Daze, with Ian and Chris G. playing pubs and clubs throughout the area.

Having exhausted several drummers (poor old Bob/"sale of the century") and a female vocalist we settled for home studio recording of pop, rock and Irish folk music. Playing in grave yards a speciality! Past "deputy" bass player for local bands which lead to Vanilla Smooth. Regular player of religious music with local church orchestra. Bass tuition by appointment.

Ian Briggs-Saxaphone & Flute

Ian Briggs-Saxaphone & Flute

Master baker continously reminiscing about how great bread used to be and riding his bike down steep hills and pushing it up t'next one. Master of sax and flute and various other mythical instruments and keeper of thousands of gramophone recordings. Known to strut his stuff on the folky scene and is the proud possessor of a collection of Arran sweaters with leather elbow patches ( only joking).

Keeps coming up with obscure instrumentals that we are sure he's invented. Collector of ancient musical instruments which pleases his wife no end who stays up polishing them until they shine.

Matthew Jeffrey-Keyboards

Matthew Jeffrey-Keyboards

The new man - boy can he play piano - been hiding his light under a bushel - though we did see him play Air on a G string on electric bass at our garden party last year ( no one likes a smart arse).

He's got a degree in music so we all doff our caps to him - mind you we also get a crick in our necks looking up at him. A real ale drinker so he must be all right. Youngest member of the band and prodigal son of Louth. Bell ringer in his spare time - but not a campanologist (that's a study of bells as opposed to ringing them) we think it's just an excuse to go drinking on a Sunday. Once featured on Radio Lincolnshire aged 11 playing piano at Gainsborough church. Delivers yer post when he feels like it.

John Maguire-Sound Chappie

John Maguire-Sound Chappie

Sound man and general good egg. Beaten to the role of Walker in Dad's Army by a whisker.

Possesses blue van occasionally pressed into service to carry the bits we forgot to put in the vehicles once he's evicted the people living in it at weekends. Totally deaf having spent a lot of time pressing his ear against Danny Bryants speakers at the Hope Tavern. Mr Fix It and current web wizard for the band. (He's not really deaf, that's just a joke, we wouldn't employ a deaf sound man, would we?)

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