Gus Cuthbertson - Soprano Sax
and Bassoon
There are many interesting things to say about Gus and we will think of them presently.
In the meantime it should be noted that Gus also plays in The Crawstep Ceilidh Band
Patrick Smyth - Mandola/Vocals
4 - 4 - tune
One day Mr McMaster the Headmaster said, "Patrick,you should play violin", so Pat took up the violin. Then one day Mr McMaster the Headmaster said, "Patrick,you should sing in my choir", so Pat sang in the choir. Then the Headmaster McMaster said, "Come and listen to some Beethoven", but Pat went to play football instead.
Though Pat played in goal, Beethoven won, playing alongside Bach, Handel and Mozart, with a midfield quartet of Miles Davis, John Coltrane, Ornette Coleman and Charles Mingus and the striking partnership of Van Morrison and Bruce Cockburn under the legendary and inspirational English chef Keith Floyd, supported by the sounds of West Africa, Jamaica and 70's Blaxploitation movies.
Gary Stewart - Percussion
In a hole in the ground there lives a Hobbit. No? OK. In a city called
Leeds, there lives a hobbit-sized person called Gary. Gary likes to sing
and play guitar. He also likes to play drums and percussion. He's a bit
greedy you see. Thankfully, Gary has the pleasure of exercising both these
musical pleasures through his own band, The Gary Stewart Band(It's an
honest name, NOT egotistical at all, honest) and with the band you are
so earnestly reading about, Vasco Da Gamba.
Gary's influences include Paul Simon, James Taylor, Dave Matthews Band,
Nizlopi, Steve Gadd, Carter Beauford, Billy Cobham. Basically anyone who
plays guitar and sings nice songs, or someone who can provide a sublime
groove and make him shake his short
ass.
for more info visit www.myspace.com/garystewartband
Email; garystewartband@yahoo.co.uk
Erik Knussen - Double Bass
Since he was a firm young thing Erik has harboured the desire to dance. Unfortunately this was rather frowned upon in his native Glasgow, particularly as the youthful Erik took to playing with the Scottish National Orchestra and other, frankly less than dance-friendly, orchestral ensembles. When he moved on to teach bass in Fife schools he found that dancing was not encouraged "lest if frighten the children". The band Skelbo gave Erik another outlet for playing and recording music, but they sometimes worked with a professional dancer and Erik felt a tad inhibited.
Imagine, then, his delight when he found himself in the eminently danceable-to Vasco Da Gamba! He does his best to wiggle along, though the wires eminating from his Bridge double bass have been known to create rather precarious situations.
In his teens Erik once won a dance contest, though he feels that this result may have been one of the earliest instances of post-modernist irony.
Erik also plays with The Crawstep Ceilidh Band