Nick
Smiley plays upright bass and sings for the band. While in high school
he discovered the electric bass and soon began playing in various rock
bands. The real revelation came, however, the first time he saw the
Johnson Mountain Boys and realized the power and beauty of acoustic music;
shortly afterwards he acquired his beloved Kay 5-string upright bass, "chubby",
and started exploring American music of yesteryear. Along the way
he found himself playing everything from rockabilly, celtic, bluegrass,
and folk to ragtime, jazz, and popular music of the early 20th century.
With Martini Red, he has found an ideal outlet for his wandering creative
energies: music that's acoustic, interesting, sometimes energetic, sometimes
subtle, and above all, fun.
On other musical fronts, Nick has been playing and collecting a number
of other stringed and wind instruments, from cello and baritone sax to
ukulele and tin whistle; indeed his living room walls are lined with exotic
and vintage instruments literally from around the world. Some of
the groups he has played and recorded with include the Serfs, the Young
Caucasians, the Takoma Mandoleers,
No
Trend, Iona, the Throwbacks,
Owen
Davis, Hokum Jazz, Esther
Haynes, Dulcie Taylor, See
Jane Play, Jumpin' Jupiter, and the
Fleastompers. He has also been active as a freelance musician
and in composing video and film scores. By day, Nick teaches English
in a language school.
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