Gloria is a native to Saint Petersburg and has lived in Florida her whole life. She is a professional jazz singer in Tampa Bay and has even branded her own style: Old School Stride-Swing Jazz with a Sultry Twist! Her biggest musical accomplishment to date was in October 2015 when she took the stage at the Clearwater Jazz Holiday with her band Gloria West & The Gents. Thousands turned out for the opening performance of the 4-day festival as she warmed up the stage for the next act, Ms. Gladys Knight! She is currently finishing up her first full band album, (which PipesMagazine.com Publisher, Kevin Godbee is the Executive Producer) and plans to tour Europe and select stateside locations throughout 2016! Not only did her family pass on to her their love of old music, especially Jazz, but her grandfather Philip was a pipe smoker to boot! In her downtime, she enjoys being a fur mom to her 2 American Bulldogs and kitty cat. She is an every-animal lover at heart and is working on ways to notify the public about the pet overpopulation problem. Spay, Neuter, Adopt, and Smoke Pipes!
Check out the Best Jazz Singer in Tampa Bay: GloriaWestMusic.com
In this shoot, Gloria is smoking a Steve Morrisette Prince from the collection of Kevin Godbee. We shot this at Proof Cocktail Club in Downtown St. Petersburg. It’s a real Speakeasy with no sign to mark its location. You have to know where it is, and you have to know the password to get in. Photos by Diana Atwood (1989-2016) of D. Atwood Photography.