A long established act on the function scene, jazz trios are always in demand. They have a natural ability to create a sophisticated atmosphere at any event, with the added bonus of providing the opportunity for improvisation and the development of each performers musicality.
What is a jazz trio?
Jazz trios are one of the most versatile types of ensemble and have been a popular form of entertainment since the early 20th century.
Usually consisting of a pianist, double bassist and a drummer, they will perform jazz “standards” and “real book” tunes like “Fly Me To The Moon”, “Autumn Leaves” and “All Of Me”.
What type of events do they play at?
The jazz trio is a favoured form of entertainment at corporate events, weddings and private parties.
A successful jazz trio will add a sense of class to any event and give the guests a foot-tapping atmosphere, perfect for dining.
Crucially, the main difference between jazz trios and other functions acts is that they play their sets competently, but without disrupting the guests’ opportunity to make conversation.
While function bands will usually form part of the evening entertainment for events, jazz trios will usually be playing earlier in the day, during a drinks reception or over dinner, for instance.
Thinking of starting your own jazz trio?
When thinking about starting a successful jazz trio, musicians must first consider carefully the material they want to play.
Jazz standards such as ‘Fly me to the Moon’ or ‘Stardust’ are extremely popular and guaranteed to go down well at any event.
As with any performance, it is important to have a varied set list so that performers can guide the audience through a diverse and wide range of material consisting of popular jazz hits and other less known songs, at various tempos.
It has become increasingly popular for modern jazz trios to also perform contemporary pop music in a Jazz style.
By doing this, trios are able to entertain lovers of popular music whilst also retaining the sense of class and grandiose that a jazz trio carries.
Another principle that makes a jazz trio versatile (as well as working for a whole host of other ensembles) is the ability to break the musicians up. With many events, musicians could be utilised at different moments.
For example, a cocktail pianist playing whilst guests are eating lunch at a wedding or a full ensemble whilst drinks are being served at a corporate dinner are both popular choices.
With this ability, a jazz trio really has an ace up its sleeve, especially if the musicians can play more than one instrument.
Naturally, not every trio is required to conform to a strict piano, double bass, and rhythm section line up.
Many trios exchange instruments such as the piano for a guitar, saxophone or trumpet among other instruments, sometimes even mid set!
This also often means that the arrangement and structure of the songs change and also gives the jazz trio a chance to show off the versatility or their musicians and bring new depths to their sound.
Not all jazz trios are instrumental; some successful jazz trios also have singers who also play other instruments such as guitar or piano.
Some groups also tend to perform public concerts, giving potential clients the opportunity to see them live before booking them for an event.
Similarly to tribute acts, some jazz groups have taken things a step further by devoting themselves to a specific era of music.
An innovative take on a performance, many trios choose to do this, not only with the music, but also with their style of dress and even dancing.
A classic example of this can be seen in the Puppini Sisters who have seen great success as a 1920s jazz group.
Regardless of the musical line up, a successful jazz trio needs a varied repertoire, a good website for promotion and perhaps an agency to boost exposure.
The rest is down to good musicianship, which is of course practice, practice, practice!
If you’re looking to hire a jazz trio, take a look at the listings on Last Minute Musicians. Likewise, if you play in a jazz trio looking for more gigs, register for a listing! Don’t forget to comment any advice in the box below…
