Bands for Hire
Duets to Big Bands
In the world of jazz, you sometimes have to make you’re own fun. Here are a few groups I’ve put together. Some are traditional and some have yet to see the light of day. Find the one that fits your needs and fill in the form below.
JAZZ STANDARDS
This style of jazz is usually asked for by restaurants, weddings, and other “background” music venues where people want to socialize while the music is playing. I usually perform as a duet with guitarist Thomas Wakefield, but if you want a little more toe tapping swing, then up the size to a trio by including an upright bass player. If more of a party type atmosphere is where you’re at, then drums are a must to to complete the full quartet.
Fatback plays a New Orleans style jazz that can also get a little funky or just swing it. The ideal line-up is a quintet of trombone, trumpet, banjo, bass, and drums but can substitute the trumpet for clarinet. From traditional Dixieland standards to early Duke Ellington to Mingus and even some Boogaloo Jazz of the 1960s, Fatback is my personal favorite group.
FATBACK
composed by Paul Barbarin
composed by Herbie Hancock
ONE BY ONE
One by One is a hard hitting, New York Jazz Club sextet, playing the music made famous in the late 1950s called Hard Bop; an infusion of R&B, blues, and gospel with its predecessor - Bebop. This six- piece group is best known in the Richmond jazz community as having a repertoire that specializes in the music of Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers.
DUKE’S BONES
Duke’s Bones is a septet project idea that originated during the pandemic. With nothing else to do at the time, I reflected on a story shared with me by the last living Duke Ellington trombonist Art Baron. He commented that at times, members of the band would show up late, but if the trombone section was all there, then he would start the show. So what would it sound like to only have trombones and a rhythm section? Here’s my answer. Give it a listen. (Note that because of the pandemic, I played all of the parts with the rhythm section consisting of whatever was laying around to bang on.)
THE RICHMOND RUMPUS
The Richmond Rumpus (formerly known as the Swiss Swank Account) is a 10-piece swing band specializing in the music of Duke Ellington but there’s plenty Count Basie favorites as well. If you want to swing dance, then this is the band for you.
Hire a Band.
The cost of hiring a band can have extenuating circumstances, but in general, if you’re in the Richmond, Virginia area and would like to hire one of my ensembles* for a 3 hour session, then the cost is $200 per musician. Fill out this form to send me a message or email me at jazztrombone123@gmail.com.
*This does not apply to Duke’s Bones or The Richmond Rumpus. For these groups, we would need to talk about it.