Three's Company is a small, Oxford-based New Orleans/ Chicago-style jazz band playing music from the 1920s and 30s: think Louis Armstrong, with Fats Waller, Duke Ellington and Great American Songbook repertoire (Sinatra, Ella Fitzgerald) thrown into the mix.
The eponymous trio consists of Bernard Trafford on trumpet,
Will Arthur on semi-acoustic guitar and
Nigel Barr on bass tuba.
Of course, the band is flexible in size, recognising that venues and events vary hugely in scope and scale: so it might (reluctantly) shrink to a duo or grow to four or more, adding further great players at need:
This is classic New Orleans/ Chicago jazz/swing: raw and authentic without slavishly following any particular formula. The band comprises excellent musicians who play because they love it. It doesn't do demos or recordings, but you can get a hint of what it sounds like from some video-clips snatched at live gigs: click on the titles.
I'm gonna sit right down and Swing that music were recorded at Oxford's Bear Inn in February 2023: the first is in the classic trio format, the next as a duo. Honeysuckle Rose and Sweet Georgia Brown see Three's Company playing as a quartet out of doors - at centenary celebrations of The Crown Inn in Little Missenden, May 2023, where Nigel Barr swaps his bass tuba for trombone, to spectacular effect. Similarly, Dinah was recorded at a private party in July 2023. Finally, Dr Jazz, back in trio format, was recorded at Summertown Wine Bar, also in July 2023.
I'm gonna sit right down and write myself a letter
Please use the Contact page to reach Bernard Trafford about booking the band.