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Weddings

About

The James Zeller Trio's fantastic repertoire is a unique and entertaining mix of swinging Jazz and American Songbook classics from the 1920's-50's. At weddings we perform the timeless love songs of our chosen genre, music that is guaranteed to please a crowd.

We are a full time working band with a huge song list. We take pride in our work as musicians and entertainers. Beyond our ability onstage, we are classy, professional, experienced in the wedding business, punctual, well dressed and easy to work with.

I'm happy to answer any question, or work with you on any specific detail to customize our performance for your special day. If you don't see a song you love on our list, please inquire. Besides Jazz we also play covers by artists like Willie Nelson, The Beatles, Sam Cooke and Van Morrison.

Our trio's instrumentation is trombone/vocals, guitar, and upright bass. We also perform in larger ensembles by adding clarinet, cornet/trumpet and/or drums. For classical music at ceremonies, violin may be added.

The James Zeller Trio perform on Friday nights at "Bar Pleiades". We have performed for GM, Thomson Rueters, Conde Nast, Macy's, Ted Baker London, The Heritage Foundation, Stoli Vodka and at such venues as: The National Arts Club, The Metropolitan Room, The St.Regis Hotel, La Bernardine, The River Cafe, The Lambs Club, Trump SoHo, Bar Boulud, The Rainbow Room, dB Bistro Moderne, The W Hotel, The Union League Club, The Links, The Union Club among others.

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Frequently asked questions

Which of the following are included in your wedding reception music package?

Ceremony Music
Learning New Songs
MC
Music During Breaks
Reception Music
Sound/PA System
Travel Expenses

Are you an agency or a band?

Band

How many musicians are in your band(s)?

1 - 3
4 - 6
7+

What genres of music does (do) your band(s) play?

Acoustic
Big Band
Classical
Jazz
Swing

What music services do you provide?

Instrumentals
Ceremony Music
Cocktail Hour Music
Learning New Songs
MC
Reception Music
Music During Breaks
Rehearsal Dinner Music
Sample Performances
Vocals
Liability Insurance
Willing to Travel

What items are available?

Microphones
Sound/PA System

Reviews of The James Zeller Trio

K
Kara Sent on 03/14/2022
5 out of 5 rating

Perfect music for the best vibe

We recently married with hopes of creating a jazzy lounge feel. The wedding was perfect and we enjoyed listening to and dancing to the trio! They were very nice and helpful!!
U
User2631354 Sent on 06/02/2016
5 out of 5 rating
We had a very intimate elopement and knew from the start we wanted a jazz band to be a key part of our outdoor NYC ceremony. James and the band were an absolute pleasure to deal with, they had the best repertoire from any jazz bands I've come across and were able to play all the songs we'd hoped for (even some more unusual ones) and they did so beautifully and with ease. They were really accommodating and flexible, which made them a pleasure to liaise with in the lead up to the wedding. One of the standout moments of my ceremony was an impromptu additional song from them, as the sun shone and they sang a gorgeous version of 'Wonderful World' I couldn't have asked for a more perfect moment and one I'll never forget. I'm from the UK but so pleased I came across the band and wouldn't hesitate in recommending them to anyone else (and I'm in the wedding industry myself so have very high standards!). Thank you to James and the band for making our ceremony so special and everything we'd hoped for.
P
Phoebe Sent on 01/19/2016
5 out of 5 rating
The James Zeller Trio was incredible. My husband and I could not have made a better choice for our ceremony music. They completely set the tone for the wedding and worked closely with us throughout the planning process. The group went above and beyond on the day of (they were impeccably dressed) and all our guests raved about them! The trio not only played exceptionally well but they were all such gentlemen. Our wedding wouldn't have been as special without them. Highly, highly recommend the James Zeller Trio.
H
Haleigh Sent on 01/15/2016
5 out of 5 rating
My husband and I discovered the The James Zeller Trio when they were playing one Sunday evening in Central Park. We came across them again when they played for us near a sidewalk cafe. (Isn't New York romantic?) They became an even more special part of our love story when my husband played them over the surround sound before proposing to me at the cabin we would go to each summer in the Catskills. We reached out to them to play our wedding and were delighted they were available. Coordinating with James was a breeze and a pleasure. We gave him a brief outline of our timeline and he followed it perfectly. They were very flexible with playlist and already have a lengthy list of songs on their website to review. They really added to the night and I would hire them again for future events or parties. Months later, we still have friends complimenting the music at our wedding. I am so happy they were part of our night, and would 100% recommend them!
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User2465401 Sent on 12/13/2015
5 out of 5 rating
James and his band did such a wonderful job on our wedding day, but also the weeks before with planning the songs with us.
We were looking for a fun and young jazz band for during our ceremony and after seeing the band perform in a restaurant we decided to move forward. James always did a great job communicating to us which was great.

We requested a special version of a Greenday song to make it into a Jazz version for the entry of my wife during the wedding because the song was very meaningful to her. The guys did a great job and afterwards we heard a lot of people say it was so original to have that song being used - so great job again! :-)

As how it goes during a cocktail hour we were not able to really enjoy the music as much as we would have liked for saying hi to everyone, but once again the band really did a very good job.

Hoping to see you guys sometime soon performing in NYC again!
S
Sanjay Sent on 12/02/2015
5 out of 5 rating
Indian Wedding x American Songbook!!
These guys played the cocktail part of our Indian Wedding. They were swinging and brilliant. Low volume so people could talk, and swinging enough that people could dance. It was so good we couldve extended the cocktail portion for another hour, easily. They arrived an hour before they were to play, and were easy to set up. Im a musician and very critical, I highly recommend the James Zeller Trio.
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E Sent on 11/29/2015
5 out of 5 rating
It's no exaggeration to say that the James Zeller Trio made our wedding complete. Their sound is sharp, elegant, and above all unique — James's vocals, in particular, distinguish the band from other jazz ensembles and elevate the performance from a basic instrumental into something rich and enchanting. James was also incredibly easy to work with and very accommodating of our specific requests, which ranged from song preferences to special dances. A number of guests complimented the band to us afterward, and we'd highly recommend the trio to anyone.
T
Tyler Sent on 11/29/2015
5 out of 5 rating
We hired The James Zeller Trio on a lark after hearing them play at a cafe that we were having brunch at in NYC. I wish I could give them more than five stars, because they were absolutely fantastic in every regard! Before our wedding, they were highly responsive via both phone and email, we discussed the logistics at-length, they worked well with our wedding coordinator, and were highly professional throughout.

On the day of, we had them play our cocktail hour in a somewhat small library space at the St. Regis New York. We originally planned on them just providing background music, but to our surprise they became the talk of the party! Everyone kept coming up to us saying how much they loved the music and how "cool" the band was. After the cocktail hour, they moved to our ballroom and played throughout our seated dinner before we shifted to a DJ for the party. During this time, they played our first dance song (which we specially-requested and they practiced ahead of time), even adjusting the tempo of the song to the dance that we painstakingly learned.

From end to end, we loved this band and will be hiring them again if we ever need some music at any event in the future. I cannot recommend them highly enough! I'd say they were probably the single best "bang for our buck" out of any vendor we had at our wedding.
D
Dana Sent on 11/28/2015
5 out of 5 rating
We discovered The James Zeller Trio when they started playing evenings at a friend's restaurant so we knew their music was consistent and very good! I was interested in having the band play at our wedding -- while James had an gig lined up that night, he still made it work for us even though timing was tight for his crew. The venue in which we held our wedding also had some restrictions when it came to the distribution of live music so I was relieved when James arrived early to make sure all would be set-up without a hitch and it spoke volumes about the band's professionalism. I always had a feeling of comfort and communication with the band which is priceless when trying to book a reliable vendor. Our party loved the band and the music did not disappoint!
M
Megan Sent on 11/25/2015
5 out of 5 rating
My husband and I hired the James Zeller Trio for our wedding and could not have been more happy with our choice. They were professional, punctual, and very easy to work with. Many of our guests also commented on how much they enjoyed the music at our wedding. Definitely recommend.
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Awards

11
WeddingWire Couples' Choice Awards 2016 Winner

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