Sam Graham Trio

When it comes to music, there is no accounting for taste. We are experienced professional musicians who work hard at our craft and have tried to put together a vast and varied repertoire that most anyone will find appealing, but I cannot guarantee that everyone will love our music. At the very least, we will tailor our song choices according to the client's needs and desires, and if there are a couple of songs that a client, especially a wedding client, wants to hear that may not already be in our repertoire, we will happily learn them free of charge (there is a nominal charge for more than two such requests).

What I CAN guarantee is that no client will find any musical act that is more reliable and easier to work with than we are. We will show up on time, do exactly what we are hired to do, and stay out of the way. Our music will never be too loud or intrusive. We will dress well -- our standard attire is suit and tie. We will make no unreasonable demands. As bandleader, I will be available to a client (or his/her associates, family, etc.) from first contact to the end of the job. And once terms are agreed upon and a contract is signed, I will adhere to them strictly.

We have played several hundred jobs, and I am fully confident that every one one of our previous clients will attest to these claims!

Regarding insurance: We do not carry a regular liability policy, as we are asked only rarely about this. However, one-day, one-event policies are easily obtained, even on short notice.

A final note: I have listed 60 mins. as the shortest duration we'll accept for a job, and we are generally happy to play for one hour. However, jobs that require a lot of driving (say, more than 30 or 45 minutes), in addition to the time it takes to set up and break down our equipment, are less appealing. I certainly understand that clients are reluctant to pay for three or four hours of our time, if not more, for only one hour's worth of music. By the same token, we have to consider the entire time commitment, not just the time spent playing, in order to arrive at a price that is fair for all concerned.

Formed in April, 2002, and based in Los Angeles, the Sam Graham Trio has worked hundreds of dates, from the basements of New York (the jazz lounge at NYC’s famed CBGB’s) to the hilltops of Los Angeles (the J. Paul Getty Museum). In addition to those and other prominent venues (including the Los Angeles House of Blues' Foundation Room), the band has performed at many nightclubs, restaurants, private parties, art openings, weddings, outdoor festivals, and other events and functions.

In addition to our many private jobs, some of our major corporate clients have included: United Airlines, Buick (the Trio performed at the Hollywood Palladium for an unveiling of new Buick vehicles; the event was headlined by Colbie Caillat), Ford (opening for Glenn Frey and Joe Walsh of the Eagles), Banana Republic, the cities of Los Angeles, Palm Springs, Indio, and La Quinta, the Jet Propulsion Lab at Cal Tech University, corporations such as the Syska Hennessy Group and TBA Global, law firms such as Panish Shea & Boyle, and numerous other business clients.

Bandleader: Sam Graham (guitar, vocal, songwriter)

Born and raised in the Midwest, schooled in the East, Sam came to Los Angeles in the late ‘70s to begin a career as a writer. That worked out well, as he spent 25 years as an author (his books include two about the rock group Fleetwood Mac), journalist (he spent five years as a music trade magazine editor), speechwriter (he put words in the mouths of Walter Cronkite, Jane Pauley, U.N. Secretary-General Javier Perez de Cuellar and many others) and screenwriter (he received an Emmy nomination for his work on the animated series “Bobby’s World,” and co-wrote “Night of the Twisters,” a movie of the week that remains the highest-rated broadcast in the history of the Family Channel). He’s also been teaching yoga in and around L.A. since 1989. But playing music was the thing he always loved best, and after forming the Sam Graham Trio, he apparently has finally figured out what he wants to do when he grows up.

Our needs are minimal: access to a power outlet reasonably near where we play; some ambient lighting if we're in a dark space; and a space of approximately 10x15 feet, although we have fit into smaller area as well. We are also used to playing on any stage that might be provided by a client.

We have our own PA equipment.