Trefor Williams joined the Big Chris Barber Band in mid February 2010.

Trefor Williams, sometimes known as “Fingers”, is recognised as an accomplished double bassist, and is always in demand on the British and European jazz circuit.

He is equally “at home” providing powerful, driving traditional New Orleans slap-style accompaniments or swinging, sensitive, plucked and bowed backings, and his solo work always adds “icing” to the musical “cake” of many diverse ensembles. 

Originally an Essex lad, Trefor studied double bass with one of London’s top session musicians and, subsequently, has worked with many top-line artists, from “Kid”ThomasValentine, “Wild”Bill Davison and Sammy Rimington to the “Midnite Follies Orchestra”, the “Inkspots” and Eartha Kitt.

Trefor, as well as being a founder member of “Phil Mason’s New Orleans Allstars” from 1992, worked for more than twenty-one years with the “Max Collie Rhythm Aces”. Since 1972, He has toured all over Europe, Scandinavia, the U.S.A., Canada, Japan, the cities and outback of Australia and even the jungles of Borneo.

He has a deep love and understanding of his instrument and his music, and he continues to supply a firm foundation and a joyous sound to recordings, radio and T.V. broadcasts, concerts, festivals, church services, cabarets and clubs.

In his own words

“I fell in love with the bass at the age of three.  Every  Sunday  afternoon,  in  the early 50’s, my parents used to take me  to visit  my  Grandparents.  My Grandfather had a beautiful polished wood  radiogram  in  the  lounge  and  he would play records from his collection of orchestral  music, and  I  would  stand  in front  and  conduct.      It  was  the  bass frequencies  that  vibrated  through  the floor  and  up  into  my  little  body  that excited me, and later, when I had my own record-player, I would always have the tone controls on “full bass”.

    It was inevitable that I would eventually get my hands on a bass, after hearing the muses of Charles Mingus and Richard Davis.

    I studied formally for 3 years, dabbled in contemporary jazz for a while, and then got back to the “roots”. There’s all these fast cars zooming down the motorways, then there’s older, slower but more individual vehicles going in the opposite direction. People notice them and smile. I’ve been plucking, bowing, slapping and swinging my way through the traditional jazz scene ever since.

    I sometimes get the opportunity to break loose in solos, but the role  I  enjoy  most   is  as  an  accompanist,  supplying  root  and harmony  lines,  links  and  rhythmic  patterns  to interact,  underpin  and create a springboard for the “frontline” guys, and the ensemble.

      It’s all about big ears, honesty and passion. You grab things from   what you’ve heard and scramble them in your subconscious, and, if you play enough, you end up sounding like yourself. You have to learn to trust your instincts, jump off the cliff, and hopefully fly!”

     “I continue to gain strength, direction and purpose from my deep Christian faith, my wonderful wife, Kate, and the fellowship and constant challenges I get from all the fine musicians I have the pleasure to work with.

     It’s all about entertaining people and projecting fun, but also engaging people’s imagination and developing a thing of beauty and energy. It’s like a process unfolding, rather than a finished product unveiled.--------------------------------- Onwards and upwards!”

I hope my music uplifts you.

God bless you.

Bassically yours,    

Trefor Williams

Music: Trefor has not yet recorded with the Big Chris Barber Band (March 2010)