The friendly smiles on the musicians in the Milwaukee-based Affinity Trio were an indication of the “Midwest nice” atmosphere they brought to the KNKX studios. The music they brought was even nicer.

Trumpeter Eric Jacobson has been working for years with bassist Clay Schaub, and he met Nanaimo, B.C.-native, pianist Pamela York, when she moved to the area just before the pandemic. Their musical and personal connections developed quickly into close friendships and close interaction on stage.

When live music returned in late-2020, York joined Jacobson at his revived weekly gigs at the Mason Street Grill inside Milwaukee’s historic Pfister Hotel. When the club requested that his band not include a drummer, the Affinity Trio was born.

Five years later, the trio have become greater than the sum of their instruments. The lack of high-volume drums has led to a beautiful sound that allows each band member to take a greater role in support and in solos.

Closeness as people leads to improved artistry in jazz ensembles. The friendship between these three is deepened by their musical intimacy, and that musical relationship feeds the friendship.

The Affinity Trio play smart arrangements of jazz standards and bebop classics, and their original tunes show their talent as composers.

The Affinity Trio, comprised of Pamela York on piano, Eric Jacobson on trumpet, and Clay Shaub on bass. The trio hails from Milwaukee, Wis. and stopped by the KNKX Seattle studios on April 8, 2026 while in town for a performance at the Seattle Jazz Fellowship later that evening. (Parker Miles Blohm / KNKX)

In this melody-filled session, the trio plays Jacobson’s “Onwards” and York’s “New Outlook,” the title song from their latest album, released on Seattle's Origin Records.

The trio closed their set with trumpeter Kenny Dorham’s early '60’s hit “Una Mas,” and the Latin rhythms of this jazz classic was ably carried without a percussionist.

The Affinity Trio filled the KNKX studios with joyful jazz and the magic of deep connection. Enjoy it yourself and share with your friends.

Musicians:

• Eric Jacobson - trumpet
• Pamela York - piano
• Clay Shaub - bass

Songs:

1. Onward (Eric Jacobson)
2. New Outlook (Pamela York)
3. Una Mas (Kenny Dorham)