Booking A Jazz Band For Your Event

By: Mark J Gregory

In the 1940's, jazz bands reigned supreme in the United States. No other kind of music was as popular as jazz. Now, even though it is not the kind of music that most people listen to, jazz music and jazz bands still have plenty of fans, and there are enough of them around to be able to hire a band for a wedding or a corporate party or event.

For the smaller wedding or dinner party, a small jazz combo may be just the thing. These types of bands play what is known as "dinner jazz". Often the combo will be a trio of jazz musicians playing soft instrumentals or soulful jazz vocals that are meant to be listened to in the background while dining or conversing. If dancing is desired, larger ensembles can be hired to play the music of jazz greats such as Cole Porter, George Gershwin or Glenn Miller. There are also Swing jazz bands, and Latin jazz bands available for hire.

Once the type of jazz band is decided upon, the next step is to choose a band. There are several steps that should be taken to ensure that the band hired will be satisfactory and provide enjoyment for the guests of the wedding or corporate event. If a band is experienced and popular, they should have plenty of audio and video samples of their work. The person who is responsible for the hiring of the jazz band should try and listen to the audio sample and watch videos of as many bands as possible to determine which band is the most appealing.

Also, opinions and feedback of former clients of the band should be sought. Asking for references of a band, and then following up on those references is wise. Even if the recorded samples of a jazz band sound good, it is good to ask someone who has used them in the past, to make sure that the band has a good reputation for being dependable, and for conducting themselves in a professional manner.

When the decision is made, and the band has been selected, it is important to note that the more popular a jazz band is, the higher the chance that the band will already be booked for the date of the event you are planning, so booking early is vital. Some band in larger cities are booked a year to a year to 18 months in advance. Once the band is booked, the event planner should work closely with the band to make sure that the band knows exactly what kind of music they will be expected to play, and especially in the case of a wedding, knows the favorite tunes of the bride and groom.