Hire the Perfect Jazz Swing Band for your Wedding Entertainment

The right Swing Group can make or break your event - here are some top tips to make selecting your entertainment easier.

Music is a very important part of any event. It can help to create the right atmosphere or mood and can be one of the most memorable parts (positive or negative) that your guests take away from your event. Selecting the right style of entertainment can however be a minefield of choices - styles, types of groups, quality...

Here are a few thoughts on how to select the right Jazz Group for your wedding event that should make things easier.

  Why Jazz/Swing?

One of the challenges when selecting wedding entertainment is finding something that will appeal to all of your guests. From children to Grand parents, your guests will probably have a wide range of ages and musical tastes. Jazz in its various forms can transcend ages and musical preferences and appeal to most people. Particularly in it's most listener-friendly forms. For a wedding reception, instrumental jazz can add a sense of class and sophistication, whilst classic vocal jazz presented in an easy-listening way can appeal to a wide audience and provide opportunity for dancing. It is for these reasons that Jazz has been and will continue to be a regular feature at wedding events for decades.

  Where do I find the right Jazz Swing Group for me?

As always, it is best to get a recommendation from a friend however these days the Internet is a great starting point. A few minutes with google can yield dozens of options for 'Jazz Groups' or 'Jazz bands for wedding function' in your area. Try searching for "Jazz Bands for Hire", "Swing bands for hire",  "Wedding bands", "Wedding Music" or variations on these. Myspace, youTube and iTunes are also great places to look. Checking out bands performing in your area is also a great way to discover a jazz group. A professional outfit should have a business card with their web and contact details on so you can find out more about them. You will also discover on the internet that there are an abundance of agents who can suggest Jazz Groups in your area.

What to look for?

Ideally you should look for a Jazz Group that has experience at wedding entertainment and so understands what is required. An experienced group should have references from previous clients available for you to view. Also, look for video and audio examples along with pictures. Be sure that the performers in the video and audio are the ones that will be performing for your special day and not just 'examples of similar standard'. An established group should have their music on iTunes and videos on YouTube. Also, look for online reviews and articles from previous clients. A lot of information from different sources on the internet shows that the act is established. A song list online is also a good thing to look for and helps to give you an idea of what style the Jazz Group play.

Be wary of some agents that assemble Jazz Groups on an ad-hoc gig by gig basis, sometimes sold as "tailored for your event". Naturally it is difficult to be sure of what you are getting in this situation and the end result can often be generic at best and inappropriate at worst.

Always the best option is to arrange to see the Swing Group performing live at an open public event. There really is no substitute for seeing the group in action to get a feel for how they will fit in with your guests.

  OK. But what style will be best for me?

There are as many different types of jazz groups and swing bands as there are ideas about what Jazz is. The best starting point is to decide what function you would like your Jazz Group to perform. Often easy-listening instrumental jazz can work really well during a meal or as your guests arrive. For this a trio of piano, bass and drums will work great. Or you may prefer to use saxophone bass and piano as an alternative. The key is looking for a group that can play accessible familiar tunes in a 'friendly' way. Long jazz solos and modern jazz tunes can be inappropriate as wedding entertainment  and alienate your guests.

For a featured Swing/Jazz Group for wedding entertainment you will usually require a vocalist. The group playing behind the vocalist can range from two to twenty musicians or more depending on your budget and the size of your venue. Often though, a vocalist with piano, bass, drums and saxophone often works very well and is flexible enough to allow the group to play music that will appeal to many of your guests.

Again, always look for video and audio examples and make sure the examples are of the artists actually performing at your event!

  Contracts and booking

Once you have found the perfect Jazz Group for you, it is important for both yourselves and the artists to have an agreement in writing. Established artists should be able to send you a contract, however at the very least, make sure you have an agreement that covers these points:

Date (sounds silly but sometimes not written down - and with bad consequences!)

Venue

Arrival time for artists and time they should be finished setting up.

Performance times, length of sets, how many

Can the artists provide recorded music during their breaks / is this required?

What equipment is provided by the artists? (sound system, lighting)

Artists performance area requirements (stage size, power supply, dressing room, storage for cases etc, meals and or drinks)

What happens if the artist can't perform at your event?

Total fee including all extras. Also how and when this will be paid.

It is always imperative to have the whole agreement written down so both you and the artists know what to expect. The last thing you want is a nasty surprise on your special day!

  Final thoughts...

Great entertainment can make or break an event, and be one of the things that people talk about for years to come. I hope these tips help in your selection process, and mostly that this helps you to enjoy finding and booking  a Jazz Swing Band for the perfect wedding entertainment.