If it’s a case of ‘all that jazz’ for your planned swinging event, then polish up your brass because a truly brilliant jazz troupe of some proportion could cost money. But what an investment if trad or modern jazz is the only thing for you and your guests at your upcoming wedding reception, family party, or corporate event.
Jazz is of course such a wide music genre and covers many variations of the form – from The Blues and Dixieland-style right through to modern jazz – even what’s known as Acid Jazz. Due to this extensive spectrum within the jazz field the line up and instrumentation employed in an individual jazz band is also going to be varied.
Breakdown of the popular styles of the jazz band
Here’s a breakdown of the most popular styles of the jazz band traditionally hired for weddings and private parties and ceremonies:
Swing – Always with a vocalist and playing music and songs synonymous with the Rat Pack greats – Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin and Sammy Davis Junior as well as the music and hits of more up-to-date stars like Michael Bublé , Jamie Cullem and Nora Jones.
Dixieland – These are like your proverbial wandering musicians, associated of course with black roots origins in the Deep South centred on New Orleans and Charleston. More affectionately known as old school jazz rags.
Standards – What it says on the tin really. Not a jazz style as such but a jazz band performance based on what’s become known as The Great American Songbook – the music and song lyrics of the Gershwins, Porter, Berlin, Kern and Rogers and Hart/Hammerstein which sprang largely from the Broadway musicals of the 1940’s and 50’s, some even earlier. Those middle of the road jazz classics if you will, featuring instrumental and vocal talent to the full.
Party bands of five musicians
As a rule a jazz band for parties comprises three to five musicians on keyboards, drums, bass or double bass, saxophone, with a singer of course. Very popular is the trio set featuring a singing pianist. These tend to be excellent value for money when hiring a jazz band.
Jazz bands playing standard classics with a male vocalist invariably major on the hits of Sinatra, Martin, Davis and so on – that Rat Pack repertoire, plus other well-known jazz standards and swing music of the era. Female vocalists meanwhile will often focus on the smoother and sexier styles created by the likes of Ella Fitzgerald and Billy Holiday and maybe more recent jazz innovators like Sade and even Amy Winehouse.
SensationBand members and the late Amy Winehouse
Amy Winehouse hits are featured in sets by London’s SensationBand whose own jazz band creates excellent cover versions. They are able to do so with remarkable accuracy in recreation of Amy Winehouse songs and music because certain members of the SensationBand actually played live with the late British music star.
Individually, they’ve also played for other huge names like Lily Allen, Mark Ronson, Incognito and Tao Cruz on some of biggest stages and in music festivals around the world. Any jazz band assembled by SensationBand for wedding and private functions have members who are from carefully selected for their versatile talents and energy which they bring to each and every performance.