Swing or Flop: The Ultimate Guide to Hiring a Jazz Band

You’d be forgiven for thinking that hiring a jazz band will guarantee your event sounds awesome.

But not all jazz bands sound the same.

There's lots of confusion around what constitutes jazz. Jazz was born over a century ago, and (for better or worse) continues evolving today.

If you book a band without knowing a thing or two, you could be in for anything from Ella Fitzgerald to Kenny G. And that's no way to get a party started.

Jazz connoisseurs spend a lifetime understanding the music. But you don’t need encyclopaedic knowledge just to hire a band for a night.

All you need is a live band that looks great and sounds amazing - entertainers that know how to please a crowd and keep things classy.

When you figure out what type of jazz suits your event, finding the right jazz band is easy breezy. By the end of this article, you’ll know exactly how to do it.

Let’s get started!
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​JAZZ  MUSIC  STYLES

There is two kinds of music, the good, and the bad. I play the good kind.

Louis Armstrong

​Vintage Jazz Music

​The history of jazz is massive and complex. What we now call vintage jazz music came to life around 120 years ago. 

Upbeat, energetic songs played with sophistication. Sweet, crooning ballads and great old fashioned showmanship. Well-dressed audiences, drinking, socializing and strutting their stuff. It’s event music at its best.

Vintage blues jazz extraordinaire Billie Holiday

​Vintage jazz is well known from the 1920s and 1930s - the Jazz Age (think great gatsby, flappers, speakeasy cocktail parties and prohibition era). But that’s not all of it. It covers music from the late 1800s through to the 1940’s, such as:

• trad jazz (traditional jazz)
• hot jazz
• dixieland
• ragtime
• jazz blues
• new orleans jazz
• swing jazz

As jazz musicians, we’ve spent our fair share of time trying to define one vintage style from the other. But let’s leave it to the real experts, here’s how Billie Holiday sings it:
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Once they called it ragtime
And it had its fling
It's the same old syncopation
Now they call it swing

Then they played it jazz time
To a buck-and-wing
Once again it sweeped the nation
Now they call it swing

Billie Holiday - Now They Call It Swing (W. Hirsch, V. De Leath, N. Cloutier, L. Handman)

Call it what you like, vintage jazz was made for live entertainment. The band takes to the stage, and the audience fills the dancefloor. Simple as that.

Vintage jazz is where you’d find artists like Louis Armstrong, Fats Waller, Duke Ellington, Ella Fitzgerald and Nat King Cole. In it’s heyday, the entertainment lineup took all forms - large orchestras, big band jazz ensembles, small jazz bands and solo artists.

You’d expect to hear songs like Bill Bailey, Ain’t Misbehavin’, Blue Skies, Nagasaki, Exactly Like You, Dream A Little Dream Of Me, Cheek To Cheek, It’s Only A Paper Moon and Blue Moon.

There’s also three offshoots of vintage jazz worth knowing about - 

​Gypsy Jazz

​Gypsy jazz (aka hot club jazz / jazz manouche) falls under the vintage jazz classification. String instruments are central, especially acoustic guitar. If there’s one artist sums up gypsy jazz, it’s Django Reinhardt. 

The set list of a gypsy jazz band would feature songs like Minor Swing, Sweet Georgia Brown, Limehouse Blues, After You’ve Gone, Nuages, Dark Eyes, I’ll See You In My Dreams, Them There Eyes and All Of Me.
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Jazz Ukulele

In 1915, the world’s first ukulele craze began. By the 1920s it was in full swing, and in 1926 alone, Martin sold more than 14,000 ukes. The music composers of Tin Pan Alley turned their attention towards the humble ukulele.
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Vintage jazz ukulele is often played on a banjo-ukulele.

​This craze gave us artists like Cliff Edwards (aka Ukulele Ike) and Roy Smeck. Jazz ukulele is rarely performed at a professional level by ukulele ensembles. Instead, look for a jazz solo or duo act that happens to feature a ukulele.

The popular songs here are the same ones you'll find in vintage jazz, with a focus on vocal jazz and popular jazz - songs like Ain't She Sweet and Has Anybody Seen My Gal.

​Western Swing

Western Swing grew out of jazz and lived happily alongside it through the 20's, 30's and 40's.

It’s a blend of country and jazz, with elements of rural, cowdy, folk, blues and swing jazz. At the time, artists like Bob Wills & The Texas Playboys, Jimmie Rodgers and Moon Mullican dominated. That sound went on to influence honky tonk and rockabilly. 

Western swing sets pair old time tunes with vintage jazz standards. You can expect to see a few of these songs in a western swing band’s repertoire: Deed I Do, Stay All Night, Corrine Corrina, Ida Red, Sittin’ On Top Of The World, Roly Poly, Bring It On Down To My House, Hesitation Blues, I Can’t Believe You’re In Love With Me, Pistol Packin’ Mama, Just Because.
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There’s no tellin’ what can happen, I can start your toes a tappin’.
I can start your fingers snappin’, I’ve got swing for sale. 

Cab Calloway / Mills Brothers

After the jazz age, two very different things happened. And the first thing was good.
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Frank Sinatra was influenced by Bing Crosby's crooning, Tommy Dorsey's breath control and Billie Holiday's rhythmic swing.

​The best of 40’s, 50’s & 60’s jazz

Crooners, The Rat Pack, Frank Sinatra & Dean Martin. That’s what most people think of as ‘jazz’ beyond the jazz age. This ‘later’ era of jazz is encompasses artists like Bing Crosby, Nina Simone and Sammy Davis Jr. It also gave us Etta James, and she gave us the most overplayed jazz wedding song in history - her 1960s version of At Last. 

But there's more to the later era of jazz than At Last. Other popular jazz songs I Don’t Want To Set The World On Fire, I’m Beginning To See The Light, At Last, My Baby Just Cares For Me, Come Fly With Me, Fly Me To The Moon.

​Jazz you should never bring to the party

Like a hardware store in an earthquake.

Jimmy Cannon

In the 1940s, something very bad happened.

​A rogue strain of jazz strayed from the core and joined the dark side. Jazz became more esoteric, and "more sophisticated than popular. Its audience shrank to those who could appreciate its difficulties."

At the time, it was called bebop. And it paved a path for other kinds of experimental jazz including:

• Cool jazz
• Modal jazz
• Free jazz
• Jazz fusion
• Psychedelic jazz
• Jazz funk
• Acid jazz​

Jazz began to lose a significant portion of its audience - notably because the new bebop style was not created as a vehicle for dancers, but for listeners.

Experiencing Jazz: A Listener's Companion by Michael Stephans

We call it undanceable jazz. And we’d never put it on our events song list. 

You might have heard it called clever jazz, artistic jazz, or ‘jazz for musicians’. To many of us, it sounds like a big ol’ mess of bleeps and chaos. It’s not for everyone. You might like the stuff (and if you do, we hope this cures you). 

Honestly, it’s not all bad, but it is definitely not made for event entertainment.

Tell-tale signs of a non-vintage jazz band - saxophone, electric bass & keyboard.

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​Aside from being guaranteed dancefloor killer material, it also fails to please a diverse crowd. It’s not particularly good for background music or feature music. It doesn’t offer the right ambience or social lubrication for memorable events.

On top of that, we're betting it's not what you had in mind when you thought “aha! I’ll hire a jazz band!”

So learn how to avoid the bad. When you’re looking at bands to hire, keep your eyes peeled for telltale instruments like electric bass, synth keyboard and saxophone. They're sure signs of jazz danger.
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Playing ‘bop’ is like playing Scrabble with all the vowels missing.

Duke Ellington

The Swing Revival

From Louis Prima’s musical contribution to The Jungle Book right through to Big Bad Voodoo Daddy, the revival is in full swing (ha!). You’ll also find 90's artists like Squirrel Nut Zippers, Royal Crown Revue and Cherry Poppin’ Daddies in the mix.

Swing revival is sometimes called retro swing or neo swing. It’s an honouring of the vintage swing music of the 30’s and 40’s, with vintage-inspired originals thrown in.

Swing revival songs include Put A Lid On It, Zoot Suit Riot, Jump Jive An’ Wail, Mr Pinstripe Suit, I Wanna Be Like You, Maddest Kind Of Love and Anything But Love.
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Electro Swing

Somehow the swing revival made way for a new kind of electronic mashup called electro swing. You won’t find any events bands playing it, but you might find a dj. 

Essentially, it’s vintage jazz samples remixed with nightclub-style dance beats.

To some, it’s the best of both worlds. And you might love it, but unless your crowd is a young, hot crowd of 20-somethings, think again.

Electro swing is an easy way to ostracise mature-age guests. We’ve seen it clear reception dancefloors within seconds.

It’s why the party ain’t swinging at ‘modern’ Great Gatsby events, and it’s been called at the worst genre of music in the world, ever. That’s a bit far, but we’re yet to see it thrill a room. As swing dancers ourselves, it’s an awkward thing to dance to. It’s your call. Just check your guest demographics when you’re making your decision.
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Modern jazz bands are often a nod to earlier vintage styles, performing the same classic songs that have been loved for over a century.

​Modern Jazz

Putting aside the electro and the experimental, modern jazz looks a lot like vintage vocal jazz. Take Michael Bublé or Jamie Cullum for example. They fashion themselves on ratpack era crooners like Frank Sinatra. But there’s something diluted about it.

Robbie Williams presented a sanitised version of the Rat Pack for mass consumption... Bublé and Cullum take it a step further, effectively presenting a sanitised version of Robbie Williams.

Alexis Petridis, The Return Of The Crooner, The Guardian

Perhaps the ladies of modern jazz do it better? From Norah Jones or Madeleine Peyroux, there’s a nod to the vintage sound and songs. While the jazz men are crooning, the women are singin’ the (jazz) blues.

If you’re interested in these modern artists, you’ll find a similar repertoire from a vintage jazz band. Songs like Careless Love, Weary Blues, I’m Gonna Sit Right Down & Write Myself A Letter, The Nearness Of You, Fever, It Had To Be You and Baby It’s Cold Outside - they’re all covers from the vintage jazz era.
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HIRING  A  JAZZ  BAND

Now you’ve got an idea of the types of jazz music. But how do you decide which type of band works for your event? 

Puttin’ on the ritz

You can start with the look.

Jazz bands tend to dress snappy and (with the exception of zoot-suited swing revival bands) their style doesn’t date. If your event has a particularly rustic edge, a western swing band will have the best look for you. If your event is 1920's or 1930's themed, then you definitely want the look of a vintage swing jazz band.

You might find the black-tie approach of some corporate jazz bands too formal and stuffy. So check their promo photos before you hire.

​An authentic vintage era band will fit in anywhere from a gatsby cocktail party to a winery wedding. Not too dressy or casual, just right.
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Think about the purpose of your event music. A marching brass band looks good in a parade, not a wedding reception.

​Purist jazz bands

There are a few occasions when you’ll want a dedicated style of jazz. For instance, if you need to keep a bunch of lindy-hoppers on the dance floor, hire a swing jazz band. Or if your shindig is in a barn, western swing is ideal.

But one strict jazz style can be limiting.

For example, a traditional jazz orchestra focuses on instrumental compositions. But instrumental jazz gets boring.  If you’re looking at a big band ensemble, hire one with a vocalist or two. Check their songlist features popular jazz, not just the obscure stuff. Watch that their traditional tempos aren’t miles too fast for today’s dancing crowd.
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​Mixed jazz bands

The lines between vintage styles of jazz are watery. Much of the music crosses over itself.

Jazz standards can be played exactly as they were composed by a traditional jazz orchestra. Or they can be reinterpreted into gypsy jazz songs. Each style lays claim to the popular tunes in their own way.

Rather than fixate on one strict style, think about what you want your entertainment to do throughout the whole event. What should it sound like as people arrive? How will it keep them seated while the food comes out? What should it sound like when the dance floor is full? How energetically will the party end?

If you’re able to hire a vintage band with a diverse repertoire, your options are open. 

You can start with background styles - instrumental standards, jazz ukulele, that sort of thing. You can amp up the event with vocal jazz, upbeat tempos and popular crooner songs from the 50's. You can smash out a vibrant party end with big band jazz songs or bluegrass-tinged western swing. 

The more cross-over genres, the better.

But that doesn’t mean any old events band will do. Mainstream cover bands might know a few jazz hits, but they won’t be able to keep things classy all night. Keep your eyes peeled for a band whose primary focus is jazz. They’re out there.
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Think about the mood you want to create as guests arrive, while they're eating, what you want them to dance to, and what they should feel as they're leaving.

What size band for your event?

Another determining factor of choosing your entertainment is the band size.

If you have venue space restrictions, your decision is already made.

Go for a lineup that fits comfortably, bearing in mind you’ll want room for dancing too. You’ll also need to consider room for amplification and lighting, which most bands use.

The smallest jazz setup you can get is an unplugged, acoustic, solo or duo. That works brilliantly for a wedding ceremony or an exclusive, intimate launch party. At the other end, you could get a big band orchestra. It might be hard to squeeze 13 instrument-laden musicians on your venue’s stage, let alone find the space to seat and feed them on breaks.

Everything in between is up to you. Duos, trios, quartets & quintets. They're all available.

Once space is factored in, think about the era, genre and sounds you like. You might want to think about which instruments and vocals you want, and start with that.
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PRO-TIP
You might be able to upsize a band, which is perfect for jazz weddings. You could have a vocal jazz duo at your ceremony, add a double bass player for the cocktail hour, then add a fiddle player, trumpet player &/or jazz drummer for a swingin’ reception band. 

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​Where to find your perfect entertainers

Great jazz bands aren’t great advertisers.

You won’t necessarily find the right one in a wedding directory or entertainment agency. You won’t discover them performing at your local pub. 

But now that you know what you’re after, you can search for them on online. Think keywords - location, purpose, size or instruments. Try stuff like ‘melbourne jazz duo’ or ‘adelaide wedding band’ or ‘great gatsby jazz band ukulele’.

​You can also search a band's repertoire for specific songs and artists - use the examples given earlier in this article as a starting point.
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If you want your event to really swing, you gotta choose the right kind of music.

Now you know the eras, the instruments, the artists and the sounds. 
Hopefully, after reading this post, you have a better idea of the right type of jazz for your event.

A great jazz band is worth searching for. As long as you’re willing to put in a little bit of effort, you can find the awesome entertainment your event deserves. 

Here's looking at you, kid!
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​We've been Fidel & Sarah, and you've been awesome. 
​ If you have any jazz band questions we can help you with, let us know. We wish you all the best!

If you think we might be the best jazz band for you, start here.