People hear about how great it is to have a jazz band playing at a party and event and proceed to hire a live jazz band without knowing much about the genre or the kind of music it holds. As a live original jazz band that has been performing for decades, we often come across clients who know they want a jazz band for the event, but haven’t a clue about what kind of sound they are looking for.
How to Choose a Jazz Party Playlist
Jazz is a versatile genre and when you’re choosing a jazz playlist for a party, you want to make sure the songs or tunes you pick are suitable for the occasion. Here are a few things you should take into consideration.
Versatility of the Genre
The jazz genre is vast and contains numerous different styles. The good thing here is that you have much to choose from. The tricky bit is knowing what is out there and picking something suitable. It helps to get a sense of the different kinds of jazz out there and what each is good for.
Where you have a lot of modern and experimental jazz making waves, the same might not be ideal for most gatherings and get-togethers. Gentler yet equally intricate jazz styles like swing and even ragtime are usually better suited to such occasions.
Existing Theme at the Event
Your event theme plays a huge part in the kind of music you have playing. You might want to go with more generic content if you were throwing something seasonal for your friends at work. Alternatively, if it was a wedding or anniversary party, you might want something more romantically inclined.
The existing theme at your party should inform the songs you pick. Again, original jazz offers you everything from romantic ballads to other entertaining conversational numbers so pick your preferences keeping in mind your own going theme!
A Pace you can Pick Up
Remember, jazz is not just slow rolling music. You have a number of high energy compositions that you could littler your playlist with. This way you can balance the pace of your event with the music playing in the background.
Maybe something gentle while people are settling in and snacking and something more upbeat later in the evening! When making that jazz playlist, balance it out with the best of what is available, both slow and faster paced.
Winding Down
Taking the points above into consideration should help you make a brilliant jazz playlist for that upcoming party and if you work with us, it’ll also help us put on a better show! We hope you found this blog useful.
If you have any more questions about original jazz styles like ragtime, swing and Dixieland as well as anything else relating to live bands for hire in Dallas – TX and other parts of the US, connect with us now. Good luck putting that party playlist together!