Among the many different gatherings our live jazz band has covered, corporate events are most certainly up there.
Over the years, we have played and performed at numerous corporate events of different scales. We have performed at open corporate carnivals and private and exclusive gatherings entertaining everyone from entrepreneurs to executives.
One of the things we have learned in our years of doing what we do is that corporate events need to be meticulously planned.
Music, Corporate Event Planning and Finding Your Sound
Music is an integral part of your corporate event. The music playing out loud plays a huge role in establishing and contributing to the overall ambiance at your event. Where the right music guarantees a degree of success, the wrong kind of music can annoy guests, have people’s eyes rolling and can pretty much ruin everything.
The question is how does one decide the kind of sound they are looking for at their event? Even if you know it is jazz you’re looking for, how do you decide which jazz style will work for your event?
Establishing Themes
The theme of your corporate event is one thing you should take into account when looking for the right sound.
Is it an end of the year celebration, a post award gathering, a dinner for a board of directors, a company picnic and day out for employees and their families?
It helps to pick music that will agree with whatever theme you may have going on.
Understanding Guest Demographics
When it comes to corporate events, playing something like Justin Bieber over the speakers is perceived to be in poor taste. Unfortunately, you wouldn’t be doing yourself any favors playing something like say Kid Rock. Even a jazz musician like Miles Davis might be a little heavy.
If you’re working with older and more accomplished guests, you will need music to match. Jazz forms like Dixieland, swing and ragtime can be brilliant options in such scenarios.
If you’re doing something for say the children of those employed by your company, it’s okay to keep things light. On the flipside, if you’re catering to an older audience, it is best to keep it classy.
Working Closely with the Band
Finally, if you’re going to hire a band to play live for your upcoming corporate event, one of the best ways to figure out what will be played is to consult with the band members. If you find a band that has been playing successfully for as long as we have, they’ll probably already have an understanding of the kind of music that would potentially suit your event.
It helps to sit down with the band well in advance and explain to them what your event is about and what you’re looking for. Share details with regard to themes, share information on the kind of demographic you’re working with and ask them for options.
If you’re located in the US, we’re happy to come and play for you pretty much anywhere in the country so feel free to check out some of our stuff as well!
Winding Down
Follow the steps above and incorporate them into your music setting process. This way, you’ll probably manage to come up with a playlist that will keep your guests entertained and make the event even more memorable.
Good luck with that planning y’all!