Function bands
Background musicians
Function bands
Background musicians
Shim sham to a jazz band or tap your toes to dixieland at your wedding or party. We also offer big bands, crooners, Postmodern and Gypsy jazz bands for hire.
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Experienced, sax-led jazz trio, performing jazzy takes on pop music from The Beatles to Sam Smith as well as classic jazz. Suitable for mellow background music at weddings, corporate events and more!
Upbeat, Dixieland jazz band playing songs in the classic New Orleans style. Great for toe-tapping background music. Also available as a marching band line-up is available for parades and funerals.
Traditional gypsy jazz and acoustic swing band playing standards by Django Reinhardt as well as swinging renditions of modern artists. Available as an instrumental line-up or with female vocals.
Swinging, vintage-themed band playing a mixture of modern hits in a quirky, vintage style alongside authentic 20s-40s material.
Unique postmodern 5-piece jazz and swing band performing pop standards in a classic jazz style. They can also transition smoothly to funk and soul songs to get people dancing if required.
Award-winning saxophone and guitar duo playing sophisticated standards for a wide variety of events and celebrations.
The Retro Pops re-interpret classic pop songs from the 1970s to the 2020s in a variety of other genres, from jazz and blues to calypso. A fresh approach to the traditional party band format.
Young, professional jazz trio and regulars on the UK jazz scene, The Richmond Jazz Trio perform jazz classics by Duke Ellington, Miles Davis and Louis Armstrong, and many more.
Inspired by the jazz of the 1920s and 30s with a few interesting numbers from other eras thrown in to spice things up, their trade-mark is the variety, freshness and fun that they imbue all their performances with.
An intoxicating blend of swing, jazz and contemporary pop performed by experienced, world-class musicians. Additional musicians and afternoon sets also available.
Two seasoned, award-winning musicians who have showcased their talents at prestigious UK jazz venues such as Ronnie Scott's and the 606 Jazz Club, as well as enlivened countless weddings and private events.
Vintage Jukebox, with highly talented jazz and blues musicians, sets an unmatched musical standard. From jazz standards to the latest pop hits, Vintage Jukebox are capable of catering to events and weddings, offering tailor-made entertainment for any occasion.
Quirky vintage swing band with a fantastic female lead putting a retro take on modern songs like Get Lucky, Uptown Funk and Billie Jean.
Fantastic vocal harmony group specialising in the beautiful music from the 1940s and 50s. Amazing harmonies, beautiful dance routines, and stunning costumes!
Immersing their audience in the essence of New Orleans' "roaring 20s" jazz era, The Canal Street Swing Band have earned acclaim at numerous venues, from raucous bars to highly respected jazz festivals.
Martini Jive are a unique postmodern jukebox band bringing pop classics and bangers with jazz and latin twists from Dua Lipa to Junior Senior, with Rosalia making an appearing and flourishes of the great Aretha Franklin. Think postmodern jukebox with an energetic spin!
Combining smooth vocal harmonies, toe-tapping rhythms, and infectious melodies, The Swing Tigers play classic swing for dancing, breathing new life into timeless classics.
High class vintage vocal trio with modern and classic repertoire. Also available with a live band.
Enchanting vocal and piano duo featuring lush harmonies and innovative re-harmonisations of well-known pop songs and jazz classics.
From the smooth sounds of classic jazz to the upbeat rhythms of swing and Latin, this talented saxophone and keyboard background duo are happy to tailor their performance to your exact preferences.
All our jazz bands are fully self-contained with their own PA sound system so you don’t have to worry about speakers or sound engineers.
Some of our jazz swing bands will bring lighting for the stage or dance-floor for after-dinner entertainment too – check the band's profile page for more details.
Our jazz bands typically play two 1-hour sets or 3 x 40 minute sets of music, but they can play for longer (for an additional cost) if preferred.
If you need the band to play for longer or later than midnight, extra fees can apply.
For afternoon and early evening events, most jazz musicians will aim to arrive about 90 minutes before the scheduled start of the performance. For evening events, bands aim to arrive from 5pm or 6pm at the latest, regardless of the finish time.
Duos or trios rarely need more than 30 minutes to set-up and do a quick sound-check (test that their levels are appropriate for the venue).
Larger line-ups may need up to 90 minutes, but the exact time required will be detailed in your booking contract.
Our wedding jazz bands will be happy to learn and perform your first dance request – provided they think they can arrange it for their line-up and do it justice.
Check the band’s profile to see what they can offer and if they can’t do it live, they could just play it through their PA system using Spotify or an mp3 player.
Amplified line-ups (all line-ups excluding unplugged trad jazz bands) can provide recorded jazz music between sets via a device (yours or theirs), free of charge.
Many are able to upgrade to a more advanced service using virtual DJ software so that they can mix songs and take your guests’ requests – check the band’s profile page for details.
There are a few things you'd need to ensure, when booking a jazz band:
If booking a jazz band for afternoon or early evening background sets, and the band won't remain on site for more than 4 hours, you won't have to provide a meal, but refreshments would be appreciated.
Most jazz bands can perform within the limits of sound limiters with no problems.
However, if you’re booking a larger swing band (upwards of a 4-piece) including drums and brass, it’s worth checking the noise restrictions at your venue.
In many cases, levels can be reduced by asking the drummer to use brushes or “hot rods” instead of wooden sticks.
Most swing or dance bands booked for evening parties are reserved between 6 and 12 months before your event, but the top bands can get snapped up a full 18 months in advance.
So we recommend starting your search as soon as possible. This is especially crucial if you're planning a Saturday wedding from April to September.
If you're booking a background jazz band for your afternoon reception, or if you're planning an off-season wedding between October and March, there will likely still be good options available at around the 6 month mark.
Our jazz bands vary in price from under £400 for a guitar and sax duo, right up to £4000 for a 12-piece big band.
The typical price paid for a jazz band in 2022 was approximately £900.
Hiring a jazz band locally will save you money on travel and accommodation costs. Use the filter menus at the top of this page to narrow down acts based in your region only.
We have jazz bands based all over the UK. Also see:
In the event that a band member falls ill or is unable to attend on the day, the band are obliged to arrange a substitute musician to take their place.
In the very unlikely event that none of the band members can attend, we'll make every effort to secure a replacement jazz band in a comparable style and within the same price range from our extensive range of acts. If you don't like any of our suggested replacements, we'll give you a full refund.
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