What can I expect to hear on a typical performance?
We tailor every performance to your specific event whether swing and big band classics, bossa nova, blues, or Latin to motown. In a typical performance you can expect to hear songs by Cole Porter, Irving Berlin, Rodgers and Hart, Alec Wilder, Miles Davis, John Coltrane, Antonio Carlos Jobim and many others as well as songs sung by Nat King Cole, Frank Sinatra, Billie Holiday, , Tony Bennet, Stevie Wonder, and Marvin Gaye. Requests are welcome!

Do you have a demo I can listen to?
Click on the audio/video link above, but also contact us directly to access our private online audio/video demo (for clients only). It features many more videos and instrumentations/audio clips.

Why have jazz at my party?
If you are having an event in the New York City area, one answer is obvious! Jazz is one of America's biggest 20th century cultural contributions and New York is world renown for its jazz history and scene. Having jazz at your local event makes for an especially memorable evening for out of town friends, family and business associates. New Orleans has Dixieland, Chicago has blues, and New York City is recognized as a jazz cultural mecca. Short of that, having live music at your event is just a classy way to enhance atmosphere and create mood.

My event is rather involved and I was thinking of hiring an event planner or agency to coordinate it
Prior to your event, a member of Pizzicato Jazz will work with you as a music coordinator and planner in addition to playing on the event itself. We'll help you to select the best instrumentation, repertoire, setup and placement, as well as organizing an event schedule and contracts with all these details. We'll tailor our sets for the mood, volume level, and dynamic level you are looking for and make sure it fits the venue and space. And with all this planned in advance, the music takes care of itself at the event and you can enjoy your guests!

I'm a small business/sole proprietorship and though jazz would be perfect for my corporate event, I don't have the budget
We work regularly with many small businesses and sole proprietorships and have a few thoughts for you. First off, entertainment expenses for corporate events are tax deductible, so you should see your money back at the end of the year! Second, we are a small business as well and are looking to build a personal relationship with you. Much of our business comes from referrals and recommendations, so our reputation is the most important thing for us to uphold. Third, clients at your event will view you in a different light by enhancing your presentation with great music. It's classy, provides ambience, and people remember it. Read our reviews for more feedback on that.

Jazz is a great idea for my event, but we really want to pick things up for dancing later on in the evening
Though sometimes regarded as just "smooth" or laidback music, jazz and swing was America's dance music for the first half of the 20th century. The music of Duke Ellington can be every bit as upbeat as a DJ (and in our opinion, a much better choice of repertoire!)

Do you play Top 40 and pop/rock as well?
Pizzicato Jazz is a specialty band, and though we play many different styles, where we excel is bringing you great jazz, bossa nova, and more acoustically oriented music. We can do some motown and blues, as well as some tunes by the Beatles, James Taylor and the like, but we are not a Top 40 or typical "wedding band" and that's what sets us aside from other groups. If you are looking for the electric slide, the macarena, or a DJ host blasting announcements like it's a high school prom, we're not a good match for you; PZ Jazz is all about upscale, classy entertainment. Shoot any requests our way; if we can accomodate, we will!

Do you play wedding ceremonies?
We do wedding ceremonies, both traditional and nontraditional. From the typical Pachelbel;s canon, Bach and Mozart to jazz tunes or a Hawaiian rendition of "Somewhere Over the Rainbow" one client requested, we'll tailor our repertoire to make your day extra special. We can perform solo, duo, or trio, and select from piano, classical guitar, flute, contrabass (string), soprano sax, cello, and more. Keep in mind we provide musical services, not announcements/vocal hosting.

What instrumentations do you have?
We'll work with you to find the right size group and instrumentation for your event. Choices range from duos to quintets, and we'll take into account volume level, dancing, if an in tune piano is available at the venue, and whether you are looking for an upbeat party or soft dinner music. All these criteria help us choose a group and instrumentation that will set the mood you need.

Do you have a vocalist?
Keeping the music in the background and suitable for conversation is a good part of what we do for events, so we typically play instrumentally. But we do have a female vocalist we work with if you are looking to add some extra flair to your event. Her repertoire is jazz from Nat King Cole, Sarah Vaughn, and Billie Holiday to Norah Jones and Diana Krall. We also have a concert repertoire of singer/songwriter material if you'd like to spice up a dinner party.

Do you travel?
We are based in NYC and primarily a "regional" band, but we do travel internationally. A typical year finds us performing regularly in the Hamptons and Long Island, the New Jersey shore, Connecticut, Westchester and the Hudson Valley and wherever we are needed. We also maintain relationships with working musicians in Vermont, western Massachusetts, and Boston to offer you a more budgeted price for your event while maintaining our core group. When not doing private events, all of us record, tour and perform internationally and locally.

I'm concerned about volume level, as my party will be in a small room and we want to have conversation...
For a low volume situation like this, we typically recommend a duo or trio, and forego using drums to keep volume level low. In some situations, solo guitar or piano may even be the best for you.

Do you do cocktail hours?
Absolutely. If you have a DJ or top 40 band coming in for dancing at your wedding or party, we'd be happy to simply play a 45-90 minute cocktail hour. We also offer discounted rates if you are interested in using us for any combination of ceremony/cocktail hour/reception. We also work with a DJ and can present you a two in one package deal if you are interested.

Do you do bar mitzvahs or bat mitzvahs?
This past March, we performed a combination 80th birthday party and bar mitzfah for a Cornell alum, and a few events in Westchester. Absolutely! We can also play Hava Nagila and a few other klezmer classics upon request.

Do you take requests?
Absolutely! Request our over 600 song list of jazz favorites from the 20's to the present day and make selections before your event. If you have anything specific you don't see on the list, feel free to request in advance or on the day of, and we'll do our best to honor it. Or make a stylistic request from Dixieland, Sinatra, or big band to straight up jazz.

Do you carry liability insurance? My wedding venue requires proof of insurance from all vendors.
Many venues and universities require proof of insurance from all vendors entering the premises. We carry liability insurance for $2,000,000 which covers the needed insurance ceiling for any venue.

Im operating on a limited budget. How do you keep your rates affordable?
You may have contacted a typical agency and found that the prices were far beyond the budget for your event. Pizzicato Jazz eliminates the middleman in the booking process. We do not keep the overhead of an office, a booking staff, a soundman and so forth. We provide all our own equipment and give you some of the best jazz musicians in the scene today. The fee you pay goes straight to the musicians themselves, and in fact we've worked for and with agencies...but we'd rather work directly for you, as it's a win/win situation or everyone involved.