Practicing for Weddings and Parties

Here we are two weeks ago, at the beautiful Jacuzzi Family Vineyards, in Sonoma. Starting with "It Had to be You" and ending with Pachelbel's "Canon in D", the wedding processional included bridesmaids, the ring bearer, and the flower girl, who paved the way for Kim and her Dad. Congratulations Kim and Chris — you starred in a lovely evening, and thanks for including us.

Thanks to Jere Visalli (Visalli Photography) for the beautiful photos. Visit his stunning website.

Like so many successful events, this wedding required lots of planning and coordinating, and we were delighted to work with Lisa Parker-Kim (Parker-Kim Events) and Melanie King (Jacuzzi Family Vineyards).

Every day we're reminded that success follows thorough preparation. For example, my friend Amy Frugoli (Twitterpated Weddings), an outstanding wedding coordinator, is one of the busiest networkers in Northern California. She seems to be everywhere, and she‘s just been selected to serve as the primary coordinator for the $100K San Francisco Dream Wedding Giveaway, to be announced tomorrow. What an honor!

Upon hearing the news, I reminded her that her good fortune is really no surprise — the more we practice, the luckier we get.

With Amy, it's never "Same old, same old." She always creates new touches for her events, and, like many of our colleagues, she's ready for anything, She's constantly exploring, observing, inventing, and rehearsing, all with an open mind.

For all of us, this is a great habit to cultivate. What's your favorite way to keep your mind fresh and agile?

The Magnolia Jazz Band continues to keep busy. Nearly every day, we entertain at memorable celebrations ranging from large, elegant wedding receptions and banquets to small, casual garden parties and picnics, and I'm always on the lookout for more opportunities. Today I'm talking with people hosting parties for Labor Day and Halloween. If you'll have a soiree on one of these days, or on any day in between, now's a good time to arrange the details, including the music.

Have a question? We'll have the answer. Call us at 408-245-9120. We're easy to work with, so let our experience help your next celebration. Please visit MagnoliaJazz.com for our schedule, and catch us at a public event soon. We're playing on Wed, August 26, at a pre-holiday party showcase at the Crowne Plaza Cabana, Palo Alto, and I hope to see you there. (Call 650-628-0138 to RSVP).

Please take a moment to find me on Facebook and follow me on Twitter. Please visit our Facebook Page, register as a "fan", and you'll receive a quick email reminder before each of our public appearances.

Thanks for reading my blog. Please send me a comment (below), and I'll reply promptly.

Networking Tips for Everyone

Thanks for reading my blog, and I hope you enjoy thinking about my ideas. Please tell me how you like the experience.

Recognize this logo? It’s important to you, and I’ll tell you why in one minute. First, a story. I recently saw a cartoon of a herd of cows. One lifts his head and says, “Hey, you guys, this is grass. We’ve been eating GRASS!” Well, I’ll be that cow right now, and I’ll tell you what I think we’re doing. Namely, we’re living in the center of a monumental communication revolution that has changed our lives forever. Let me explain.

I was chatting with my friend Stacie Tamaki last Saturday. She created that logo as part of her campaign to generate help for a cousin who desperately needs a bone-marrow transplant. Stacie told me incredible stories of the contacts she’s been making world-wide -- with individuals as well as donor programs. Nearly all online. She’s primarily using Facebook, Twitter, her various websites, her blog, and email. Her project shows how far we’ve come from the days of communicating with smoke signals and town criers. Stacie’s logo is important in two ways: First, for rallying support for the worthwhile program it represents, and second, for symbolizing the enormous power of online communication.

By the way, click on the logo to learn more about Stacie’s project. Maybe you can help her directly, and maybe her example can show you how to run a similar project.

So, how about Networking? Well, here you are, reading my blog (online, I presume), so I may be “preaching to the choir”. Nevertheless, let’s find the big picture here. We’re past “amazing”, by now, and these online tools are no longer just for teeny-boppers who ask “What are you doing now?” Smart, creative people in all lines of work are finding these tools unbeatable for exchanging all kinds of messages -- the only limit is our imagination.

Social applications like Facebook and Twitter, through their connections to websites and blogs, let us spread our ideas faster, farther, and wider. We ought to stay aware of these developments and use them for our own networking messages -- discussing ideas, asking questions, offering help, updating plans, and spreading news, just to suggest a few.

We’ll notice how our access to more new information helps us understand more and accomplish more every day. Of course, we need to balance that against how much the trivial portion of all this new information wastes our precious time and distracts us from more important issues in our lives.

What important issues? Ones that matter most. The current explosion in online communication creates options for making our face-to-face encounters more effective, rewarding, and productive. In other words, making our life more worthwhile.

Obviously each of us has many unique needs, and for me one of the strongest is to constantly keep in touch with many friends. Better online communication helps me network better. For example, last Saturday I met Stacie, and many other business friends, at a swinging networking event called “Martini Madness”. It’s coordinated mainly online, through Facebook and Evite, and what a night it was! The brainchild of my friend Duncan Reyes, this movable mayhem meets quarterly at some notable facility in the SF Bay Area. Members socialize, deepen our friendships, and strengthen the basis for working together even more effectively.

What an extraordinary happening this is! What a boon to all of us, and to our clients, as well. We all benefit from Duncan’s imagination and talent for organizing. He is a fabulous wedding and event coordinator (formerly social events coordinator at the Westin St Francis, where I first met him), and he uses the newest online resources to organize “Martini Madness”. I haven’t had an opportunity to work with him now that he’s on his own, but based on how he handles “Martini Madness”, I’m really looking forward to it.

Now, what should we do? No matter what business we’re in, we can all follow Duncan’s inspiration. Let’s go out and create opportunities for our colleagues to meet and develop deeper personal and professional relationships. Maybe add entertainment and educational aspects to these opportunities. As a result, we’ll all work together better, and our clients will love THAT. While we’re at it, let’s support not just our own program but similar programs our colleagues create. We’re all in this together, and we’ll find the more our colleagues prosper, the more we’ll prosper.

Speaking of prospering, the band has been keeping busy this year, and I’m always on the lookout for more opportunities. For instance, will you be celebrating a significant event soon? Throw a party and include us. Are friends talking about a wedding? Please recommend us. Today I’m talking with people hosting parties for Easter Sunday and Mother’s Day. If you’ll have a soiree on one of these days, or on any day in between, now’s a good time to arrange the details, including the music.

Have a question? We’ll have the answer. Call us at 408-245-9120. You’ll love what we do. We’re easy to work with, so let our experience help your celebration.

In the meantime, please catch us at a few public events coming up. On Friday, April 3, we’ll create an elegant mood at the Computer History Museum, in Mountain View, during cocktails at a reception and art auction to benefit the Alzheimers Association. On Sunday, April 12, we’ll be entertaining during Easter brunch at The Toll House Hotel, in Los Gatos. Two days later, on Tuesday, April 14, we’ll create a lively atmosphere for the annual “S.V.C.A. Hospitality Awards” at Club Auto Sport, in San Jose. Please visit MagnoliaJazz.com for details, and I hope to see you soon.

Please tell me what you think about any of my ideas. I’ll reply to all your opinions and comments.

An Expert Event Planner

Here we are last Sunday, right in the middle of the ballroom at the Villa Ragusa, in Campbell.

We’re entertaining about 350 moms at the “Las Madres” annual luncheon, and the ladies enjoyed an exciting afternoon. This wonderful organization provides mutual support for families in Santa Clara County. Left to right, the band is Gary Milliken, me, and Andy Norblin. Thank you to Linda Ozaki, of Wink Photography, for the terrific photos.

Special thanks to Liz Guthrie for including us in the festivities. Afterwards she told me, “You and your band were fabulous! It was the perfect sound for our Ladies' Tea. All the women have been raving about you, and I was so happy to be able to provide such wonderful entertainment at this special event. Thank You Thank You Thank You!”

Let me return the compliment. Liz is remarkable — a busy mom herself, a tireless blogger about weddings, and an expert event planner. Just from what I saw, her very long list of details included dreaming up the theme, sketching the layout, and arranging the facility, menu, vendors & silent auction items, furniture, centerpieces, volunteers, invitations & program, and marketing & publicity. Among the things no one saw was her forming teams & delegating responsibilities, rejecting ideas that wouldn’t work, and preparing for all the last-minute problems that might have come up. And once she finally had all the ducks in a row, she saw to it all the items were completed perfectly and on schedule, and then she acted as “Mistress of Ceremonies”.

What a job! One mark of a pro is the effortless way she brought it all together last Sunday, gave all her guests a memorable afternoon, and made it look SO EASY. Now, I work with event planners all the time. They range from so-so to fabulous, and although this was the first time Liz and I worked together, I feel she’s among the best.

Events vary all over the place, and so do event planners. Events can be large or small, elaborate or simple, formal or casual, “once-in-a-lifetime” or “just like last week’s”. Some event planners do a fine job with a wide variety of projects, and other tend to specialize and become experts — for example in corporate meetings & receptions, benefits for non-profit groups, conventions, banquets, hayrides & barbeques, health fairs, high school & college reunions, and of course, weddings.

Here’s my point: Especially these days, I’m seeing people doing much of their event planning themselves, and this can be wonderful for some, but a terrible idea for others — particularly for someone who wants to be a guest at her own party. Watching a trained, experienced person like Liz in action can mislead us to imagine that planning is all very easy. But believe me, whenever the occasion requires the sure hand of an expert, professional event planner, nothing less will do.

By the way, will you be celebrating a significant event soon? Throw a party and include us. And you just might want to call an event planner, too. Friends talking about their wedding? Please recommend us. Today I’m talking with people hosting parties for St Patrick’s Day and Easter Sunday. If you’ll have a soiree on one of these days, or on any day in between, now’s a good time to arrange the details, including the music.

Have a question? We’ll have the answer. Call us at 408-245-9120. You’ll love what we do. We’re easy to work with, so let our experience help your celebration.

In the meantime, please catch us at a few public events coming up. On Sunday, March 15, we’ll create an upbeat, romantic atmosphere in the “Wedding Faire” at the Toll House Hotel, in Los Gatos. On Friday, April 3, we’ll be entertaining at the Computer History Museum, in Mountain View, during cocktails at a reception and art auction to benefit the Alzheimers Association. Please visit MagnoliaJazz.com for details, and I hope to see you soon.

What do you think about all this? I’d love your opinions and comments.

What Makes Traditional Jazz Perfect for Weddings and Parties?

Here we are last Wednesday, creating an elegant background for a very upscale reception at the San Jose Museum of Art. This event was an exclusive private viewing of “The Prints of Andy Warhol”, and it demonstrated how art inspires a unique event setting. It was a truly spectacular evening, and we were honored to be one of 16 top event professionals involved. The band, left to right, is Dale Mills, me, Gary Milliken, and Andy Norblin. Thanks to Chung Li, an outstanding wedding photographer, for the striking picture.

Whenever we play at posh events like this, I’m always reminded of the humbler origins of jazz music. Traditional jazz isn’t a simple list of old-time tunes or a virtuoso performance you’ll hear in a concert hall. These days a hundred different styles call themselves jazz, but the original tradition of jazz music is “playing pretty for the people”.

That’s how the original New Orleans pioneers described their music. Later on others called it “functional music” or “social lubrication”. It was woven into the fabric of life, and always perfect for weddings and parties — nearly any get-together.

Of course I wasn’t in New Orleans around 1895, but I’m told the men who created the first music called jazz simply added a new rhythmic “twist” to everyone’s popular music of the day — ragtime tunes, gospel hymns, parade marches, old blues songs, vaudeville show tunes, and old folk songs. Talk about your “fusion” music!

What emerged was tremendously exciting. People never heard music like this before, and they went crazy over it in every social setting you can imagine — in backyard parties, at picnics in the park, aboard riverboat cruises, at memorial gatherings and funerals, and in neighborhood taverns, restaurants, and dance halls. A generation later its growing popularity found acceptance in more elite circles, and it helped fuel the young broadcasting and recording industries. At first it was just another musical fad, but it had “legs”, as they say these days, and ultimately led to all of today’s jazz styles.

To me, the important feature was that everyone could recognize and enjoy their favorite tunes in this new and exciting setting.

Long ago, I found this music to be a sure-fire hit for helping weddings and parties come to life. So today when you catch me playing “traditional jazz” for people, you’ll hear me pepping up tunes they love — the popular standards and old favorites. Whether our music serves dancing, or creates a pleasant background, or a little of both, it always helps people enjoy whatever they’re doing, and I’m pleased to call it jazz in the original tradition.

See what I mean when you catch us at a few public events coming up. On February 28, we’re entertaining in Dublin, CA, at the grand re-opening of the Shannon Community Center, and on March 1 we’re creating an upbeat, romantic atmosphere at the “Wedding Fair and Open House” at the Crowne Plaza Cabana Hotel, in Palo Alto. You’ll find details on MagnoliaJazz.com.

By the way, will you be celebrating a significant event soon? Throw a party and include us. Friends planning a wedding? Please recommend us. Today I’m talking with people planning parties for St Patrick’s Day and Easter Sunday. If you’ll have a soiree on one of these days, or on any day in between, now’s a good time to plan the details, including the music. Have a question? We’ll have the answer.

Call us at 408-245-9120. You’ll love what we do. We’re easy to work with, so let our experience help your celebration. Please visit MagnoliaJazz.com for details, and I hope to see you soon.

What do you think about all this? I’d love your opinions and comments.

Two Outstanding Wedding Shows this Sunday

Here we are last March, just about to create an elegant background for dining and dancing at a wonderful party in Hollister. Actually, this event celebrated a birthday, but it could easily have been a company banquet or a wedding reception. Left to right, Steve Apple, me, Gary Milliken, and Andy Norblin. Thanks to Kim Staskus for the great picture.

Speaking of weddings, Valentine’s Day is approaching. Are you (or will you be) planning a wedding? Or helping friends plan theirs? You’re in luck! The South Bay hosts two extraordinary events this Sunday. Be sure to attend one. Better yet, arrange with a friend to catch both!

"The Bridal Extravaganza" and “The Wedding University” will offer two complimentary approaches to solving one of life’s big challenges — planning your wedding.

“The Bridal Extravaganza”, at the San Jose Fairmont, is Silicon Valley’s premier wedding showcase. Since the 1980s, it consistently reigns over a host of newer shows produced by local hotels, wineries, restaurants, and country clubs. Featuring a broad selection of over a hundred of the area’s top wedding professionals, it’s always well-organized, well-promoted, and well-attended. Brides- and grooms-to-be strolling through this elegant “trade show” can literally plan their entire wedding in one day, meeting and speaking with coordinators, caterers, photographers, entertainers, decorators, florists — everyone they’d otherwise have to spend weeks hunting for. They’ll even find casual “fashion shows” of wedding gowns and formalwear.

The show is produced by Sharon Sacks, a respected authority on wedding shows and past president of Bridal Show Producers International. You’ll find a list of participants and complete information for registering at bestbridalshow.com.

Also aiming at brides- and grooms-to-be, and inspired by the intensive educational seminars produced by many professional associations, “The Wedding University” offers “An Afternoon of Elegance and Education”. Attendees will experience a comprehensive program of informative presentations, panel discussions, demonstrations, displays, and informal fashion shows. Attendees will learn from the best — outstanding local professionals who will offer “How To” training, as well as their advice, insights, and tips for planning everything from decor, food, invitations, and flowers to photography & videography and music & entertainment.

New this year, “The Wedding University” is hosted by The Four Seasons, in East Palo Alto, and is coordinated by Jubilee Lau (Jubilee Lau Events) and Jean Marks (Jean Marks Weddings). You’ll find a seminar schedule, a list of participants, and complete registration information here. The show is extremely well publicized and will be well-attended.

Each show will begin at 11am this Sunday, February 8, and I’ll be participating in “The Bridal Extravaganza”. It’s a shame we can’t be in both places at once, but you should choose one, have a friend attend the other, and pool all your information afterward.

On February 14, we’ll be creating a romantic mood for Valentine’s Day dinner at the Toll House, in Los Gatos, and on March 1st we’re entertaining in the “Wedding Fair and Open House” at the Crowne Plaza Cabana, in Palo Alto. You’ll find details on MagnoliaJazz.com.

By the way, will you be celebrating a significant event soon? Throw a party and include us. Friends planning a party? Please recommend us. Today I’m talking with people planning soirees for Valentine’s Day and St Patrick’s Day. If you’ll have a party on one of these days, or on any day in between, now’s a good time to plan the details, including the music. Have a question? We’ll have the answer.

Call us at 408-245-9120. You’ll love what we do. We’re easy to work with, so let our experience help your celebration. Please visit MagnoliaJazz.com for details, and I hope to see you soon.

What do you think about all this? I’d love your opinions and comments.

How Music Customizes Weddings and Parties

Here we are last Wednesday, creating a casual background for the grand opening at Xceed Federal Credit Union, in San Jose. Left to right, Gary Milliken, me, and Andy Norblin. Thanks to Tom Vo (Accolade Photography) for the fine picture.

It was a wonderful evening. Our music was important for setting the congenial mood while not distracting from the business at hand, which featured several “welcoming” speeches, the Chamber of Commerce ribbon cutting ceremony, and mingling with the guests. Our goal here was to provide upbeat, pleasant, recognizable music that did not intrude. Want your next event to be like this?

This open house is a world away from wedding ceremonies and receptions, anniversaries, and birthday parties, where the music is very important for highlighting unique features and making them special. Here people create opportunities to personalize these celebrations with their favorite music, especially songs with significant meanings for the occasion. Want your next event to be like this?

We’re versatile musicians and we always try very hard to customize our music. During my career I’ve seen hundreds of ways for music to add a personal touch and make every event even more memorable. I hope the following examples give you some good ideas for personalizing YOUR next event.

Here’s one popular request. At some of the most touching wedding ceremonies, personal friends sang special songs, ranging from “Ave Maria” to “Unforgettable” to “Our Love is Here to Stay”. In ceremonies, and during the receptions, everyone expects old favorites like “Pachelbel’s Canon in D”, “As Time Goes By”, “My Funny Valentine”, “Embraceable You”, “The Way You Look Tonight”, “Sentimental Journey”, and “Stardust”. Frequently people want newer favorites, too, like “Can’t Help Falling In Love”, “Happy Together”, “You Light Up My Life”, “L-O-V-E”, “Moon River”, “You Are The Sunshine Of My Life”, and “I Will”.

Brides and grooms who met in particular cities have asked us to include “New York, New York”, “Chicago”, “I Left My Heart in San Francisco”, “Georgia On My Mind”, “April in Paris”, “A Foggy Day in London Town”, “Way Down Yonder in New Orleans”, “Hawaiian Wedding Song”, and more.

Two years ago we entertained at a little boy’s one-year birthday party. Many of the guests grew up outside the United States, his parents grew up in India, and they asked us to play a few of their favorite “Bollywood” mega-hits. This doesn’t happen often so we needed a little practice, but needless to say, they loved us! Would you recognize “Pal Pal Dil Ke Paas”, “Chookar Mere Manko”, “Papa Kehten Hain”, “Kaho Na Pyar”, “Main Koi Aisa Geet Gaon”, and “Bheegey Hon Tere”?

Birthday guests of honor have been serenaded with “Bill”, “Nancy With the Laughing Face”, “Laura”, “Emily”, “Sweet Lorraine”, “Waltz for Debbie”, “Mona Lisa”, and more.

Whenever a wedding day coincided with a parent’s or grandparent’s anniversary or birthday, everyone sang “Happy Birthday” or applauded the couple waltzing to the “Anniversary Song”.

Themes are always popular. Once at a wedding planned on a Cinderella theme, our dinner music featured old Disney songs including “When You Wish Upon a Star”, “Heigh-Ho”, “Someday My Prince Will Come”, “Bippidy-Bobbidy-Boo”, and the first dance was “A Dream is a Wish Your Heart Makes”.

Finally, I remember a wedding ceremony where we accompanied the bride and the groom singing “All The Things You Are” to each other. It was lovely — really choked me up. Know the song? Written in 1939, music by Jerome Kern, lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein.

You are the promised kiss of springtime
That makes the lonely winter seem long.
You are the breathless hush of evening
That trembles on the brink of a lovely song.
You are the angel glow that lights a star,
The dearest things I know are what you are.
Some day my happy arms will hold you,
And some day I'll know that moment divine,
When all the things you are, are mine!

Back to reality. On February 8, I’ll be entertaining brides-to-be in the “Bridal Extravaganza” at the San Jose Fairmont; on February 14 in a romantic Valentine's Day dinner at the Toll House, in Los Gatos; and on March 1st in the “Wedding Fair and Open House” at the Crowne Plaza Cabana, in Palo Alto. Details on MagnoliaJazz.com.

By the way, will you be celebrating a significant event soon? Throw a party and include us. Friends planning a party? Please recommend us. Today I’m talking with people planning soirees for Valentine’s Day and St Patrick’s Day. If you’ll have a party on one of these days, or on any day in between, now’s a good time to plan the details, including the music. Have a question? We’ll have the answer.

Call us at 408-245-9120. You’ll love what we do. We’re easy to work with, so let our experience help your celebration, and I hope to see you soon.

What do you think about all this? I’d love your opinions and comments.

How I Help Plan the Music for a Party

Here we are last October, creating a lively mood at a benefit cocktail party for Ballet San Jose. We’re in the lounge at the elegant Corinthian Event Center, in San Jose. Left to right, Dale Mills, me, and Andy Norblin. Thanks to Chris Johnson for the photo.

Last week I announced two of my New Year’s resolutions -- “something old” and “something blue”. Here is “something borrowed”. Fourth resolution tomorrow.

I help people plan memorable parties. At least the musical aspects of wedding receptions for brides-to-be, open houses for business owners, and birthday & anniversary banquets for everyone. I’m a musician, not a professional planner, but in the past 34 years I’ve learned a thing or two about how music sets the right mood for every event.

When someone asks for planning help, I always say “What kind of atmosphere do you want? What do would you like your party to look like? sound like? What aromas would you like? How would you like your guests to feel?” And depending on what they reply, I suggest ways that the band can help create what they want.

I borrowed this practical approach to planning from my friend Allan Jaffe, who was the original founder, business manager, and musicians’ agent for Preservation Hall, in New Orleans. Jaffe loved and admired the musicians he worked with. Most of them were born between 1890-1910 -- Louis Armstrong’s generation. They loved their city and its traditions, made a living and raised their families there, and their music livened up every social occasion you can imagine.

Jaffe used to tell me these men worked hard and could do anything. Once I heard him tell the band’s trumpeter, “Percy, let’s play ‘Just A Little While to Stay Here’, and set the tempo like you’re at the end of a long parade and you’ve got to be back in five minutes.”

Hearing him use such a practical description stuck with me, so today I still speak to a bride’s senses -- her imagination’s vision, sound, smell, taste, and touch -- to help her plan the music for her wedding reception. Wouldn't such down-to-earth questions help you, too?

This practical approach has always been effective, and more would be better. So this year I resolve to continue using it, only moreso. I’ll make our conversations last just a few minutes longer and ask one more leading question than I would have asked last year.

In my next post I’ll describe another resolution: based on “something new”. In the meantime, I hope you’re enjoying a wonderful New Year. So far, I’m enjoying mine. I’m marketing more, and on February 8, I’ll be entertaining brides-to-be in the Bridal Extravaganza at the San Jose Fairmont. Details on my website.

By the way, will you be celebrating a significant event soon? Throw a party and include us. Today I'm talking with people planning parties for Valentine's Day and St Patrick’s Day. If you'll have a party on one of these days, or on any day in between, now's a good time to plan the details, including the music. Have a question? We'll have the answer.

Call us at 408-245-9120. You'll love what we do. We're easy to work with, so let our experience help your celebration. Please visit MagnoliaJazz.com for details, and I hope to see you soon.

Please leave me a comment. What do you think about all this? I'd love your opinions and comments.

Hot Trends in Entertainment

October 16, 2008.

Here we are last March, entertaining at a private birthday party in the Pavillion at the San Benito County Fairgrounds, in Hollister. This is a little beyond our customary territory, but what a celebration — like a night in Casablanca! Set in an elegant 1930s nightclub, over a hundred close friends gathered to eat, drink, dance, and toast the guest of honor. We were flexible that night, beginning as this quartet providing soft background during cocktails and dinner, and then added a saxophone and a trumpet for some pretty lively dancing afterward — from “Satin Doll” to “Fly Me to the Moon”.

Thanks for the nice photo, Kim. Left to right: Steve Apple, Gary Milliken, me, and Andy Norblin.

The economy’s on everyone’s mind these days. Practically every business is affected, and I hope you’re doing fine. Sure, the budgets might be tighter now, but, as they say, “The show must go on!” People still get married, still celebrate birthdays and anniversaries, still gather with friends at holiday parties, and businesses still celebrate their landmarks at dinner parties.

Successful businesses are adapting to keep up. Entertainment is no exception, and I’m sure you could tell me stories about how you’re coping, too. I see attendance at big concerts, sports events, and movies starting to reflect lower discretionary income, while free events are doing very well, thank you. It’s the same across the board, up and down the scale, ranging from recorded music sales to booking entertainment for special events. In my line of work, I’d expect that an upscale banquet, which hired a 15-piece dance band last year, might today invite fewer guests and opt for a trio, or even a DJ and a fortune teller.

A few trends seem to be emerging here, and they remind me of the ancient Greek fable of the Leopard and the Fox. One day the leopard, well known for his beautiful spots and fine fur, went out into the fields and saw that most of the other animals had plainer coats, and quickly concluded that the others were distinctly inferior. As the leopard was gloating about the nobility of his appearance, the sly fox cautioned him. 'Go ahead and rely on your extraordinary appearance, so long as my intelligence is more extraordinary than yours. Mental power is more impressive than the glamor of good looks!'

Well, maybe you think the moral is about beauty being only skin deep, or about the folly of believing that your own strength is more important than anyone else’s. But I think the moral is really about the virtues of exercising an agile mind.

What’s my point? This: Quick, deep thinking seems to underlie the latest trends in party entertainment. I certainly can’t speak for the entire field, but in my own corner — playing at parties — I’m seeing entertainers innovating to cope with two significant developments. First, we have fewer qualified clients, most have smaller budgets, and they all want memorable parties. Second, most of our clients need to avoid appearing too extravagant.

Successful entertainers for parties are now thinking creatively of ways to add or enhance the bang for their client’s buck — providing more for less, without going broke. In many cases, this requires digging down to find out what each client REALLY wants, and “brainstorming” new, tasteful, and economical ways to make it happen. Adding extras and some “freebies” is always possible, of course, and I’m delighted to see entertainers working more closely with other event professionals, to create what their clients want. The bottom line for success these days seems to rely on our imagination, resourcefulness, and flexibility.

If you catch the band “in action” today, you'll find us coordinating our music with a DJ, or our attire with a decorator, or the meal presentation with a caterer, or special highlights with an event planner or a photographer. Or you'll find us playing in several locations at the facility, to help guide “traffic” and create distinctive moods throughout the event. These are a few simple ways we’re offering flexibility these days.

I’m trying to take my own advice here. We’ve spent years honing our skills, learning what makes parties succeed, and we strive for our very best at every party. We can do the same for you. Is a significant event coming up in your life? Throw a party and include us. Or do you have friends planning their wedding? Please recommend us.

Today I'm talking with people planning parties for Thanksgiving and New Year’s Eve. If you'll have a party on one of these days, or on any day in between, now's a good time to plan the details, including the music. Have a question? We’ll have the answer.

Call us at 408-245-9120. You'll love what we do. We're easy to work with, so let our experience help your celebration. We play at private parties nearly every day, and you can preview us on Tuesday, October 21 (at a casual cocktail party in Saratoga), on Thursday, November 13 (at a casual benefit dinner in San Jose), and on Saturday, November 15 (at an elegant benefit dinner in San Francisco). Please visit MagnoliaJazz.com for details on these events and more, and I hope to see you soon.

Traditional Jazz for Dancing, Weddings, Parties, even Funerals

April 3, 2008

Do you have friends planning a wedding or a party? Please recommend us.
They can preview us at the SF Giants season opener on Mon, April 7, or a benefit
cocktail party on Fri, April 11. Click here for details.

But first, a story. A friend recently asked me to play for an event she said
might be "kind of a downer". Turns out, it was a memorial service, and not
gloomy at all. Sadness brought everyone together, but they met with music
to say "life goes on". It reminded me of the first jazz tradition, "playing music
to serve the people".

Thirty years ago, I became friends with a few of the original musicians who
played at Preservation Hall, in New Orleans. From the start, that city boasted
a huge calendar of social celebrations, and these old-timers spent a lifetime
providing uplifting music for all sorts of occasions. Whether at a fish-fry, a
banquet, a neighborhood dance hall, or a funeral, their music always set the
right mood and made it "an event".

That was the purpose of their art. It's what they taught me in the 1970s, and
it's how I make a living today. Now I'm talking with people planning parties
for Mother's Day, Memorial Day, and 4th of July. If you're having a party on
one of these days, or on any day in between, now's a good time to plan the
details, including the music.

Call us. You'll love what we do. We're veteran party-goers, easy to work with,
and we know what it'll take to make your party a success. We've entertained
people since 1975, so let our experience help your next celebration.

Planning? Preview us at parties, concerts, and festivals.

September 26, 2007

Good afternoon. Although today is nearly October, experienced event planners
are already working on their holiday parties. We entertain at parties nearly every day, so how can we help you?

Preview us at several public events. Details for these dates are on our website.

Most Thursdays, 5:30-7:30pm
cocktails, dinner, or just relaxing
Embassy Suites Hotel, Milpitas

Thurs, Sept 27, 5:30-8:00pm
Gala cocktail party
Hotel Los Gatos, Los Gatos

Sat, Sept 29, 8-10pm
New Orleans jazz concert
Community School of Music & Art, Mtn View

Sun, Sept 30, 3-7pm
New Orleans jazz party
California Theatre, Oakland

Tues, Oct 2, 5-8pm
benefit dinner party
McKormick & Kuletos, San Francisco

Sat, Oct 13, 1-3pm
benefit wine & jazz festival
Goldsmith Seeds, Gilroy