Meeting Expectations with Attention to Details

June 30, 2008

Here we are, playing requests (a standard "extra service" for any band) at a cocktail party two weeks ago at the University Club, in Palo Alto. Thanks for the photo, Cristina.

Looking to jazz up your next party? Are friends planning a wedding? Please recommend us. They can preview us right now at MagnoliaJazz.com or at a great 4th of July event in Cupertino -- an opportunity to picnic, enjoy a wonderful family atmosphere, and there’ll be fireworks, too. Come early!

First, a confession. I’m in the habit of telling people I make a living going to parties. (Maybe you’ve heard this before.) Actually, it’s truer to say I help people enjoy the kinds of parties they wish for.

Since 1975, I’ve been involved with what people today call the “Service Industry.” So, like a waiter in a restaurant, my job actually is to listen to people tell me what they REALLY want, and then do my best to deliver it. And more.

Nowadays, those last two words are becoming more and more crucial. Attention to details has always been important, and today it's become a hot topic. Compared with ten years ago, these are challenging times, and across the board, the best of the best are exceeding expectations with extra service.

How many times a day do you hear, “Anything else I can help you with today?” I’ve been counting, and in the last 12 hours I’ve heard it in person and on the phone from a dentist, a phone company, a bank, and 2 retail stores. Lots of people are asking, and they’re all listening carefully for what we want -- trying to out-listen and out-deliver their competitors.

It’s fun to watch people finally discover the power of “extra service”. It’s nothing new to me -- I’ve been digging down deep to provide “extra service” all along, and I’ll even toss in a “surprise” whenever I can.

A photographer friend recently told me some brides-to-be now expect him to provide a professional make-up artist for his sessions. So he has found something new to ask about and listen for. Are you noticing this, too?

No matter what business you’re in, I bet you’re finding similar new ways to provide that extra touch of service. Similarly, many of the people who serve you are eager to give you a little extra, too -- a better discount, finer quality, or faster delivery.

By the way, I’m seeing this “extra service” trend not just in business, but among casual friends, too. But that’s a blog for another day. In the meantime, people still celebrate -- whether it’s a wedding, an anniversary, or the good fortune to be still in business. Is a significant event coming up for you? Throw a party! When you’re considering a band for your party, call me. We’ll talk about what you REALLY want at the celebration, and how I’ll deliver it. And more.

We're ready to help with your next party, whether it's a lively bash, an elegant banquet, or something in between. Swinging standards make everything memorable. Elegant & unique. Upbeat, danceable, & mellow. Today I'm talking with people planning parties for Bastille Day and Labor 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.

Call us at 408-245-9120. 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.

We play at private parties nearly every day, and you can preview us at one of our public events. Click here for details on these events and more.

Fri, July 4, 6:45-9:15pm
two 4th of July Picnics
two parks in Cupertino

Sat, July 19, 6:30-9:30pm
Benefit Dinner & Dance Party
Ridgemark Country Club, Hollister

Thur, July 31, 9:30pm-12:30am
The Island Grill
Clarion Airport Hotel, San Jose

A Great Testimonial from Albert

June 14, 2008

Looking to jazz up your next party? Or do you have friends planning their wedding? Please recommend us. They can preview us in Cupertino on July 4th or right now at MagnoliaJazz.com.

In the meantime, Dr Einstein is willing to recommend us, but Madonna, Brad, Barbra, Justin, and Paris are just too busy these days. Well, thanks anyway.

Mrs Clinton could tell you that celebrity endorsements are only so good. The best testimonials, I’m told, are from actual satisfied colleagues and clients. And we’ve received plenty over the last 33 years.

Which is why I’m proud to post many of these recommendations on my website, and my profiles on Facebook, WeddingWire, and LinkedIn. Please check them out, and invite your friends to visit, too.

I regularly hear from newlyweds, corporate event planners, catering managers, and couples who just celebrated their anniversaries or birthdays. Here’s a typical note I received last month from Liz, an event planner in Mountain View:

“Great! I wish everyone was so helpful and easy to work with. The music was entertaining and created an atmosphere that was both fun and elegant.”

Let us do the same for you. Is a significant event coming up in your life? Throw a party and hire a band.

Today I'm talking with people planning parties for July 4th and Labor 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. You can preview us in Cupertino on July 4th. Click here for details.

Call us at 408-245-9120. 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 next party a success. We've entertained people since 1975, so let our experience help your celebration.

Reviving The Timeless Standards

May 26, 2008

Looking to jazz up your next party? Or do you have friends planning their wedding? Please recommend us. They can preview us right now at MagnoliaJazz.com.

But first, a question. “How many songs do you know?” I know hundreds, easily. You, too? When I asked a dozen friends, this quickly became a much more interesting question: “What makes a song memorable?” Well, it’s complicated, I’m sure, but for a start we agreed it must include a combination of the melody, harmony, lyrics, what songs you already know, and what songs you enjoyed when you were young.

On a larger level, there’s something universal about remembering songs. Everyone does it, and whoever you ask will have some particular style they remember best. How about you? For many Americans living today, one favorite style emerged in the 1920s, 30s, and 40s. Think of the big dance bands, Hollywood movies, and Broadway musicals. Think of “It Had to be You” (1924), “Stardust” (1929), “Georgia on my Mind” (1930), “Embraceable You” (1930), “As Time Goes By” (1931), “I’ve Got the World on a String” (1933), “Blue Moon” (1934), “My Funny Valentine” (1937), “Over the Rainbow” (1939), “White Christmas” (1942), and hundreds more.

Year after year now, contemporary artists revive many of these old standards with a freshness that appeals to today’s listeners. Still, there’s a timeless quality in the best of these songs, which is why they’re called “Standards”. And every year one or two new songs outlive the “fad” stage, and join the ranks of these universally popular gems. Think of “Unforgettable” (1951), “Satin Doll” (1958), “Moon River” (1961), “Girl from Ipanema” (1964), “Yesterday” (1965), and “Spanish Eyes” (1965) to name just a few.

We specialize in bringing these lovely old standards to today’s parties. We’ve found they’ll create the right mood for any special event, whether it’s a formal business banquet, a sophisticated, romantic reception, or a lively, casual soiree. Guests relax with familiar music. They can chat comfortably or dance the night away.

Is a significant event coming up in your life? Throw a party, hire a band, and sing your favorite song. It’ll probably be one of these “Standards”.

Today I'm talking with people planning parties for July 4th and Labor 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. June is prime time for private celebrations — weddings, anniversaries, and graduations — and you can preview us in Cupertino on the 4th of July. Click here for details.

In the meantime, call us at 408-245-9120. 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.

Balancing Work and Relaxation

April 29, 2008

Where do you work these days? Half my friends have changed their jobs at least once
in the last 5 years. A few hundred years ago, most people spent their lives carrying on
exactly the same work their families did for generations. Now who of us makes a living
the way our parents did? Grandparents?

Today we’re flexible and adaptable. We can travel anywhere in the world and network
with cell phones and text messages wherever we go. We can find wireless internet nearly
everywhere, and our opportunities for work and play are growing every day.

Though we live in the heart of this whirlwind, we can barely glimpse what’s at stake with
each change. I think the more things change around us, the more essential balancing work
and play becomes for living well.

Americans believe hard work pays off, and for years I’ve said “The harder I work, the
harder I must relax.” Recently I began saying, “Less time with the mouse, more time
with the spouse”, so my wife and I just left town for a refreshing break in the routine.

What an eye-opener! Driving across the country, checking out the local sights and
listening to local talk radio, we rediscovered what a diverse and innovative area we
call home. People in most of the regions we visited seem to live closer to their roots
— both geographical and cultural. It seems to me that here in the Bay Area we are more
ready to overpromise, overwork, and tolerate a broader range of acceptable ideas.

All of us strive to preserve cherished notions and improve outmoded ones. And it’s not
just about the popular “conservative” or “liberal” ideas. In our changing world, we
continually rebalance our attitudes about work and play. Whatever we consider most
important always merits most of our attention, and, lest we paint ourselves into a corner,
we often need to get out for some fresh air.

Don’t get me wrong -- I love my job, and I'm definitely not about to quit. But even in the
busiest times I always need to be relaxed, fresh, and ready to do my best. For years I’ve
worked as many days as possible, and today I believe more than ever that working hard
means you’re earning your time off.

We’re so lucky that Silicon Valley is blessed with so many opportunities to work and to
play. How are you doing? Is a milestone event coming up in your life? Pause a few moments
to consider your good fortune and celebrate. Maybe have a party and hire a band.

I'm talking with people planning parties for Mother's Day, Memorial Day, and 4th of July.
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. You can preview us soon at Mother's Day brunch on
Sun, May 11, or an exciting awards party on Tues, May 13. Click here for details.

Call us at 408-245-9120. 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.

San Francisco Giants opening day & 50th anniversary

April 16, 2008

We've entertained for the SF Giants at AT&T Park twice in the last 2 weeks. First, on April 7,
at a special party to celebrate the season's Opening Day, and yesterday to help commemorate
the very first game the Giants played in San Francisco, on April 15, 1958. They beat the
Dodgers 8-0. Here's a photo (click to enlarge) from a fan -- thanks Ilene. Left to right:
Steve Hanson, me, Andy Norblin, and Gary Milliken.

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.

Networking with Facebook, LinkedIn, & Plaxo

March 6, 2008

Friends planning a wedding? They can preview us at this small, exclusive
wedding showcase, on Thurs, March 13. Click here for details.

But first, I'm always seeking tools for working better, and I found some
you might like, too. Look at some of the new internet networking programs:
Facebook, LinkedIn, and Plaxo.

They keep us in touch and help us discover new opportunities. Other social
programs seem best suited for online dating or giggly pre-teen gossip, but
these three seem ideal for "taking care of business". Each new link expands
our circle of contacts, so more of us can work together.

Give one a try. It won't replace a face-to-face conversation, letter, phone call,
fax, or email. But it will add to how you share information, ask questions,
and get answers. It'll help by letting you contact "friends of your friends".

Each of us contacts lots of people all the time. Online networking could be a
great way to be more efficient and effective.

Today I'm talking with people planning parties for Easter, St Patrick's Day, and
Mother's Day. 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. We're veteran party-goers, easy to work with, and we know what it'll
take to make your party perfect. We've entertained since 1975, so let our
experience help your next celebration.