Jazz brings a level of sophistication and refinement to your evening - it brightens people’s moods, encourages guests to be more interactive with each other, and sets the expectation that because the music is sophisticated, so is your wedding! Listening to jazz music stimulates a calming effect on your body, signaling your central nervous system to lower your respiratory rate and heart rate. Mix this with a few cocktails, and your guests will be in the perfect mood to the party.
Virtually all of our musicians either have their Bachelors or Masters degrees in Jazz Performance, and regularly perform in various groups at the iconic jazz venues in Chicago. Think of your cocktail hour being compared to an evening at a legendary Chitown jazz club like the Green Mill - the memories made by your family and guests will last for years!
Funktastic performs a wide cross-section of jazz standards, along with American songbook classics and modern favorites. From renowned jazz artists like Miles Davis and John Coltrane; to contemporary classics from artists like Frank Sinatra, Ray Charles, and Etta James; to today's newest radio hits; we are happy to accommodate any and all requests that we can.
For the dinner portion of your event, we have recently added the option of Rotating Quartets - this consists of the entire lineup hired for the evening, appearing in a variety of foursomes during meal times (up to 90 minutes max). Each individual musician has a chance to shine in this format, exploring the versatility of their instrument at their highest level of musicianship. Melodic solos, a high level of musical improvisation, and an expression of something uniquely different from our party band help to make this a winning formula and popular option for our clients.
Later in the program, when guests begin to gravitate towards the dance floor for their favorite love song, or instead hang back by the bar and enjoy the atmosphere, our Jazz Trio is perfect for cocktail sessions! Here are our Jazz Trio options:
Guitar, Upright Bass, Vocals *OR* Vocals, Drums, Piano performs iconic vocalists like Ella Fitzgerald, Sarah Vaughan, Etta James, Michael Buble, and more. From robust to delicate and refined, we're tributing the best vocal jazz artists of our time.
Horn, Guitar, Upright Bass *OR* Piano, Drums, Horn spans across decades tributing iconic jazz musicians who set the standard of musical virtuosity. Miles Davis, Charlie Parker, John Coltrane, Louis Armstrong, and more. In Jazz, all roads lead back to these artists who set the stage for music as we know it today.
If you’d like to add one of these options, send us an email and we’ll be happy to cater to your specific wants and needs!