Should we have a jazz band for cocktail hour?
Cocktail hour is where a jazz band feels most at home. Guests have a drink in hand, they're talking, and the music sets the mood without taking over.
A jazz band is a natural fit for cocktail hour. Dream City Jazz plays standards, bossa nova, and pop, soul and R&B songs in a jazz style while guests mingle. We recommend the signature trio of piano, upright bass and drums.
What we play at cocktail hour
The music mixes classic standards with pop, soul and R&B songs, all played in a jazz style. A few examples:
- Standards: Fly Me to the Moon, The Way You Look Tonight, At Last, What a Wonderful World.
- Classic jazz: Take Five.
- Bossa nova: The Girl from Ipanema.
- Pop, soul and R&B: Isn't She Lovely and Just the Two of Us.
You choose your songs in your BookLive client portal. A full song list is coming to this site.
Why couples love it
The reviews tell the story. Brad wrote that the music was a special touch that many guests commented on. Alexandra said they got so many compliments. At a networking event, another client said the volume was perfect: not too loud. That's what you want while guests catch up.
Cocktail hour is also easy to pair with other music. Couples often book Dream City Strings for the ceremony and jazz for cocktail hour. Or we play cocktail hour and dinner, and your DJ takes over for dancing.
Cocktail hours we've played
Wedding cocktail hours at The Pfister Hotel in Milwaukee, Boerner Botanical Gardens in Hales Corners and the Paine Art Center and Gardens in Oshkosh. A cocktail hour at 10 South in Janesville. A cocktail reception after the ceremony at Boxed and Burlap in Delavan.
Booking cocktail hour alone costs less than ceremony plus cocktail hour, since there's less music to prepare and less time on site. Either way, the band arrives about 45 to 60 minutes before the music starts.
What couples say about cocktail hour
★★★★★“So glad we found them. Very easy to work with, great communication. Showed up on time and played perfect music for our cocktail hour. It was a special touch that many guests commented on.”
★★★★★“Great sound and amazing vibes, we got so many compliments on our cocktail hour music!”
★★★★★“Great group. Volume perfect for a networking event. Not too loud. Everyone enjoyed”
Cocktail hour questions
Will guests be able to talk over the music?
That's the idea. One client said the volume was perfect for a networking event, not too loud.
Which lineup is best for cocktail hour?
The trio of piano, upright bass and drums is our signature lineup and the one we recommend. You can add a saxophone or trumpet, or a jazz vocalist.
Can you play dinner too?
Yes. We play background sets through dinner. We don't play dance sets, so a DJ handles dancing.
Can we have strings for the ceremony and jazz for cocktail hour?
Yes, couples often do. Our sister act, Dream City Strings, plays the ceremony as a string quartet.