| For many years I have supplied music for and played | | | | people dancing remember this fact. Sixties and |
| in bands that provide music for corporate | | | | Seventies. For some inexplicable reason this is the |
| entertainment. Clients have included Audi, The | | | | music that gets people up on their feet. |
| Evening Standard, Sainsburys, P.C. World, Safeways, | | | | When choosing your music ask the band if they can |
| Large corporate clients at Henley and Ascot, I.T.V. | | | | cover this part of the corporate entertainment |
| and H.M. Treasury. Because of this experience I felt it | | | | requirement. Get samples of their music if need be. |
| would be relevant in putting down some pointers in | | | | There is nothing worse than an ill equipped band |
| helping clients choose the right kind of music for their | | | | struggling through alien repertoire. However good the |
| particular corporate entertainment. | | | | band is, if they do not play the right repertoire, the |
| Interestingly enough, most corporate hospitality | | | | right style of music then the corporate entertainment |
| entertainment work tends to require music as an | | | | will fall on deaf ears. |
| ingredient to a larger recipe. What I mean by this is a | | | | Let me at this point provide a caveat. Your |
| great deal of corporate events are offering a multi | | | | workforce work together They are not always going |
| service package. Typically an organization may be | | | | to be the best of friends however professional their |
| putting on an evenings entertainment to thank its | | | | relationships are at work. Answer truthfully, will they |
| workforce for a particularly successful year. They | | | | really want to dance together or is it asking too |
| may be offering music, food, comedy, a close up | | | | much? I would say that in all the years of providing |
| magician, a casino and a caricaturist. The corporate | | | | music for this kind of corporate entertainment / |
| client organizing needs to decide what part the music | | | | hospitality , as long as the music is right, the |
| has to play in the days/evenings entertainment. | | | | workforce tended to dance 30 or 40% of the time. |
| Questions he or she needs to ask are: | | | | It could be said that a workforce who will enjoy each |
| Is the music specifically for entertainment or is the | | | | others company in this way is a reflection on the |
| music for background listening? | | | | talent of senior management to create a happy |
| Do we need one style of music early on in the | | | | team! |
| proceedings and then a change of style later in the | | | | Corporate entertainment model 3. |
| days/ evenings entertainment? | | | | Company Fun Day. |
| Do you expect the corporate clients to be | | | | These come in two types. The type to entertain |
| networking and discussing business or are they just | | | | your own workforce or the type to entertain |
| there for a good time? | | | | prospective clients. Both types of corporate |
| What overall atmosphere do you want to project | | | | entertainment require music that is fun. This means |
| with the event? | | | | that the music must be perceived as fun and the |
| Is there going to be a change of location for the | | | | band must be perceived as fun. In both cases Jolly |
| music as the entertainment event unfolds? | | | | Dixieland Jazz or the summer sounds of Latin music |
| Different styles of music bands lend themselves to | | | | are most suitable. |
| different corporate hospitality situations. Below are a | | | | Ask yourself these questions: does the band need to |
| number of typical corporate hospitality events with | | | | be mobile? Meaning do you want the music to move |
| music suggestions for suitable music entertainment. | | | | around the site at various points in the proceedings? |
| Corporate entertainment model 1. | | | | If so then the jolly jazz route is most suitable. A |
| Evening reception with dinner and speeches. | | | | good professional outfit of four or five players can |
| In a situation such as this you will typically need music | | | | play acoustically and move around a site as directed. |
| from the outset as part of the meet and greet of | | | | If the band can be static and close to electrical |
| the corporate evening. A four-piece swing or Latin | | | | power then either Jolly Jazz or Latin Music is suitable. |
| group is ideal with a larger ensemble for particularly | | | | Is the event outdoors or indoors and do you have |
| large gatherings. A professional outfit can pitch the | | | | provision for bad weather? This is England, never |
| music at just the right decibel level so your guests | | | | trust to luck, assume the worst! Any band that |
| can talk and enjoy the entertainment without it | | | | needs power cannot play in the rain for health and |
| encroaching on conversations. The musicians would | | | | safety reasons. At the first hint of inclement weather |
| typically be dressed in Lounge Suits or Tuxedos (or | | | | a band will have to breakdown their equipment. Build |
| the female equivalent) to mirror what the guests are | | | | this situation into your corporate entertainment music |
| wearing themselves. The music portrays an | | | | decisions. |
| atmosphere of sophistication, which again hopefully | | | | How do you want the band to dress? It is a fun day |
| reflects the evenings overall ambience. | | | | after all! In the past I and my musicians have dressed |
| It is rare for corporate clients to want to dance | | | | as Elvis, Cavemen, Circus Clowns, in fact all manner |
| especially as clients there relationship is business not | | | | of characters in the name of corporate |
| pleasure! In most cases it is more important that the | | | | entertainment and corporate hospitality. Good bands |
| band is flexible in when it is needed over the course | | | | will have suitable outfits for most situations but don`t |
| of the evening i.e. At the top of the night for the | | | | hesitate in providing something off the wall for a |
| reception, a smaller version of the band (The pianist | | | | special event. Most professional players have a |
| maybe for the dinner), stopping for speeches and | | | | strange urge to jump into such costumes at the |
| then after the speeches to play until other | | | | earliest possibility! As someone who has played at a |
| entertainment is put on for the corporate clients. In | | | | nudist camp and for a toga party, both dressed |
| this situation give the band a clear idea of how you | | | | accordingly, take my word for it! |
| expect the evening to go. What to wear, when they | | | | To draw this article together let me say this. Choose |
| will be needed, when they need to get their | | | | the right kind of music for the event. Brief the band |
| instruments in the building and be set up, when | | | | accordingly but make sure you have a professional |
| breaks will be required, let them know if it is | | | | and flexible outfit, things can change over the course |
| convenient or not to feed them and then finally how | | | | of the event and you want to make sure the band |
| they can leave when finished so as not to disrupt the | | | | are both co-operative and able to fulfill your needs. |
| rest of the entertainment. | | | | Don`t hesitate to ask the band for any special |
| Corporate entertainment model 2. | | | | requirements you have. Do it in plenty of time so |
| Company Party. | | | | they have time to prepare. |
| Still corporate entertainment, still corporate hospitality | | | | The corporate entertainment and hospitality you |
| but a totally different set of requirements for the | | | | offer to your guests reflects directly onto your |
| music. Ask yourself these questions: Are your work | | | | company. The music and musicians must be the type |
| force the type of workforce who will want to dance | | | | who are aware of this. Dont go for second best just |
| at some point in the proceedings? If they are, then a | | | | to save a small amount of money. You need a well |
| professional band with flexibility is essential. My | | | | prepared, well dressed band who are both polite and |
| experience is that people of all ages will join together | | | | charming to your guests. They need to play the right |
| to dance to music from the sixties and seventies. | | | | kind of music for the event in order to help make |
| Whatever background music you require earlier in the | | | | the day or evenings corporate entertainment a |
| day/evening be it Latin, Swing, Rat Pack or Lounge, if | | | | resounding success! |
| you are hoping to provide entertainment that will get | | | | |