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