Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
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Q: I love live music but am on a budget. How much does it cost to hire Sydney Jazz Collective?
A: The cost of each performance depends on a few different variables including: size of band, distance travelled, date, number of hours
required on site. Please provide this information when you contact us and we will endeavour to send you a quote
for your function within 48 hours.
Q: How do I confirm my date in the band's calendar?
A: A 30% deposit (invoiced on request) is required to secure your date in the band's diary. We always receive more enquiries for bookings
than we are able to perform at, so the band operates on a 'first in first served' principle. All quotes are valid for 7 days from date of issue.
Q: How long does the band normally play for?
A: The band can be booked for any desired period of time from 1 hour up to a maximum of 7 hours.
Q: How long does the band play for in each set before taking a break? For example over a 5hr period how many breaks do you take?
And how long is each break?
A: Sets are usually 45min with a 15min break in between. Over a 5hr booking you would normally fit approx 4-5 x 45min sets around speeches
and other formalities. We are happy for you to schedule these sets in at whatever times would be most suitable for you.
Q: How are your quote prices determined?
A: Quote prices are determined by [Number of musicians x Number of hours required on site]. This means quotes can nearly always be reduced
by booking smaller ensemble options, or less hours.
Q: What locations will you perform at? Do you travel interstate?
A: Most of the band's performances occur in Sydney + All Suburbs + Hunter Valley + Canberra. For special events we have travelled down to
Thredbo and up north to Brisbane QLD. We are very happy to travel however this obviously increases the band's fee to cover petrol costs, or
flights if necessary etc.
Q: What sort of musical styles/genres do you perform?
A: The band performs a broad selection of well known Jazz, Pop, Funk, & Soul classics. Please advise us on your particular preferences and
we will tailor the program to match your musical tastes as closely as possible.
Q: I'm looking for an energetic live band to get people dancing, can you provide that?
A: Yes. No problem at all keep the musical atmosphere "up beat" throughout the night. The online samples reflect a range of possible
tempos for various purposes, however we pride ourselves on our ability to get a dance floor cranking for people who love good live music!
Q: What gear and equipment does the band provide? Do you provide all the sound equipment you use free of charge?
A: Necessary sound equipment will be provided by Sydney Jazz Collective for functions up to 200 guests at no additional cost. For events
larger than 200 guests, it will often be necessary for the client to hire a larger PA for the band's sound to be heard clearly in very large rooms.
This can sometimes be sourced through the venue where your event is taking place, or we can help organise audio support through our contacts
in the music industry.
Q: Do you provide stage and lighting if I also want these services?
A: Basic coloured lights can be hired by the band but does not come as part of our standard packages. We can hire stage lights very cheaply through
contacts in the entertainment industry so just let us know if you'd like some coloured lights for the bandstand and we can put you in touch with a
local supplier at industry rates. We do not organise stages, but often work with companies who do specialise in staging so we are happy to put
you in contact with them too.
Q: What kind of electrical supply/current do you need? Do I need 3 phase power?
A: The band will require access to 2 x standard 240V power sockets within 3 meters of the performance area. If there are no power sockets near the
band area, then it is possible for clients to supply band power via an extension cord so long as this is set up safely by the client before the
event starts.
Q: Do you charge for time spent setting up (bumping in), or packing up (bumping out)?
A: No. The band does not charge for Set Up or Pack Up time, so long as this occurs during the normal 60min prior to performing for Set Up,
and 30min after performing for Pack Up. Please double check that all times in your quote are going to be suitable for your event.
A surcharge (of $77/musician/hour or part) would apply for earlier Set Up and/or later Pack Up.
Q: My wedding is a black tie/very formal event and I want the band to look smart. How do you normally dress for performances?
A: The band would always wear suits as our standard performance outfit. We pride ourselves on professionalism in all areas including attire
and personal appearance.
Q: Are you happy to come dressed according to a particular theme for themed events?
A: Yes. We have provided musical entertainment for many themed corporate events and parties and would be very happy to hear your planned
theme and try wherever possible to integrates the band's music and appearance into the theme of your event.
Q: What happens if I want extra time on the night? I.e. more time than originally detailed in our quote?
A: It is usually no problem to arrange some extra time on the night of a performance (providing all the band members don't have another
commitment immediately afterwards). Extra time is generally charged at $100/musician/hour or part. We strongly encourage clients
to formally book all the time they think they would like in the initial quote, as we cannot absolutely guarantee that the band will be available
for extra time if this has not been arranged formally prior to the performance date.
Q: Do I need to provide food/meals for the musicians at my function?
A: Yes. At most functions a basic meal (sometimes called 'staff/service/crew meal' by venues) is provided for the musicians during one of the
breaks between sets. We will assume this will not be a problem, but please let us know if for any reason this is not possible. To save money,
make sure you ask your venue about the price difference between 'guest meals' and 'staff/band meals' - you can usually feed the band very
affordably but some venues will not make this obvious for you.
Q: Do I need to provide drinks for the musicians at my function?
A: Yes. Water and soft drink refreshments should be available to the band at any time on request.
Q: I have quite a small venue. How much space does the band require?
A: For a Quintet we'd ideally request about 3m x 5m, but we're happy to get creative about the set up if there are space issues as we have
played in smaller/irregular shaped spaces in the past. For very small venues we can fit a Duo or Trio into the space where 2 people would
stand upright. If you're concerned about space limitations for the band, just drop us an email and we can suggest some alternative solutions for you.
Q: When do you usually Set Up and Pack Up?
A: Standard Set Up would occur in the 60min immediately before performing. Standard Pack Up would occur in the 30min immediately after last
song. Please email us prior to the event if you would like to request alternative arrangements.
Q: Can I choose whether the vocalist in the band is male or female?
A: Yes. Please advise us of your preference of either female vocalist or male vocalist and we will make sure that they are performing in
the ensemble at your event.
Q: Can a book your Female Vocalist and your Male Vocalist to perform in the band at the same time?
A: Yes. We do occasionally perform with both a male & female vocalist on stage. However, we don't generally recommend 2 vocalists on the
same gig as you could create a fuller band sound by adding an extra horn (eg. Sax, Trumpet, Trombone) rather than an extra vocalist.
Q: Can I choose which songs the band will perform?
A: In regard to repertoire selection; after providing live music at hundreds of weddings over the years the band is very adept at reading
the mood of a crowd and gauging song choices to suit this accordingly - soft and sophisticated early on, gradually building the intensity
for dancing later in the night. People tend to enjoy themselves more when the shaping of a night's emotional atmosphere feels natural and
matches the evolving mood of the crowd, and one of the best ways to shape this atmosphere is through music. So you probably don't want to
be too locked in to the exact order/selection of songs beforehand as every crowd will respond in slightly different ways. Please however
feel free to suggest a few favourites we can feature to personalise your night of entertainment, and also to give us an indication of the
type of music you like best.
Q: Do you perform outdoors at all?
A: Yes. We have done many performances outside, however you would still need to provide some kind of overhead shelter from sun/rain and
also standard 240v power to the band area. Sturdy flooring is also requested although this is not absolutely essential so long as the
ground is dry.
Q: There is no electricity available at my event (eg. on a small boat). Can the band still perform without power?
A: Yes. We have some great acoustic ensemble options that do not require power. Some of these are also available as a mobile roving
band to move through the crowd at a function. Please email us with your specific requirements.
Q: Does the band require parking? How many car parks will you require?
A: Yes. The band requires parking at the venue (or nearby parking to be provided by the client if there is no parking on site at the venue).
We usually need 1 parking space for each musician in the band (but can sometimes make do with one less eg. 3 parks for a 4 piece band).
The reason for this is that the high quality sound equipment we use fills a car pretty quickly, and we are also often all driving direct from
other gigs in different locations.
Q: When the musicians are taking a break between sets, will there still be some background music provided?
A: Yes. For gigs where a vocalist has been booked, Sydney Jazz Collective will provide background music from an iPod through the
vocal PA when the band is taking a break between sets. For instrumental ensembles, we will provide softer background music from an
iPod patched through either the keyboard or bass amp.
Q: I have some favourite songs I would like to hear. Will the band perform requests?
A: Yes. Sydney Jazz Collective will endeavor to perform any specially requested song at your wedding that may be a particular
favourite tune of the bridal and groom (provided the style is appropriate for the band booked). Any specific song requests that are
not already on our current repertoire list would need to be made at least 2 weeks prior to the performance date.
Q: Will the musicians performing at my event be the same as those featured on the Sydney Jazz Collective website?
A: Yes. The musicians performing at your function will be the same as our regular band members featured on the Sydney Jazz Collective website.
(In the unlikely event of sickness or unexpected unavailability, the band would still perform however a particular instrument may need to be
replaced by a professional musician from the Sydney scene whom we have worked with in the past).
Q: What volume does the band perform at? I'm worried about the music being too loud/soft for my event?
A: We have done literally hundreds of corporate gigs where clients specifically request a background sound level for important
networking to take place. Similarly many of our wedding clients have had very specific volume requests for soft music early in the night,
and an energetic groove to get everyone dancing later on. So we're very adept at tailoring volume levels to suit our clients and it's
certainly no problem to keep the volume right down if this is your preference.
Q: Can we use the band's vocal microphone for speeches?
A: These days most venues will have a dedicated microphone especially for speeches, but if not you may hire the band microphone & vocal PA
for $55 inc GST. We usually try to discourage this if possible just for OHS reasons (ie. our vocalist could catch a cold and then be unable
to work for 2 weeks), but please let us know in advance if you will require this.
Q: Do you offer any incentive for repeat business or if I refer a colleague?
A: Yes. We offer a 5% refund if you refer a friend (or book multiples dates yourself) and the 2 bookings are confirmed within 28 days of
paying your deposit.
Q: Do you also supply Disc Jockeys (DJs)?
A: No. We strongly believe in the power of Live Music to provide an atmospheric and emotional richness that can't be matched
by recorded music. For this reason we don't offer DJ services.
Q: Is it possible to hear Sydney Jazz Collective live or do you only perform for private functions?
A: We specialise in providing live music for private functions (weddings & corporate events), so it is not usually possible to come and see
the band live. We do occasionally perform at festivals & large public events so we can keep you posted with dates for these kind of gigs if
you wish to see the band live in action.
Q: Can I request different instruments to the ensembles detailed on the quote?
A: Yes. The instruments suggested on your quote reflect our most popular ensembles, however these are quite flexible to customisation so
long as a good band sound will still be achieved. Please let us know if you have a favourite instrument you would like featured, and we'll
do our best to offer you some alternative options which include that instrument in the band.
Q: Do you have insurance?
A: Yes. The band has full public liability insurance for all functions and events that we perform at. This is underwritten by QBE Australia
to a value of $20,000,000.
Q: There is a Grand Piano on site at the venue where my function is being held. Would the band be interested in performing on that instrument?
A: Yes. We would love to use the grand piano at your venue (provided that it is in tune). The unique sound of a real grand piano
can't be replicated by even the most sophisticated synthesizers so our keyboard player will be very happy to hear there is a grand piano on site.
Any questions not answered here, please just ask and we'd be very happy to help. We look forward to providing some wonderful music for you!
__________________________________________________
For bookings and general enquiries please email:
tom@sydneyjazzcollective.com.au