Bring the swing!
You'll impress everyone with your taste in music and support top notch high school musicians at the same time. Seattle JazzED students get real life experience alongside their skillful musical mentors while sharing the joy of jazz within the community.
Due to the overwhelming interest in our Book a Jazz Band program, we ask that all inquiries be submitted at least 4-6 weeks' notice prior to your event. Booking requests submitted less than 4 weeks prior to your event cannot be not guaranteed.
Choose between:
JazzED Combo
Photo by C.B. Bell
JazzED Second Line
Photo credit – jennygg.com
About JazzED Combos
Our JazzED combos are multi-instrument, improvisational 3+ piece bands of immense skill. Their live show features jazz standards or “cocktail hour ambience”, meaning that the tunes are intended to be enjoyed while you can still have casual conversation with your guests. Featuring traditional jazz arrangements of such great innovators like Duke Ellington, Dizzy Gillespie, and Etta James, combos are dedicated to performing the very best light jazz and swing to make events memorable.
Standard combos are a 3+ piece band, consisting of a mix of students and a professional music coach. They include the rhythm section (for example: bass, drums, guitar, and/or piano) together with instrumental soloists such as saxophone, trumpet, or trombone.
About JazzED Second Lines
The JazzED second line is a fun, high energy, musical walking street parade led by 8+ skilled performers. A quintessential New Orleans art form, in many cases, second lines consist of people who follow the band to enjoy the music, dance, and engage in community. The JazzED second line group features brass-and-percussive arrangements (think loud and proud), creating powerful and vivacious music. Choosing a second line for your event (wedding, grand opening, gala, etc.) adds a special touch that guests won’t soon forget.
JazzED second lines are 8+ piece bands, consisting of a mix of students and professional music coaches. Tuba and drums are the traditional “marker” of the style, alongside clarinet, trumpet, and trombone. But we’re JazzED so we might toss in violin, accordion, or another surprise…. because second lines are cool like that.
“Our party was a great success and our guests thoroughly enjoyed the music. I mean thoroughly! So many people told me how they were lifted from hearing the music. I believe people who haven’t felt much joy in their bodies and spirits of late WERE truly lifted by the music. Our deepest gratitude!”
How to reserve a band:
Because all bookings are accepted on a first come, first-serve basis, we kindly ask that all inquiries be submitted at least 4-6 weeks' notice prior to your event. Below you will find a detailed step-by-step process of how to complete a booking.
Submit a Request Form
To book a jazz band, you will first need to complete the Book a Jazz Band Request Form. In this form you will be asked to provide a detailed account of your event and the nature of your request.Email Confirmation
Once you’ve filled out the booking form, a member of our team will email you to confirm your request has been received and verify the details of the event such as date, time, venue, etc.Invoice and Payment
Once your event details have been confirmed, you will be issued an invoice and receive detailed payment instructions via email. As we will be hiring professional musicians to perform at your event, please note Seattle JazzED requires at least 50% payment within 48 hours of receiving this invoice. We will not be able to move forward with booking your band until payment has been received. The remaining balance must be paid a minimum of two weeks before your event. Payments can be made through this form or by check. If submitting payment by check, we ask that you confirm once the check has been issued by sending us an email at info@seattlejazzed.org. Once payment is received, we will complete your booking.
Costs
STANDARD RATE
The standard rate for booking a 90-minute JazzED Combo is $1200, and $1600 for booking a 30-minute JazzED second line performance.
SPECIAL REQUESTS AND ADDITIONAL FEES
Bookings that include special requests are subject to additional fees. For JazzED trios: each additional hour adds $400, and each additional player adds $250. For JazzED second line ensembles: each additional 10 minutes adds $375, and each additional player adds $175. Additional fees will also apply for holiday, last-minute, or non-local bookings.
REFUNDS AND LATE CANCELLATIONS POLICY
All payments made to Seattle JazzED are refundable until two weeks before your event. Events and bookings canceled after this period will result in a 50% penalty of the total amount. This penalty will be used to compensate our musicians for holding this date.
Below you can find a detailed FAQ section that includes more information about additional factors that can affect cost and other frequently asked questions.
“The JazzED Second line was by far one of the HIGHLIGHTS of the wedding, and from what I hear for our guests as well. It started the celebration with a wonderful, fun vibe that carried through the rest of our evening. The musicians that led us down Fremont Ave were talented, and they sure did know where to stop to gather the guests for a circle of music and dance as we made our way. Thanks for helping us put this together and making sure our six block walk was such fun.”
Frequently Asked Questions
What factors determine cost?
Our bands range from roughly $1200-1600 per event, depending on the group, location, performance time, and date.
As a nonprofit organization providing sliding scale programming that supports youth development, we do our best to provide reasonable rates that honor the time and talents of our musicians.
As with all Seattle JazzED services and programming, to make this resource as accessible as possible, booking rates are available via sliding scale, accessed through the booking form.
Several factors determine cost:
- Band size: Larger groups (8-10 pieces) are more costly than smaller groups (3-4 pieces).** **Requests for additional performers will incur additional fees as listed under "Special Requests and Additional Fees."
- Event date and location: We typically need at least five weeks’ notice for bookings. As many of our performers are youth, we generally can't schedule gigs during school hours. All gigs must be in the Seattle area, unless special arrangements are made. Additional fees will apply for holiday, last-minute, or out of area bookings.
- Length of performance: JazzED combos are booked for 2 hours, including 30 minutes of load-in time, about 1.5 hours of performance and a short intermission break. JazzED second lines are 1-hour bookings, including 30 minutes of load-in time, about 30 minutes of performance and a short intermission break.
Is my event eligible for a sliding scale discount?
Organizations or community partners that have a focus on serving communities that have faced historical exclusion are eligible to book bands at a reduced rate. This can include, but is not limited to, organizations that work to increase access for BIPOC, low-income, LGBTQ+, individuals with disabilities, immigrant and refugee, and elderly communities.
Eligible organizations or community partners can receive either a 25% or 50% discount off of the standard event booking price. Additional fees for special requests will still apply.
Eligible organizations will self-select the discount percentage that best aligns with their capacity and resources. This approach allows flexibility and acknowledges that different organizations have varying financial circumstances.
If your organization aligns with any of the categories mentioned above and you believe you are eligible for the sliding scale discount, please reach out to Michael at michael@seattlejazzed.org.
How are musicians selected?
In alignment with our mission to empower ALL students with exceptional music education is the organization-wide commitment to dismantle systemic racism, sexism and economic inequality by centering equity in our work. While selecting skilled artists, we strive for balanced representation and at least 50% femme and BIPOC performers in any hired band. **Additional fees will apply for special requests. **
How much influence do I have over the song selection?
Reasonable requests will be considered, though artists will not typically learn additional repertoire for your event. We ask that you trust our ability to call songs that create the best music experience possible.
What sort of considerations are important for their performance?
There are several factors that are important as you plan your event with performers in mind. Factors include:
- Space: A combo requires approximately an 8'x8' space. Bands with more than four members require a 10'x10' space minimum.
- Power: Combo musicians will supply their own cords and will need access to a power outlet. A JazzED second line does not need access to power.
- Equipment: If you would like the band to make any announcements, a microphone will need to be provided. Seating for rhythm players should also be provided by you.
- Piano: Tell us if there will be a piano on-site, or if there will be room for an electronic keyboard (which can be provided by the pianist). No piano is needed for a JazzED second line.
- Water: Plan to provide bottled water for the musicians, or easy access to a water fountain.
- Outdoors: The same requirements for space and power apply. A tent or covered area is needed to protect musicians and their instruments from sunlight and weather. Nighttime performances will require lighting for musicians to read their music. A hard surface should be put down over grassy areas for flooring under the combo.
- Parking: The musicians will arrive at your event independently. It is helpful for musicians to know where they can temporarily park their cars to unload their equipment. Other useful specifics include: what door to enter through, ramps, elevators to use, as well as instructions of how to reach the performance site. Nearby parking and possible fees are also useful information to know in advance.
What time will the band arrive?
Our artists will arrive 30 minutes prior to their start time. Upon arrival, they’ll contact the point person for the event and begin loading in their equipment.
Can they perform longer than their scheduled time?
Possibly! Overtime refers to extending the full band performance beyond their allotted hours (2 hours for combo or 1 hour for second line). This is a service, for an additional fee, that can be negotiated during the event. However, we suggest you contract overtime ahead of time, if possible, which allows the band to structure their performance accordingly.
What do they wear?
All black, business casual, or black t-shirts with the JazzED logo on them. That's up to you.
Looks like you’re ready to book your band!
And always know— we’re here to help throughout every stage of the process.
“The group last night was fantastic! Our guests really enjoyed hearing their music. They are all true professionals in the making.”
“I just wanted to say thank you so much for the wonderful music Saturday evening! Everyone had a great time and I continue to hear compliments about what a great job you all did.”
