What’s your favorite current pop song?
A bride just called to ask if we’re available for her wedding date. When I said yes, she asked “Can you play current pop songs”?.
I answered “Yes” to this, too, and I added that #theMagnoliaJazzBand isn’t your basic rock and roll band, so we seldom play our medley of “Metallica’s All-Time Hits”.
But we often arrange simple little versions of recent popular songs like “Happy”, “Come and Get Your Love”, “Yellow”, or “A Thousand Years”. Always a treat to play something new.
These days, #theMagnoliaJazzBand entertains small groups at outdoor weddings and parties. I love to customize music for these smaller, more intimate little celebrations.
Like this one: A few years ago we entertained in this little dinner party at the #LomaPrietaWinery, high in the Santa Cruz mountains. Thrilling drive getting there, and what a spectacular view!
This party was for an exclusive group of about 25 Peace Corp volunteers, traveling here from around the country to celebrate the 50th anniversary of their service.
Considering their (ahem) vintage, we prepared a program of several dozen hits of the 1960s — like “Bridge Over Troubled Water”, “California Dreaming”, “Can’t Buy Me Love”, “The Dock of the Bay”, “Happy Together”, and “Oh Pretty Woman” — in addition to our usual collection of popular standards.
What a wonderful evening — entertaining an intimate group of long-time friends. We should do this more often!
Wouldn’t you?
Our current warming weather is perfect for lovely weddings and garden parties. Once the outdoor season ends, I expect we’ll move indoors for more opportunities like this.
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