Weddings Winter 2009 > Planner

Creations Music, INC.

Creations Music tailors itself to hip couples. Bandleader Kim Sozzi draws upon her experience as a recording artist in order to perform songs exactly the way they sound on the radio. Some members of her seven-to-twelve-piece band have been performing together for more than 25 years, hence the band’s diverse repertoire of songs, from the forties through today. Prices upon request.

The Deanna Jones Orchestra

Playing funk and Motown covers, among other styles (including the bandleader’s original songs), this orchestra has a fun and energetic vibe. Led by the masterful vocalist Jones, who also performs with the band, the Deanna Jones Orchestra caters to couples’ tastes. From $5,000.

The Dexter Lake Club Band

These band members first met in their Oberlin days as an all-eighties cover band. Since then the band has added to their set list with classic rock and Motown. Members of the band play with the Walkmen, the French Kicks, and Todd Rundgren. Rates start at $7,500 for local weddings.

Doug Winters Music

Winters’s band, the Best Kept Secret, play a catchy, upbeat mix of songs and styles ranging from Tony Bennett tunes and Beyoncé numbers to the best of forties swing. Price is $1,200 per player, with a minimum of eight players.

Elan Artists Entertainment

Elan Artists represent a slew of musicians, bands, and D.J.’s including Grammy Award–winning performers. They do classical and electric strings, international and jazz combos, and fun dance bands. Prices for classical music average $750 to $2,500 for ceremony and cocktails; bands are $5,500 to $15,000.

Empyreal Strings Music and Entertainment

From dance bands of varying sizes and ensembles to quartets and 30-piece string orchestras, Empyreal offers classical, jazz, and gypsy music. Couples on a budget can hire just a few performers. Prices upon request.

Expressway Music

From an unobtrusive custom D.J. to any style of live ¬music, company founder David Swirsky—who has more than fifteen years of experience in the field—will facilitate almost any request. Prices upon request.

Faze 4 Orchestras

Faze 4, celebrating its 25th anniversary, will provide ensembles of six to fourteen musicians for high-energy dance music, today’s Top 40, and classical jazz. Sample each of the ten bands online. Prices upon request.

The Gainsborough Trio

This trio met as conservatory students and now play weddings to augment their professional schedules in the pits of such Broadway shows as Wicked. Wedding offerings range from Bach to Gershwin ($650 for the ceremony, $225 more for cocktails).

George Gee's Swinging Big Bands

This Chinese-American bandleader (and lover of all things retro) can offer combos up to a seventeen-piece big band playing swing and jazz, along with rock, R&B, and Motown grooves. From $750 per musician for four hours.

Gerard Carelli Orchestra, Inc.

Led by Carelli—a former Rainbow Room bandleader who’s played with Ray Charles and Rosemary Clooney—the orchestra specializes in “Rat Pack Jazz,” but is also proficient in other styles such as classic rock and soul. Prices upon request.

Golem

Fronted by talented singer-accordionist Annette Ezekiel Kogan, this energetic six-member band seamlessly mixes traditional klezmer music with tunes that have a modern sensibility. Inspired by Eastern European rock, Golem’s well-known wild versions of “Soul Man” and “Girls Just Wanna Have Fun” make for a truly unforgettable reception wrap-up. Prices start at $1,000 per hour.

Grey Entertainment

Company founder and music industry veteran Noel Grey, who’s worked with Kanye West, Norah Jones, Aretha Franklin, and other big names, offers a much more individualized service than most, and his standards are exceptionally high. He’ll use his expertise to find you the perfect D.J. or band—he’ll even come up with “hybrid bands,” such as klezmer-Cuban soul. Prices upon request.

Hal Prince Music

This second-generation family-owned agency offers one-stop shopping for any kind of musical entertainment a couple could dream up for their big day—from high-energy dance bands to string quartets, from orchestras to D.J.’s and emcees. The talented musicians they employ have performed with everyone from—Stevie Wonder to Steely Dan, so couples can be assured that they’re getting the best. Prices upon request.

Hank Lane Music

This company is the exclusive entertainment provider for high-end spots such as the Rainbow Room, the Waldorf-Astoria, and the Ritz-Carlton, and it comes with great word-of-mouth from couples who’ve booked it in the past. Hank Lane can provide virtually any style of band or D.J., as well as lighting and design elements. They’ve worked with clients from Sean Combs to George W. Bush to Vera Wang. Prices upon request.

Harbor Lights Music

Harbor Lights Music offers a roster of four different bands and orchestras, a slew of D.J.’s, and classical and jazz ensembles to accommodate virtually any taste. The focus is on dance music: R&B, mainstream hip-hop, Motown, seventies jams, and big-band swing. Prices upon request.

Jeff Jeffreys Music

Saxophonist Jeffreys and his troop of talented musicians, who have played at Carnegie Hall, shun the electric slide for a big, confident sound that features swing, seventies, lots of Motown, and contemporary tunes. They’ll play “Wind Beneath My Wings” if you ask; it just won’t sound like elevator music. Prices upon request.

John Malino Music

John Malino Music is perfect for couples more likely to frequent Bemelman’s Bar than the Bowery Ballroom. Vocalist Malino has a Harry Connick Jr. sound and is guaranteed at all performances. The veteran five-piece ensemble, which has played together for ten years, performs jazz, swing, and standards. Prices start at $6,500.

From the Winter 2009 New York Wedding Guide