Cocktail and Dinner Music: What Flavor of Jazz?

Typically, a wedding DJ will play background music during cocktails and dinner. There are many types of music suitable for these phases of your reception.

Jazz is one category that comes to mind.

However, to make sure the music suits your style and your taste, don't just think "jazz." Telling your DJ to play "jazz" is like telling your caterer to serve "beef." Just as there are many cuts of beef and ways of preparing it, there are many styles of jazz.

Here are some of the most popular "dishes" on the "jazz menu":

jazz vocal “standards” sung by traditional artists (Ella Fitzgerald, Louis Armstrong, Nat King Cole, Billie Holiday singing songs written by Gershwin, Irving Berlin, Cole Porter, Duke Ellington, Rodgers & Hart, etc.)

jazz vocal "standards" sung by contemporary artists (e.g., Harry Connick Jr, Diana Krall)

instrumental versions of jazz "standards"

classic 50s jazz recordings (e.g., Miles Davis “Kind of Blue,” Dave Brubeck's "Take Five," John Coltrane's "Giant Steps")

Vegas-style jazz (e.g., Sinatra, Dean Martin)

bluesy jazz (e.g., Joe Williams, Diane Schur, T-Bone Walker)

Brazilian jazz (bossa nova e.g., Astrud Gilberto, Joao Gilberto, Stan Getz/Charlie Byrd, Antonio Carlos Jobim)

smooth jazz (e.g., Kenny G, Grover Washington Jr., George Benson).
Some of these styles can be mixed together. Or you can have one style played for cocktails and another during dinner. (For example, vocal jazz during cocktails but switching to instrumentals during dinner).

These jazz options aren't your only choices for background music. We'll explore other background music options such as light pop-rock, romantic R&B, and many others in future blog posts.