As a huge fan of ‘golden era’ music, I am delighted to read that some of the trends for 2011 weddings are vintage theme & styles, Cocktail Hours & informal lounge layouts along with understated sophistication.
Call me Louis Armstrong while I blow my own trumpet here, for being ahead of the game and ticking all the boxes in the choices my service offers. Jazz numbers from 20s, 30s and 40s have long been part of my repertoire and music collection, as have the 50s big band swing arrangements of the standards. Yea me! Not often I get on an ego trip.
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| Several Armstrong numbers are in my repertoire |
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| It Don't Mean A Thing: Duke Ellington |
As many will know, I am absolutely delighted to perform jazz/lounge & swing shows in their own right. So the prospect of more customers asking about it is brilliant. That said, I’ve never been comfortable putting myself in a specific pigeon hole (too tight for my Phat Aahs - see what I did there?), and specialising in only one style or even artist. I'm not a tribute artist, and do not intend to be.
Let me give you one example of how I’ve “done vintage” for a wedding. Back in 2010 we provided entertainment throughout the afternoon and evening at a ‘40s Village Fete’ styled wedding.
Everything from the tableware, linen, bunting and centrepieces were vintage or period in style, as well as (to some extent) the refreshments. (Sadly, no spam or powdered egg.)
To compliment, I performed 30s & 40s standards while guests arrived and mingled, as well as providing pre-recorded music of a sympathetic style, drawn from my jazz –oriented collection of many artists and varied recording dates.
Later, the atmosphere progressed (as the couple had planned) into a more 50s cocktail-party vibe as the sun started to set – and once the night-time party was in full swing (excuse the pun) we moved on to classic soul, pop and rock for people to dance a little more raucously to. (!)
The couple wanted a day which would appeal to their eclectic tastes as well as have elements all of their guests would enjoy. I was pleased that my uniquely adaptable service enabled their dream wedding and entertainment within one bespoke package.
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| "Vintage Wedding Fayre below, chaps!" |
Which is cool, but if you’re the latter, you’ll probably require faithful nostalgic styling even in your live entertainment, with period costume, styling and presentation, all typical of the 30s and 40s. [If you want everything about your big day precise to wartime detail, you might be able to find a parachute to make your wedding dress, but good luck getting your bridesmaids to put gravy-browning on their legs instead of stockings. ;-)]
Chances are, however, that you will want more than one form or style of entertainment within your event. The option is always open to hire different artists for the different elements, but that adds complication and expense. And it’s a wedding, after all: not Glastonbury
Also I feel it’s a shame not to capitalise on what I like to call 'cross-over appeal'. Vintage for me implies “the new old” – by which I mean contemporary music in a vintage style or vice versa. New recordings of classic standards can create that nostalgic and sophisticated atmosphere during background music, without it having to have the crackle and pop of the original 1937 version. (No Snap, through!)
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| Puppini Sisters: a bit burlesque? |
In planning background music with couples, I sometimes suggest numbers by performers like The Puppini Sisters (mmmm, saucy), Nouvelle Vague, Chantz – even Peter Cincotti, Paul Anka and Jamie Cullum. This adds an interesting quirkiness to what can otherwise become ‘muzak’
Perhaps it’s because I get a perverse delight watching guests’ faces as they try to reconcile the words they know from an 80s pop anthem with the do-wop style they’re hearing!
The principle applies even in the disco part of the evening – many are familiar with songs like Christina Aguilera’s “Candy Man” and the recent dance hit “We No Speak Americano” which illustrate that the “vintage-vibe” can be popular even in a nightclub setting! (But will we see the return of that certain 80s jiving rabbit?)
The ‘new old’ ethos is one element of the current burlesque movement too… a slightly irreverent union between apparently different traditions, generations and styles to put together something entirely fresh and exciting.
Hey – that even sounds like a wedding to me!
[Including, occasionally, some ladies removing items of clothing...but that's a story for a whole different article! ;-o) ]
Take care….and have fun.
Jon Paul
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