Some questions we are often asked by prospective clients

  • Do you bring a PA (public address/vocal amplification system) with you?
    Our two Latin Bands use a compact but powerful system which we bring with us, together with lights. There is no extra charge for this. If you are organizing a festival or dance with several bands and you have hired a PA company then we will go through your system.
  • Can we use your amplification for our iPod or computer for dancing after you have finished playing?
    Yes by negotiation. When you have booked one of our Latin bands it takes approximately one and a half hours for us to strip down our equipment and get it into our vehicle, and during this time there is no problem about you using our amplification for your dance list. Beyond that time it delays us travelling home, but we can be flexible if you discuss it with us well in advance. If we have to stay for a longer time after our performance has finished then we would need to charge something for the two musicians who need to stay behind.
  • Can you set up in the daytime for a performance in the evening?
    We can do this but we would normally charge something for the extra time taken. Under normal circumstances we can set up fairly discreetly.
  • Can we use your microphone for our speeches?
    Yes but please let us know before, and check the distance from where we are setting up and where the speeches are to be given so that we bring a long enough lead. Most hotels and venues have their own public address system for speeches and it is usually simpler to use their system than to use ours.
  • What do you charge?
    Because we will travel anywhere in Europe, our charges vary. You can ask us for a quote without any further obligation. We need to know the date, where the event is to be, the style of music you want, the playing times, and the type of event before we can give you a quote. All this info we request on our Contact Form, so this is the most efficient way to get a quote.
  • How do we make a booking?
    Before we can confirm a booking with you - we need to have an email from you stating the following - that

    • you agree to the fee we have quoted
    • the date
    • the playing times
    • the venue, and your postal address and contact details

    Once we have that email from you the band is booked - all the musicians will be confirmed from our side and they will be contracted to us. We will turn away any other enquiries for that day. If you then need to cancel for any reason this is subject to our cancellation terms. For your own security you might want to take out event insurance.

    The next stage is that we send you a letter with all the information you need as a reference for our appearance at your event - such as the exact times we are playing, what time we expect to arrive, the power supply we need, the dress code, any details we need about our get in, the style of music we are playing, how you pay the deposit, etc. This letter is not the contract, but a confirmation that we have made a contract. If there’s anything in it that you feel that you haven’t agreed to then get back to us right away.

    Once you’re happy about the contents of this letter, then you send us a deposit by cheque or bank transfer then everything is hunky dory. But if you need to contact us before the event don’t hesitate. We want our performance at your event to go smoothly, and discussing the details is the best way to make this happen.
  • What are your cancellation terms?
    The idea behind these cancellation terms is that once you’ve booked us we will turn away other work. Of course, sometimes things go wrong and events have to be cancelled. If you are cancelling a long time in advance then the amount of deposit we keep is the smallest. Cancelling very close to the engagement means that you will probably lose the whole deposit and the balance of the fee. However if you cancel and subsequently we can secure another engagement on that day we will refund your lost deposit up to the value of the new engagement or the value of your payment whichever is the lowest. The best thing though is for you to take out event insurance, which with something like a wedding where large sums are at stake is probably a good idea.

    Our cancellation terms are as follows

    • 30 days or less - 100% of the fee payable
    • 31-60 days - 75%
    • 61-90 days - 50%
    • 91 days or more - 30%
    • In the event of our duplicate confirmatory letter not being returned with a deposit, this will be deemed to be a cancellation according the terms above.
  • Are you likely to cancel the booking from your side?
    Never!
  • What happens if you don’t turn up to the event?
    So far the only thing that has prevented us turning up for a performance has been heavy snow - and then the event itself was cancelled because none of the guests could get there! Of course if something completely unforeseen happens and we are prevented from coming by the weather or other event then your deposit will be fully refunded.
  • What happens if someone in your band is ill?
    We will book someone of equal ability to replace them.
  • Can one of our guests sing or play a number with the band?
    Yes they can with the jazz band. But do let us know which number and key beforehand. With the latin bands our arrangements are very heavily structured so it wouldn’t be possible to fit someone else in at the last minute.
  • You use piano in your bands, do we need to supply one?
    We bring our own high quality electric piano. But if there is a piano at the venue it is well worth while checking if it is in good condition and if it is possible for us to use it.
  • If we book you for background music will you be quiet enough?
    We are very experienced at playing background music in restaurants, for wedding breakfasts and at dinner events. We can play very quietly indeed. If you need us to turn down just ask.
  • Do you do requests?
    We have hundreds of tunes in our jazz repertoire list. But we don’t know everything. If there is a specific song that you want us to play for your event let us know well in advance. The repertoire of our Latin Bands is fixed. This is because we have to write special arrangements for each number we play with these bands and it’s a very time consuming business. But if there is a specific tune you want that is not on our list we will definitely consider writing an arrangement if it is a song that we would like to incorporate into our repertoire. But we would need at least six weeks notice of this.
  • Do you have Pat tested equipment and Public Liability Insurance?
    We have both and we can supply you with the certificates if necessary. Usually it is the venue that requires this information.
  • How long do you play for?
    When playing background music we quote for up to two hours playing within three hours outside times. This time can be distributed as you wish, but our clients commonly ask for three 40 minute sets. We can play for longer with the extra time being chargeable pro-rata. It is best to discuss this extra time during the booking process. If on the day you find that you need us to play longer then consult with the band leader to see if it’s possible. There may be time constraints - such as having to get to another engagement. With our Latin Bands we quote for up to two sets of 50 minutes each.
  • What is your set up time?
    The Jazz Bands usually only take 30 mins to set up. Longer if using a singer, and longer if there is a difficult get in, like with most Central London hotels for instance.

    Our Latin Bands need up to three hours to set up. We can do this as unobtrusively as possible, but because of the number of musicians and instruments involved it’s not possible to set up very quickly or without a sound check of some kind. We also need one and a half hours to strip down after the event.
  • What floor space do you take up?

    The Latin Bands take up approximately 3m x 3m.

    The jazz quartet is very flexible - it takes up approximately 1.5m x 1.5m
  • Do you need power?
    All our bands need a power supply. This should be a normal domestic supply (240A 50Hz). Sometimes a hired marquee will be supplied with a different supply so the appropriate transformer will be needed (which the marquee company should have as long as they are informed about it).
  • What about food and drink?
    If we are travelling a long distance to your event we need a meal and refreshments such as tea, coffee, soft drinks and water. We also need a room (or rooms) to change in, particularly the Latin Bands.
  • I have some more questions
    That’s fine - just click one of the links below to send us a message. You can ask as many questions as you like without any obligation. The most important things for us are that you should feel that you are booking the right band for your event, and that our performance at your event goes as smoothly as possible.

Jazz and Salsa - Live Jazz and Latin Bands

Have a look at our testimonials page, or go back to our Home Page

You can phone us at any time on 07718 347 691 or 0118 947 7170
or go to our Contact Page
or send us an email