About
The Jazz West Combo is a jazz band for hire in Sydney, NSW.
Benny Goodman, Hoagy Carmichael, Django Reinhardt, and country standards with melodies worth hearing. That's the territory the Jazz West Combo works, arranged for vocals and instrumentals both, and played by live musicians with no backing tracks anywhere near the stage. There's a studio album, Jazz West, cut in a single session. The line-up flexes: a duo of rhythm guitar, steel guitar and vocals at the smaller end, a quintet with a drummer when you want the uptempo jazz and country numbers. Stompin' At The Savoy, Georgia On My Mind, Besame Mucho, Tennessee Waltz, St Louis Blues. They can go laid back or swing hard, and there's battery powered sound gear for sites with no mains power. Public liability cover is held.
Watch
The show
Benny Goodman, Hoagy Carmichael, Django Reinhardt, and country standards with tunes worth actually listening to. It's arranged material, some of it sung and some purely instrumental, and it's all played live by musicians in the room. No backing tracks. There's a studio album under the same name, cut in a single session, which gives you a fair idea of the standard. They'll talk with you about the feel you want and can sit right back or swing properly hard. If you want the uptempo jazz and country end of it, book the quintet with a drummer.
On the day
They need a level surface to play on and sensible access for carrying instruments and gear in. Let them know about power when you book. Where there's no mains, battery powered sound equipment comes instead, so a garden, a paddock or a beach ceremony is still on. If it's outdoors, they must be shielded from sun, rain and wind. In a big venue, third party audio and lighting production may be needed on top.
Performance options
Four sizes, and they change the character of the night as much as the volume. The duo is rhythm guitar, steel guitar and vocals. The trio adds lead guitar. The quartet brings in upright bass. The quintet swaps in bass and drums, which is the one for uptempo jazz and country. Sets run 45 minutes each, and most bookings are either two or three of them. Tell them the room and how long you need music for.
Insurance and paperwork
Public liability insured
Song list
93 songs
Stompin' At The Savoy
Walkin' to New Orleans
Ain't That a Shame
Sway
Besame Mucho
Georgia on my Mind
If I had You
Save The Last Dance For Me
South of the Border
Tennessee Waltz
Cow Cow Boogie
Don't Get Around Much Anymore
I Can't Believe That You're in Love with Me
My Blue Heaven
Deed I Do
Bei Mir Bist du Schon
Teach Me Tonight
St Louis Blues
Tico Tico
Rose Room
Goody Goody
Limehouse Blues
Sam And Oscar
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