The Big Band Alumni

About a year and a half ago, we stopped in to the American Legion hall in Hollywood to check out a band that played the 1940s Big Band music we both love. Within minutes, one of us was thinking “If she agrees to marry me, this ought to be the band for our reception,” and the other thought “I know he’s thinking he wants them for our wedding reception!” We then came to a number of their monthly performances there, always enjoying the warmth, spirit, and incredible skill of these top professionals, playing this great music at the highest level. And sure enough, eventually, “he” proposed, “she” agreed, and we DID hire them for our wedding.

But that’s really only the start of the story. From the moment we hired the band, Bill A. Jones, the leader and singer, worked with us for months, helping us pick out the perfect song grouping, and even getting a few requests of ours that they hadn’t previously prepared onto the night’s list. And the band’s price was surprisingly reasonable.

Then, when we chose the song for our first dance, Bill sent us a couple of recordings of the band performing it (because it wouldn’t be exactly the same as Glenn Miller’s version), and even had the band play it twice at one of their Tuesday rehearsals, so we could practice it with them.

While we set up the location for the reception weeks in advance, Bill came to meet with the building’s staff and us, and work out technical details, including the recorded music we had set up to play during the band’s breaks. At no point was he, or the band, anything less than ideal to work with.

But the proof really came out on the big night. While we have a few friends who are swing dancers, many of our 200-person wedding didn’t even know this sort of music. But once the Big Band Alumni started in, these doubters became instant believers, filling the dance floor, dancing around crazily to the jumpy numbers and swooning to the romantic ones. The screaming of the crowd only grew as the night progressed, cheering the instrument solos and adoring Bill and that night’s female singer Nina Herzog, all just perfection.

As we helped the building’s staff close up for the night, the man running the place told us, “I’ve worked very hard to expose my kids to great art and music, like I take them to Disney Hall for the Philharmonic when I can. But now I want to introduce them to this music too. I’ll see you at the Legion Hall!”

In summary, we had a dream of what this night could be, and the Big Band Alumni outdid every hope we had. Get out on a Sunday and see them, but even more, if you have an occasion where their beauty and joy could fit in, we can’t recommend hiring them enough.

We had the absolute pleasure of working with Big Band Alumni, a full 17-piece orchestra, for a wedding and they were nothing short of phenomenal. From the very beginning, Bill Jones was the most communicative and timely vendor I've ever worked with — always prompt, thoughtful, and incredibly accommodating.

Despite several last-minute changes and moving parts on the day-of, the band stayed flexible, professional, and entirely in sync with the timeline and flow of the event. Their performance was flawless and elevated the energy of the entire celebration.

If you're considering live music for your event, this is a must-hire band. Their talent, service, and commitment to excellence are unmatched.