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Chicago Wedding Band & Chicago Corporate Event Band
Whether you are looking for an exciting,
high-energy dance band that will have your dance floor packed and your guests screaming for more, or a swingin' jazz band
that will a create sophisticated, classy atmosphere at your event, you have come to the right place! The Matt Young
Group is your local resource for live-music entertainment at Wedding Ceremonies and Receptions, Corporate Events, and Private
Parties.
You will likely end up spending countless hours planning your special event. Your vision is unique and you
deserve an entertainment specialist that will take the time to listen to your needs and help you find the right ensemble for
you and your budget. Contact us today to see why we have received 100% positive feedback for our professionalism and
top-notch client service!
From the band leader: Specialty vs Variety There are two main categories of bands that play at weddings,
corporate events, and private parties: Specialty Bands and Variety Bands. A specialty band focuses on a specific genre of
music like Rock, Pop, R&B, Jazz, Classical, etc., while a variety band gathers their repertoire from several genres. While
one type of band is not necessarily better than the other, each type of band definitely has its pros and cons. The Matt Young Group is a specialty band that focuses on two main categories, R&B and Jazz. We
play other types of music, but we found that to play any style of music with a high level of authenticity and integrity, it
is imperative to study that genre and become somewhat of a “specialist”. Our band is composed of musicians that
are well-rounded, but are known for their talent in our specialty genres. In keeping with our mission, one of our main goals
is to consistently present our clients with high-quality live music at their receptions, and we feel that this is really only
possible with a specialty band. We also play some Pop and Classic Rock by request only, however, they are not our specialty.
Variety bands on the other
hand hire musicians that can play every style, but are not necessarily specialists in any of them. Variety bands tend to sound
great in some genres, and then almost karaoke-like in others. The reason, simply stated, is that you cannot specialize in
every genre of music. It is really an impossibility because in order to play a genre with any level of authenticity you have
to perform in that genre consistently. When you only play two or three Motown songs a week, chances are you are not going
to sound like a Motown player or singer. Imagine a country singer trying to sing like Frank Sinatra, or a R&B singer trying
to sing country. These types of combinations produce a generic, and often times, laughable sound that can be quite embarrassing
to listen to for a trained musician.
In conclusion, while a variety band can usually accommodate a larger percentage of your requests and cover a much broader
range of music, they tend to sound less authentic in the genres that they cover. Specialty bands, on the other hand,
usually have a repertoire that consists of only a couple of genres giving them the ability to replicate the music from those
genres with integrity.
From
the band leader: Quantity vs Quality
Many band leaders in Chicago
focus on the quantity of weddings that they book, rather than the quality of the music they are presenting. To these band
leaders, it is less about music and emotion and more about business and money. Music is our passion, and in order to keep
in line with our mission to provide each client with great service and an outstanding performance, we have decided to limit
the number of weddings and corporate events that we book.
While
the larger agencies have the staff to help them deal with all the specifics and planning, the service that they
offer becomes less personalized and unique. When you contact The Matt Young Group, the group's leader, Matt Young, will contact
you directly and share his expertise with you helping you find the right entertainment solution for your unique event.
Another note, some bands/agencies will also send out B and C level bands without letting their
clients know or giving them any reasonable discount. The Matt Young Group has made it their policy to take only
one gig per weekend, and if we're booked, we're booked. This way, we can focus on the quality of the music that we are performing
and give you the personalized attention and service that you deserve.
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