Are you tired of searching directory sites advertising semi-pro wedding bands that call themselves jazz bands? I offer something much better: real, working New York jazz bands comprised of some of the most highly regarded jazz musicians in the world. And to make things simple, I’ve organized this site to make it easy for you find the perfect band for your specific needs:
My name is Chuck Braman and I’m a jazz drummer-bandleader with nearly thirty years of experience in New York. I lead real working bands, each with its own unique personnel, style and repertoire. Members of my groups are world-class jazz musicians who have performed, toured or recorded with a who’s who of music. If you are planning a party or a wedding, choosing us will provide a sophisticated New York City experience that your guests will long remember. If you are looking for a great jazz band for your restaurant, jazz club or concert series, my bands are among the very best that New York has to offer.
(In addition to the three bands below, you can find many more videos of many more of my jazz trios, quartets, and quintets here.)
You can click here to visit our review page, which has all 79 of our verified reviews on third-party websites, complete and unedited, from Google, Yelp, The Better Business Bureau, The Knot, Wedding Wire, LinkedIn and Facebook.
Some prospective clients I speak with express skepticism that all of our reviews could be five stars (with the exception of LinkedIn Recommendations, which don’t have stars), but, in full honesty, we have not yet received less; this can be verified by visiting these sites directly.
Following the review-site icons below are my two of my favorite verified reviews; below those is a collection of informal thank-you notes from my clients.
“For the past five years I have hosted a holiday party for approximately 220 guests. I have had many bands and DJ’s. No one has ever been asked to play for another party except for Chuck.
Dreading looking for yet another band I started to surf the Internet and found New York Jazz Bands. I liked what I heard and decided to give Chuck I call... the best decision I could have made. He invited me to the city to listen to him play in person and I was blown away by how beautifully they played and the singer’s melodic voice.
That was all I needed to make my decision… I immediately booked them for two parties.
For the first party, I told Chuck about the guests and exactly what I was looking for… he put together the perfect five-piece ensemble. All night my guests were telling me how wonderful the band was and that they were the perfect fit for my event. It was the first time that no one complained about the type of music, the loudness or the that the band took more breaks then they played!
At the end of the night I signed them on for next year’s Holiday party (I am also having their trio play at a small gathering next week).
I cannot recommend them enough! They are professional, polite, considerate of your needs, have reasonable rates (and who can say that in NYC) and are altogether terrific... there are not enough good things to say about them!
If you’re looking for good jazz and great singers… honestly, there is no need to look any further—YOU’VE FOUND WHAT YOU’RE LOOKING FOR RIGHT HERE!”
“Chuck went above and beyond to ensure that the music at our wedding went more smoothly than could have been hoped for. The transition from cocktail hour to reception was flawless, and the breakdown after dinner to give way to the DJ was swift and silent (although I personally would have loved it if the band could have performed all night!). I can honestly say that the caliber of musicians that Chuck assembled is unmatched on the NY scene in general, and simply blows away any other ‘wedding band.’ I individually researched each member of the band prior to booking, and each one has an impressive background with stellar credentials. In terms of talent, skill, and experience, the band was simply fantastic. I've never heard a hotter band at a wedding, period.
The value for musicians of this caliber is untouchable in NYC, or anywhere really. The reasonable prices allowed us to allocate funds for music towards the Indian trio for our ceremony, which really authenticated the feel of our ceremony, and also allowed us to get a DJ into our budget for the later evening, which kept my wife happy!
It was great to get to meet Chuck and to discuss jazz with an accomplished lifelong musician with such a cool background and experience. The website made it easy for me to see some of the musicians that Chuck works with in action, which allowed me to convince my wife that there was no better band out there for our wedding. Furthermore, despite Chuck's background and jazz sensibility, he fits completely outside the mold of the stereotypical jazz musician in the areas of punctuality and professionalism and customer service... These are not things that are easy to find in true jazz musicians! Chuck is one of a kind and his bands are killer. I wish I had a soundboard recording of the evening!”
Thank you so much for everything! It was an absolute pleasure working with you guys and we will have to find out about that record so that we can be sure to announce it at the next party! Ash loved the band, in fact he said we should’ve had it longer. You will be the first ones we call to start planning the next one. So happy to have met.
Chezmin Sheehan, Birthday Party, TAO Downtown Nightclub, April 12, 2023, Trumpet Saxophone Quintet
Always a pleasure to have Chuck Braman and team in the house! I could listen to their smooth jazz all night! How great to be back in person and to have this long standing relationship with such great musicians!
Allison Thomson, Comment on LinkedIn, July 18, 2022, Guitar Trio
Thank you so much for a beautiful performance. The guests had an amazing time. I will recommend you to others. Thank you for making my day even more awesome.
Christina Barone, Thank-you Note, Wedding, June 24, 2022, Vocal Trio
You all were fantastic. I can't tell you how many people we spoke with who just loved the jazz throughout the reception.
Lane Wilson, Thank-you Note, Wedding, May 28, 2022, Saxophone Quartet
My heart is full of gratitude for your presence at yesterday’s celebration of my dad’s life. He would have loved it! It would’ve been “right up his alley”. Everyone there who knew him so well was blown away by the music and how fitting it was for my dad. It was perfect and magical. And you, yourself, are an amazingly warm and kind man. It still amazes me that I found you online. I think my father may have had something to do with it! ; )
Geri Tepedino, Thank-you Note, Memorial Service, March 5, 2022; Saxophone Quartet
You Paul, and Matt made the night very special. Your music pushed the evening out of the realm of “dinner party” and into the realm of “night to remember.” It was wonderful. Thank you for your professionalism and responsiveness throughout the planning process, too. I greatly appreciated your quick responses and how easy you were to work with.
Caitlin Cunnane, Thank-you Note, Birthday Party, March 5, 2022; Guitar Trio
I wanted to thank you all personally (one more time) for the incredible music you provided Saturday night at my daughter's wedding reception at the Bowery Hotel. You created the perfect atmosphere with your song selections and sound! I told Chuck how I was absolutely blown away by your collective talent and musicianship. We felt like we hit the jackpot for live music and musicians. Chuck forwarded me your respective websites and information which I forwarded to my daughter and son-in-law (the ones who actually live in NYC). So I'm sure they'll be coming to see you at a future gig in the city—so they can brag to their friends how each of you played at "their" wedding. I hope we can do it again somewhere down the road. I wish you all continued success & happiness with your musical careers.
Jim Prunetti, Father, Thank-you note, Wedding, The Bowery Hotel, November 21, 2021, Guitar Quartet
Thank you again for all you did on Friday! It was such a pleasure to work with you. Hope to work together again soon.
Joseph Vatter, Wedding Planner, Brooklyn Grange, October 27, 2021; Thank-you note; Vocal Quartet/Quintet
Chuck—last night was a ten. Thank you. We will do it again. Please thank the others. Excited for our next venue. :)
Keith, Party, Private Home, October 24, 2021; Thank-you note; Piano Trio
You and your team were fantastic and I’d love to leave you a 5 star review! I’d really like to thank you for helping to make the day just what I had imagined. You and your team are true professionals. I wish you the profound success you deserve in your industry.
Natalya Groysman, Wedding, Lamb’s Hill, September 6, 2021; Thank-you note; Vocal Quartet/Quintet
You’re just good people who are great at what you do and don’t have egos. I really appreciate that in all walks of life. Too many people are mediocre at what they do and have egos larger than they should!
Craig Gambardella, Wedding, 90 Acres, February 25, 2020; Thank-you note; Vocal Quartet/Quintet
It was a pleasant and efficient process working with you. If anyone is looking for a live jazz band, I would recommend you without hesitation!
Jingwei Teng, GIC Real Estate, Thank-you note, Corporate Event, Del Posto, December 12, 2019, Vocal Quartet
You guys were awesome! And definitely set the tone for the entire event—the music was outstanding. Thanks!
Mike Dzura, Director of Production, The Marketing Arm, Thank-you Note, Marketing Event, November 6-9, 2019, Piano Trio (photo, above)
Thank you very much for the wonderful performance!
Haoran Zhang, October 20, 2019; Thank-you Note; Vocal Trio
Thanks again for performing at our event, everyone is still talking about how great it was!
Kathryn Haase, Protiviti, Thank-you Email, Corporate Event, Grand Havana Room, October 13, 2019, Piano Trio
Great night, great guys, wonderful music. Glad we met to make this happen.
Steve Heicklen, Private Party, Thank-you Note, Remi Rialto Room, September 14, 2019, Vibraphone Quartet
We were really happy to have you perform at our event, and I believe everyone had a great time.
Ivana Bulj, July 31, 2019; Google Review; Guitar Trio/Quartet
Your team was amazing. Everyone enjoyed the band so much and you were a pleasure to work. Thank you for everything!
Stephanie Cirami, July 15, 2019; Thank-you note; Vocal Quartet/Quintet, The Grand Ballroom, The Plaza Hotel
You and your trio were fantastic! I could not have been more pleased. I had high hopes and high expectations and you exceeded them.
Caryn Greenspan, Thank-you Note, Bar-Mitzvah, Brae Burn Country Club, May 11, 2019, Piano Trio
You were all so fabulous!!! We were just chatting last night about when we arrange the next Soirée! Philip has such fun!!!
Monette de Botton, Thank-you Note, Private Party, Private Home, March 8th, 2019, Guitar Quartet (photo above)
Chuck and his bandmates are the absolute best. Very professional, fun, and talented. I’ve used them for the past two years for our annual customer event and I’ve recommended him to the women who plan our holiday party.
Dina Halligan, World Wide Technology, Recommendation to a friend, February 22, 2019
The quartet you assembled was fantastic and the music was perfect. I am so glad to have met you and will highly recommend using your talents in the future.
Laura Gersh, December 19, 2018; Thank-you email; Guitar Trio/Quartet
Thank you so much for performing at the client’s event. In my opinion, you and your artists were most talented and the mix of the two trios was brilliant and added variety. Well done!
Karlene Cass, Senior Producer, Imagination, December 12, 2018, Double Guitar Trio; Cipriani Midtown
It was a pleasure to meet you and to have your bands play at our events this past week. We all enjoyed the band immensely. Absolutely wonderful. Thank you again for the amazing performances.
Lucia Zuccardi, World Wide Technology, December 5 & 7, 2018; Thank-you Note; Vocal Quartet/Quintet
I would like to thank you again for playing at our event. Everyone loved the band! Great, great job!
Athena Johnson, November 11, 2018; Thank-you Note; Trumpet-Saxophone Quintet (photo above)
I'm still rather speechless at how amazing our wedding felt for me, and you and your band were a major part of it. Now that we are back from our honeymoon (pardon our delay!), we are hearing our friends sing your praises as well! It's so much fun to relive. Thank you for making our evening so very special for us. You have been so great to us from the very beginning—a true gentleman, and professional. We were beyond blessed to have you for our evening.
Jenna Watson, Bride, Thank-you Note, Wedding, The W Loft, October 21, 2018, Trumpet-Saxophone Quintet
You and your team did a wonderful job and we really enjoyed your playing. It was a really special event for my boss and he most definitely felt the joy and loved the music. Thank you all for making this happen.
Tandy Daley, July 16, 2018; Thank-you Note; Guitar Trio/Quartet
Thank you so much for last night. Your band was amazing! We would love to provide a 5-star review for you!
Monique Gheri, June 16, 2018; Thank-you Note; Vocal Trio
Thanks for everything. All our guests said the band was great.
Jordan Hacker, April 30, 2018; Thank you note; Vocal Trio
Chuck! You guys were amazing. Thank you so much for your time—this was such a great addition to our cocktail hour!
Amanda Carignan, Marketing & Events (North America), eFront; Thank-You Note; The Westin, NY; October 26, 2017; Cocktail Hour; Guitar Trio
Chuck, just wanted to say thanks so much for playing at our wedding, everyone thought the music was fantastic! So happy you guys played for us.
Andrew Chung, Groom; Thank-you Note; Hilton Pearl River, Pearl River, NY; August 14, 2017; Wedding; Vocal Quartet
It’s always such a pleasure to work with Chuck and his team. They are so professional, accommodating and of course great musicians!
Allison Thompson, Marketing Manager at EXL Services, Comment on LinkedIn feed, (July, 2017); Corporate Party; Guitar Trio
Thank you for the show at our NY event. It was very much appreciated by all the guests!
Céline Mané, Marketing & Communication Coordinator, eFront Financial Solutions; The Westin New York at Times Square, Manhattan; Corporate Party; Thank-you note; October 25, 2016; Guitar Trio/Quartet
It was a pleasure having you all. The band sounded great.
Daniel Lauber, Columbia University, Manhattan; Corporate Party; Thank-you Note; October 19, 2016; Guitar Trio/Quartet
Thanks for the great music—everyone really enjoyed it!
Elizabeth Timmis, Communications Manager, Luciano Barbera, Manhattan; Corporate Party; Thank-you note; October 6, 2016; Vibraphone Trio/Quartet (photo, above)
Thank you, Chuck! They loved you! Hope to be in touch again soon!
Kristy Bauer, Director of Events, Robb Report; Luciano Barbera, Manhattan; Corporate Party; Thank-you note; October 6, 2016; Vibraphone Trio/Quartet
It was such a pleasure working with you. It turned out an amazing event. Thank you so much!
Daniela Sarbu, World of ABC; The One NJ, New Jersey; Thank-you note; Corporate Party; September 9, 2016; Vocal Quartet
They were AMAZING!
Donald L., Private Residence, Williamsburg, Brooklyn; Thank-you note; Private Party; May 7, 2016; Vocal Quartet (photo, above)
I was just about to email you :) Thank you so much for being part of our wedding. You were a true delight to work with. You and your team made the reception more than just a “brunch.” The trio was the best part of the entire thing! We could not be happier we chose you. There are not enough words to express our gratitude.
Karen Ramirez, bride; Landmarc at Time Warner Center, Manhattan; Thank-you note; Wedding, April 24, 2016; Vocal Trio
You guys were terrific—and I will keep you in mind for future events!
Kristy Bauer, Director of Events; Langham Place, Manhattan; Thank-you note; October 24, 2015; Corporate Party; Vibraphone Trio/Quartet
I was actually going to call you today to tell you how much I appreciated your playing and the good job you guys did! I loved your playing and many of my friends really appreciated you guys as well.
Hugh Colocott, groom; The Village Club of Sands Point, Sands Point, North Hempstead, North Shore, Long Island, Nassau County, Wedding Reception; Thank-you Note; September 6, 2015; Piano Trio
We really enjoyed your music and almost every guest praised the jazz band!
Boram Kim, Wedding Reception, India House, Manhattan, Yelp Review, May 30, 2015, Vocal Trio
Thank you VERY much. We loved you all. Had many compliments on the music. :)
Allyson Nick, Engagement Party, Private Home, Sands Point, North Hempstead, North Shore, Long Island, Nassau County, Thank-you Note, March 14, 2015, Vocal Trio
We were very happy with your performance and the music definitely set the mood for the shoot. You guys were awesome! It was exactly what we were looking for…Thanks again!!! :)
Wesley Jaramillo, Associate Account Director, Colangelo; Circa Tabac Cigar Lounge, Manhattan, Thank-you note, October 28, 2014, Vocal Trio
Stellar job last evening. You guys sounded great, true perfection in every way, very polished. I received some very complimentary feedback from some of our guests.
Robert Irvin, Director of Government Channels, Maureen Data Systems; Rainbow Room, Manhattan, Thank-you Note, October 16, 2014, Vocal Trio (photo above)