Wedding request

23 Jan 12 - 06:44 AM (#3294882)
Subject: Wedding request
From: GUEST

Wedding Music Request

Dear Band Leader:

We look forward to your performance at our daughter's wedding. If you don't mind, we would like to request a few of our favorite songs. Please play these during the reception:

• A Keith Jarrett composition from his solo series. Please arrange it for full ensemble in the key of B but nothing in 4/4 please.
• Mahavishnu Orchestra, "The Dance of Maya" and please have the guitarist play John McLaughlin's solo from the live performance Nov. 16, 1972 at Chrysler Arena. My wife and I were at that show and we liked his use of polyrhythms.
• One of John Coltrane's duets with Pharaoh Sanders. Our guests love high register tenor saxes.
• We thought a little Stravinsky right after the toast would be nice. So please play "The Rite of Spring." We like a tempo of about 1/4 note = 93; it would also be much more appropriate for this occasion in a slightly lower key.
• Then for the candle lighting ceremony, please play Frank Zappa's "The Grand Wazoo." The original key of B flat, would be fine but my cousin Jeannie would like to sing the baritone sax solo in the key of D - she has kind of a high voice.
• When my new son-in-law takes off the garter, please play just a little of Varese's "Ionization." It's such a funny piece, we think it would go down really well. Much better than "The Stripper." And for the bride & groom's first dance, please slow things down a bit by doing Barber's "Adagio For Strings." It's so much better than "We've Only Just Begun" or the "Anniversary Waltz."
• When my wife and I join in the first dance, could you segue to Thelonius Monk's "Ruby, My Dear" - it's in honor of my wife's grandmother whose name was Ruby. It would mean so much to the family.

Thanks for all your help. Depending on the outcome we'll certainly be happy to recommend your band to our friends. We'll have your cheque for the fee of £240 (minus our expenses in contacting you of £12.50) by the end of next month: we're a little short as the young lady doing the balloon arch wanted her £1,200 in advance and the DJ had to be paid his £2,500 cash up front as normal.

Our daughter assured us that your love of music was greater than your need for money, and that you would welcome the exposure you would get from playing this wedding.

Before you leave, please feel free to ask the caterer for a sandwich and a soft drink. Please use the back entrance to avoid disturbing the guests.

All the best

Martin

(Does this sound familiar to anyone?)

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23 Jan 12 - 06:45 AM (#3294884)
Subject: RE: Wedding request
From: GUEST,Ralphie

Bugger! The above post was from me...Sorry, Forgot to put my name!

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23 Jan 12 - 09:29 AM (#3294945)
Subject: RE: Wedding request
From: GUEST,999

http://www.davemurphyband.com/pages/contact/dweddings.html


Not quite the same, but I was offered a gig and some of the conditions, although not that fancy, were too fancy for this old boy. I said, "For six hundred bucks you want that and three hours of music? Are you fu#kin' nuts?"

I don't know who they finally got, but it wasn't me.

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23 Jan 12 - 10:29 AM (#3294973)
Subject: RE: Wedding request
From: GUEST,leeneia

I know a woman who plays harp for weddings, and she tells the family, "When I have my check, I will begin playing."

Now that's power.

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23 Jan 12 - 10:34 AM (#3294974)
Subject: RE: Wedding request
From: wysiwyg

Somewhat related... my least favorite way to find that a date I'd reserved to play a holiday service acoustically was actually still open: "Be sure to come to xxxx because we've arranged for xxx to play the organ so we can have REAL MUSIC!"

And they still don't understand what was wrong with that! :~)

~Susan

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23 Jan 12 - 10:27 PM (#3295240)
Subject: RE: Wedding request
From: GUEST,Joe at the Women's Center

All that is well and good, but can they play polkas?

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24 Jan 12 - 05:50 AM (#3295332)
Subject: RE: Wedding request
From: banjoman

Once turned up with the band for a wedding to be told by the Bride's mother "We only want dances where people stand in a circle and hold hands." We also were sharing a stage with a Disco setup with flashing lights. The Disco was arranged to play alternatly with us. The gig didn't last long but we did get paid.

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24 Jan 12 - 07:05 AM (#3295350)
Subject: RE: Wedding request
From: Will Fly

I don't see what your problem is with this, Ralphie - all sounds fairly straightforward to me.

I've got your "Eloise" CD and I have complete confidence in you being able to do everything requested in that whole set.

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24 Jan 12 - 03:56 PM (#3295620)
Subject: RE: Wedding request
From: Joe Offer

We Church musicians usually hate to perform at weddings. I've heard countless "bridezilla" stories about brides with unreasonable demands.

Funerals are far easier - the person who is the center of attraction usually has nothing to say....

I stay away from weddings myself, but I do sing at a lot of funerals.

-Joe-

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24 Jan 12 - 04:30 PM (#3295641)
Subject: RE: Wedding request
From: GUEST,SteveG

I've been calling and playing at weddings for nearly 50 years and I can't recall a single wedding where we've been asked to play a specific piece of music, specific dances in our genre yes, and general requests for Scottish or Irish stuff yes, and I've loved every one of them. Must be just born lucky I guess! Maybe Yorkshire people are more easy going. Some of them have been reight posh dos as well.

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24 Jan 12 - 06:13 PM (#3295689)
Subject: RE: Wedding request
From: stallion

we have been booked for a gig on the 18th of March and we have just been given a list of songs they want us to sing, that is a first, fortunately only one of the ten songs is new to us, three we sing but haven't particularly arranged, the other six are firmly stuck in our repertoire, first time we have had requests before we have turned up!

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