Jazz Band Funeral
Please note, we now offer a virtual Jazz Band for a New Orleans Style funeral. Follow this link for more information. Click here
Jazz Band Funeral
Has the job of arranging a funeral for someone who has asked for a jazz band funeral fallen to you? If so, we suspect you have been asked to help celebrate the life of someone who looked at the world in a slightly different way than most people! To hire a street band at a funeral is part of a long standing tradition from New Orleans. To be brief, it is a ritual in two parts. The first symbolises the mourning of the man or woman who has passed on. You will experience slow marching of the band followed by the cortege. The jazz band plays old traditional hymns. These will traditionally and invariably include songs like “The Old Rugged Cross” “Just a Closer Walk With Thee” and “Amazing Grace”
After the funeral service has finished then the jazz band strikes up with more happy songs for one reason, to celebrate a life well lived.
Jazz Band Funeral
Jazz Band Funeral
We have been supplying a jazz band for a funeral with our New Orleans Funeral Jazz Band for many years now. Believe it or not most peoples perception of the jazz funeral comes from the 1970’s James Bond Film “Live and Let Die”. The opening scene is of a jazz funeral, set in New Orleans and featuring a New Orleans Jazz Band playing “Just a Closer Walk With Thee”.
Where can you book us? We are able to supply a jazz funeral band in London, the South East and most parts of England. We are able to do this at a sensible price, even far from London. How can we do this? Because of excellent relationships with the best local musicians all around the country. We combine our London professionals with local players, therefore keeping costs at a sensible level. More often than not we suggest four, five or six players. Below you can experience the band play an example of a slow hymn, sometimes known as “The Dirge” followed by some more uplifting happy music.
Jazz Band Funeral
A typical jazz funeral may unfold like this: The band arrive at the cemetery gates. Then the funeral cortege arrives and the New Orleans Jazz Band walk everyone up towards and in to the chapel. After the service is over those attending come out of the chapel and the band start playing happy songs like “When You’re Smiling” “Ain’t Misbehaving'” and “After You’ve Gone”. As everyone attending get back into the cars, the jazz band make their way to the hotel or restaurant for where the wake is to take place.
Jazz Band Funeral
Now the band carry on playing upbeat songs for an hour whilst people mingle, usually sharing stories of the person who has passed away. Variations on the funeral bands service include starting from the house of the deceased. Maybe you want the band to play reflective music during the service. Are you arranging a West Indian Funeral and you want the band to play hymns for singing by the graveside? We always try and oblige individuals wishes. For a great jazz band funeral procession, you can do no better.
Jazz Band Funeral
What happens now? Well, contact us here for a quote or phone us on 07747 801471 to discuss the individual requirements of the funeral you are arranging. If it helps, we are more than willing to liaise with your funeral director on timings and payment etc. We will be happy to send over testimonials from people who have used our services. In the meantime, here is one of many genuine testimonials from a client who arranged his brothers funeral.
Genuine Testimonial:
”The New Orleans Funeral Jazz Band gave my brother the best send off ever imagined at his funeral celebration yesterday. Jeff’s Band arrived well before time. They then met immediate family and played before, during and after the service.
We went for an upbeat celebration which the Band achieved to perfection. The whole gathering were saying it was the best funeral ever. They loved the style and the manner in which Jeff and his Band conducted themselves.
If you have ever fancied a real ‘send off’ which will not upset the older generation, and will take the pain out of a funeral, then go for Jeff and his Band.
Ken Venables and Family
Epping, Essex.
Funeral Jazz Band Hire for everyone. Street Band hire London