Interestingly enough, most corporate hospitality entertainment work
tends to require music as an ingredient to a larger recipe. What I mean
by this is a great deal of corporate events are offering a multi
service package. Typically an organization may be putting on an
evenings entertainment to thank its workforce for a particularly
successful year. They may be offering music, food, comedy, a close up
magician, a casino and a caricaturist. The corporate client organizing
needs to decide what part the music has to play in the days/evenings
entertainment.

Questions he or she needs to ask are:

Is the music specifically for entertainment or is the music for background listening?

Do we need one style of music early on in the proceedings and then a change of style later in the days/ evenings entertainment?

Do you expect the corporate clients to be networking and discussing business or are they just there for a good time?

What overall atmosphere do you want to project with the event?

Is there going to be a change of location for the music as the entertainment event unfolds?

Different styles of music bands lend themselves to different
corporate hospitality situations. Below are a number of typical
corporate hospitality events with music suggestions for suitable music
entertainment.

Corporate entertainment model 1.
Evening reception with dinner and speeches.

In a situation such as this you will typically need music from the
outset as part of the meet and greet of the corporate evening. A
four-piece swing or Latin group is ideal with a larger ensemble for
particularly large gatherings. A professional outfit can pitch the
music at just the right decibel level so your guests can talk and enjoy
the entertainment without it encroaching on conversations. The
musicians would typically be dressed in Lounge Suits or Tuxedos (or the
female equivalent) to mirror what the guests are wearing themselves.
The music portrays an atmosphere of sophistication, which again
hopefully reflects the evenings overall ambience.

It is rare for corporate clients to want to dance especially as
clients there relationship is business not pleasure! In most cases it
is more important that the band is flexible in when it is needed over
the course of the evening i.e. At the top of the night for the
reception, a smaller version of the band (The pianist maybe for the
dinner), stopping for speeches and then after the speeches to play
until other entertainment is put on for the corporate clients. In this
situation give the band a clear idea of how you expect the evening to
go. What to wear, when they will be needed, when they need to get their
instruments in the building and be set up, when breaks will be
required, let them know if it is convenient or not to feed them and
then finally how they can leave when finished so as not to disrupt the
rest of the entertainment.

Corporate entertainment model 2.
Company Party.

Still corporate entertainment, still corporate hospitality but a
totally different set of requirements for the music. Ask yourself these
questions: Are your work force the type of workforce who will want to
dance at some point in the proceedings? If they are, then a
professional band with flexibility is essential. My experience is that
people of all ages will join together to dance to music from the
sixties and seventies. Whatever background music you require earlier in
the day/evening be it Latin, Swing, Rat Pack or Lounge, if you are
hoping to provide entertainment that will get people dancing remember
this fact. Sixties and Seventies. For some inexplicable reason this is
the music that gets people up on their feet.

When choosing your music ask the band if they can cover this part of
the corporate entertainment requirement. Get samples of their music if
need be. There is nothing worse than an ill equipped band struggling
through alien repertoire. However good the band is, if they do not play
the right repertoire, the right style of music then the corporate
entertainment will fall on deaf ears.

Let me at this point provide a caveat. Your workforce work together
They are not always going to be the best of friends however
professional their relationships are at work. Answer truthfully, will
they really want to dance together or is it asking too much? I would
say that in all the years of providing music for this kind of corporate
entertainment / hospitality , as long as the music is right, the
workforce tended to dance 30 or 40% of the time. It could be said that
a workforce who will enjoy each others company in this way is a
reflection on the talent of senior management to create a happy team!

Corporate entertainment model 3.
Company Fun Day.

These come in two types. The type to entertain your own workforce or
the type to entertain prospective clients. Both types of corporate
entertainment require music that is fun. This means that the music must
be perceived as fun and the band must be perceived as fun. In both
cases Jolly Dixieland Jazz or the summer sounds of Latin music are most
suitable.

Ask yourself these questions: does the band need to be mobile?
Meaning do you want the music to move around the site at various points
in the proceedings? If so then the jolly jazz route is most suitable. A
good professional outfit of four or five players can play acoustically
and move around a site as directed.

If the band can be static and close to electrical power then either Jolly Jazz or Latin Music is suitable.

Is the event outdoors or indoors and do you have provision for bad
weather? This is England, never trust to luck, assume the worst! Any
band that needs power cannot play in the rain for health and safety
reasons. At the first hint of inclement weather a band will have to
breakdown their equipment. Build this situation into your corporate
entertainment music decisions.

How do you want the band to dress? It is a fun day after all! In the
past I and my musicians have dressed as Elvis, Cavemen, Circus Clowns,
in fact all manner of characters in the name of corporate entertainment
and corporate hospitality. Good bands will have suitable outfits for
most situations but don`t hesitate in providing something off the wall
for a special event. Most professional players have a strange urge to
jump into such costumes at the earliest possibility! As someone who has
played at a nudist camp and for a toga party, both dressed accordingly,
take my word for it!

To draw this article together let me say this. Choose the right kind
of music for the event. Brief the band accordingly but make sure you
have a professional and flexible outfit, things can change over the
course of the event and you want to make sure the band are both
co-operative and able to fulfill your needs. Don`t hesitate to ask the
band for any special requirements you have. Do it in plenty of time so
they have time to prepare.

The corporate entertainment and hospitality you offer to your guests
reflects directly onto your company. The music and musicians must be
the type who are aware of this. Dont go for second best just to save a
small amount of money. You need a well prepared, well dressed band who
are both polite and charming to your guests. They need to play the
right kind of music for the event in order to help make the day or
evenings corporate entertainment a resounding success!

About the author

Jeff Williams is a London based trombonist and vocalist who has worked
all over the world in most areas of the business. He also runs a
successful, specialist, live music agency using the best of London
musicians, servicing both private and corporate clients playing all
over the country. He would be happy to advise you with your own event
or party and offers bespoke solutions for the perfect occasion.

The Belles of St. Trinians: Humorous movie of Ronald Searle’s cartoons about an entirely insane school for gals, run by a dotty head mistress whose brother, a bookie, desires to use school to his benefit. Cast includes Alastair Sirn, Joyce Grenfell, George Cole, Hermione Baddeley, and Beryl Reid. (90 minutes, 1954)

Sudden Death: The sarcastic master mind Boothe keeps the Vice President captive in a secluded box throughout Stanley Cup hockey playoffs in Pittsburgh, requesting a few billion dollars, or he’ll blow up the entire stadium. However fire inspector Van Damme is on the job and Boothe has foolishly seized our idol’s baby girl. Cast includes Jean-Claude Van Damme, Powers Boothe, Raymond J. Barry, Whittni Wright, Ross Malinger, Dorian Harewood, and Paul Mochnick. (110 minutes, 1995)

The Believer: A brutal evaluation of a yeshiva informed youthful guy in N.Y.C. who opts to become a neo-Nazi skinhead. Gosling gives a stellar performance as a Jew (loosely based on truth) whose rationale is controversial however whose desire is genuine. R. Cast includes Ryan Gosling, Summer Phoenix, Billy Zane, Theresa Russell, Glenn Fitzgerald, Ronald Guttman, and Henry Bean. (98 minutes, 2002)

Sugarbaby: Its love at first sight for fat mortuary attendant Sagebrecht and subway train driver Swig in this droll romantic satire. Actors and tale are off beat, the avant-garde lighting fails, and the camcorder movements by cinematographer Johanna Heer are irritating. Cast includes Marianne Sagebrecht and Eisi Swig. (87 minutes, 1985)

The General: One of Keaton’s best silent films, setting comedy contrary to real Civil War tale of a stolen train, and Union spies. Not as fanciful as other Keaton films, although beautifully finished. Cast includes Buster Keaton, Marion Mack, Glen Cavender, Jim Farley, and Joseph Keaton. (100 minutes, 1984)

The Facts of Life: An advanced comedy with Bob and Lucy leaving their partners for an interlude together. The 2 megastars make a team worth observing. Cast includes Bob Wish, Lucille Ball, Ruth Hussey, and Don DeFore. (103 minutes, 1960)

Life of Brian: The Monty Python religious parable can possibly hurt every religious denomination that exists, although it shouldn’t. The tale of a guy whose life resemblances Christ is the funniest and most maintained film from Britain’s poor boys. Cast includes Graham Chapman, John Cleese, Terry Gilliam, Eric Idle, Terry Jones, and Michael Palin. (93 minutes, 1979)

The Buddy System: A desperate kid tries to play matchmaker between his lonely mom and a grown-up buddy, would-be novelist and tool creator (Dreyfuss). Pleasantly played although excessively recognizable (and overlong) romantic comedy. Cast includes Richard Dreyfuss, Susan Sarandon, Nancy Allen, Jean Stapleton, Will Wheaton, Edward Fall, and Keene Curtis. (110 minutes, 1984)

Night Nurse: A phenomenal, hard story of nurse (Stanwyck) who couldn?t disregard bizarre goings on in home where she works. Blondell adds zingy aid and it is one of Gable’s most impressive early appearances. Cast includes Barbara Stanwyck, Ben Lyon, Joan Blondell, Clark Gable, Charlotte Merriam, and Charles Winninger.

Almost any film you can think of can be downloaded from a site online. You should make some queries with search terms like “DVD Movies Downloads” or “DVD Movie Online Rentals” to find more info on downloading movies. If those fail you try “Download Movies Legally”.

Being able to sit at home and not leaving the house can be an option that many people will love to take. Dereck Movie Look for unlimited downloads though, it’s a must. Normally you may have only so many you can place in the system, but once you watch them you delete them and get more.

Bullitt: Definitive McQueen antihero part that he grows to love. As a cop trying to keep is witness alive. McQueen see a lot of bloodshed as the mob is out to kill the man he must protect. Cast includes Steve McQueen, Robert Vaughn, Jacqueline Bisset, Don Gordon, and Robert Duvall. (113 minutes, 1968)

The Sensuous Nurse: Voluptuous Ursula employed as a nurse is actually helping the demise of a prosperous man with a heart problem by keeping his pulse speeding in this titilating, sex comedy. Ursula does look awesome in the nude, nonetheless. Cast includes Ursula Andress, Jack Palance, Duilio Del Prete, Luciana Paluzzi, Lino Toffolo, and Mario Pisu. (78 minutes, 1976)

Dingo: An unexpected appearance by jazz trumpeter Billy Cross (Davis) in a boy’s rural town empowers him to become a musician himself. Now grown up, he still fantasies of playing for a living and honoring his lifelong hero. This friendly but dull paced tale is kindled by Miles Davis’ dynamic presence and ingratiating behavior. Cast includes Colin Friels, Miles Davis, Helen Buday, Joe Petruzzi, Bernadette Lafont, and Bernard Fresson. (108 minutes, 1991)

The Last Temptation of Christ: Imaginative and enticing from Nikos Kazantzakis’ novel which presumes in regards to Jesus’ self-questions while he grasps he has been selected by The lord to tote His message. Minutes of incredible beauty are reduced somehow by mundane discussion and dull extends. Cast includes Willem Dafoe, Harvey Keitel, Barbara Hershey, Harry Dean Stanton, David Bowie, Vema Bloom, Andre Gregory, Juliette Caton, Roberts Blossom, Irvin Kershner, Nehemiah Persoff, and Barry Miller. (164 minutes, 1988)

Cuban Rebel Girls: Flyon’s last film is an embarrassment. Playing himself, he assists Fidel Castro in his overthrow of Batista. Shot on location throughout the Castro rebellion. Of interest only to see Flynn teamed with his very last lady friend, sixteen-year-old Aadland. Cast includes Errol Flynn, Beverly Aadland, John McKay, and Marie Edmund. (68 minutes, 1959)

The Thief of Paris: Intense comedy-drama with personal problems turning Belmondo to thievery for reprisal against the world. Eventually he finds that robbery has become his entire life. Cast includes Jean-Paul Belmondo, Genevieve Bujold, Marie Dubois, Francoise Fabian, and Julien Guiomar. (119 minutes, 1967)

The Inkwell: A sixteen-year-old, whose toy doll confidante naturally frets his parents, comprehends in regards to love, in this summer of ‘76 reminiscence piece set in a black zone of Martha’s Vineyard. Cast includes Larenz Tate, Joe Morton, Suzzanne Douglas, Glynn Turman, Vanessa Bell Calloway, Adrienne-Joi Johnson, Morris Chestnut, Jada Pinkett, Duane Matlin, Mary Alice, and Phyllis Yvonne Stickney. (110 minutes, 1994)

Day of Wrath: Remarkably well put together drama in regards to an old lady implicated of being a sorcerer and the hex that she sets on the minister who is accountable for her flaming. Cast includes Thorkild Roose, Lisbeth Movin, Sigrid Neiiendam, Preben Lerdorff, and Anna Svierker. (100 minutes, 194)

Solarbabies: Futuristic adolescent rubbish has Gertz and a bunch of her friends are trapped by a Nazi-like group inside a fortress. The group plans to get out with the help of “Bohdi”, an old mystical force. Cast includes Richard Jordan, Jami Gertz, Jason Patric, Lukas Haas, Charles Durning, Peter DeLuise, Adrian Pasdar, Sarah Douglas, Frank Talk, Terrence Mann, and Kelly Bishop. (194 minutes, 1986)

Movie downloads can be found for nearly any movie made. Remember to use search terms like “Film Downloads” and “Online Movies To Watch” when looking for movie sites. If these don’t work out, punch in “Hollywood Movie Rentals”, and see if that works.