Elegant Music

As a pianist and performer I feel it is my responsibility to be able to play anything requested.  It is quite an adventure for me to talk about music with my clients and workout the perfect mix for their party or special event.  I like being reminded of songs I forgot or turned on to new songs I didn’t know that I knew.  It’s fun to workout music; one great song leads to another and another.  In looking at this (Partial Song List) please find songs you like but more importantly do let me know about additional songs you think of:

Twilight Time
Unchained Melody
The Things We Did Last Summer
Night And Day
Where or When
Could I Have This Dance?

Saturday In the Park, Chicago
Bennie And The Jets, Elton John
Oye Como Va, Santana
Tiny Dancer, Elton John
Leave A Tender Moment Alone, Billy Joel

I Feel Pretty from Westside Story
The Nearness Of You
Moonglow
Chatanooga Choo Choo
All The Things You Are
Days of Wine And Roses

Under the Sea from Little Mermaid
Beauty And The Beast
You’ll Be In My Heart from Tarzan
Hold Me Now, Thompson Twins
Kiss From A Rose, Seal

Moon River
Tuxedo Junction
What A Difference A Day Made
Opus One
Puttin’ On the Ritz
Sunrise Serenade

Dancing Cheek To Cheek
Theme From Moulin Rouge
Paper Moon
Unforgetable
All I Ask Of You
Sunny Side Of The Street

Tequila, The Champs
The Wanderer, Dion
Pretty Woman, Roy Orbison
Great Balls Of Fire, Jerry Lee Lewis
Rock Around The Clock

All Night Long, Lionel Richie
Lady In Red
I Had The Time Of My Life from Dirty Dancing
Isn’t She Lovely, Stevie Wonder
Caught Up In the Rapture, Anita Baker
Don’t Stop Believing, Journey

Begin The Beguine, Cole Porter
Night And Day, Cole Porter
Anything Goes, Cole Porter
In The Still Of The Night, Cole Porter
My Heart Belongs To Daddy, Cole Porter

All I Ask Of You from Phantom Of The Opera
Masquerade from Phantom Of The Opera
Prima Donna from Phantom Of The Opera
Think Of Me from Phantom Of The Opera

 

Got To Get You Into My Life, Beatles

 

 

In a secret location men finely dressed in white tie and tails and women in beautiful evening dresses met and enjoyed cocktails, amazing food and perhaps wine too and as the evening progressed one thing lead to another and these couples, danced!

The secret location had a beautiful steinway grand. Solo piano was featured during the cocktail hour then when dinner chimes sounded String Bass and Drums accompanied the Pianist as doors opened to a beautifully set dining room. The trio struck up “The Way You Look Tonight” a song most notably made famous by Frank Sinatra. Couples entered the ballroom and “took a turn on the dance floor.”

Not ready to sit down just yet guests remained on the dance floor so the trio segued into “Beyond The Sea” a French song with English lyrics made famous by Bobby Darin. The trio took a break so that guests could be seated and the dinner service could begin. After dinner and much lively conversation dancing resumed.

Guided by perfect manners and a common purpose to have a good time everyone seemed to know what to do; men conducted themselves as gentlemen and women conducted themselves as ladies; everyone enjoyed the company of each other; another successful party!

There are private organizations and clubs that observe traditions such as dinner dances. Celebrating ideals of bygone days they meet simply to have a good time. Photography was not permitted.

Elegant Music Jazz Trio Video

Sincerely, Eric Zimmermann DJ/Master of Ceremonies, Pianist and Band Leader.  Elegant Music

Live Bands and Intro Song Lists (Basically, scroll down and find songs you like.)

Sure prerecorded music is fine but there is certainly a magic to a “Live Performance.”  I think there are certain kinds of music that are best appreciated when played by a DJ and other styles that are best appreciated when performed by a band. I would say that Hip Hop and some Top 40 for example are best appreciated by hearing the original recording and so for those tunes, hire a DJ. I think most Rock, Jazz or Chamber Music for example are best appreciated when heard “Live”.

A wedding for example has several parts and each can have its own music and potentially its own ensemble.

• Wedding Ceremony – Chamber Music Quartet

• Cocktail Hour – Solo Piano or Duo

• Grand Entrance – DJ/MC

• Dinner Music – Jazz Trio or Live Band

• Dance Music – DJ or Live Band

I lead a number of ensembles that perform for parties and weddings throughout Southern California; each has its unique repertoire. It is very creative to match up the audience and purpose of the event with the right ensemble (or DJ music.) When choosing ensembles for each part of your celebration is thoughtfully done the result is pure magic!

Here is an example: As a musician I can play just about any song on the piano. Adding to this Bass and Drums greatly expands what I can play. I have a lot of fun playing with this trio: Keyboard, Bass and Drums. This group all by it self can play just about anything from Jazz Standards and Rock and Roll, and even some Top 40.

Creating a quartet by adding to this trio a Female Vocalist greatly expands music possibilities of this ensemble.

Now add to this quartet (the trio with a Female Vocalist) a guitar/vocalist. With this five piece band the music possibilities expand exponentially.

Ok, so if you’re following along, now add sax to this (trio with a female vocalist and guitarist/vocalist) to create a six piece band and let your imagination work over the possibilities.

To give a better representation of what I am describing here is a partial song list showing several categories/styles of music for dinner and dance music played by the Elegant Music Live Band.

Popular, Swing & Standards Introductory Song List

Fly me to the moon, Sinatra

Come Fly With Me, Sinatra

Everything, Michael Buble

SWAY, Michael Buble

Can’t Take My Eyes off of you, Frankie Valli

The way you look tonight, Sinatra

Dancing Cheek To Cheek, Sinatra

All The Way, Sinatra

Perdido, Cha Cha

Satin Doll, Duke Ellington

Save the Last Dance For Me, Michael Buble

 

Dance, Top 40 & Disco Introductory Song List

Just The Way You Are (Amazing), Bruno Mars

Forget You, Ceelo Green

Dynamite, Tao Cruz

I Can’t Help My Self, Four Tops

I Got A Feeling, Black Eyed Peas

Feel So Close To You Right Now, Calvin Harris

We Found Love, Rhianna

Play That Funky Music – E Jon

Respect, Aretha Franklin

Boogie, Oogie, Oogie,

Stand by Me, Ben E. King

Haven’t Met You Yet , Michael Buble

You Can’t Hurry Love, The Supremes

Your Kiss Is On My List, Hall & Oats

Bad Girls, Donna Summer

Love You Like A Love Song, Selena Gomez

Please Don’t Stop The Music, Rhianna

California Gurls, Katie Perry

Hot Stuff, Donna Summer

Rollin’ In The Deep, Adell

Waiting For Tonight, Jennifer Lopez

Hey Soul Sister, Train

Last Dance, Donna Summer

 

 

80s Introductory Song List

I Just Can’t Get Enough, Depeche Mode

Everybody Have Fun Tonight, Wang Chung

You Shook Me All Night Long, AC/DC

What I like About You, Romantics

Make My Dreams Come True, Hall & Oats

Walkin’ on Sunshine, Katrina and The Waves

Don’t Stop Believing, Journey

 

Rock and Roll Introductory Song List

Old Time Rock And Roll – C – Tommy

Pretty Woman, Roy Orbison

Run Away, Del Shannon

Shout, Isley Brothers

Browneyed Girl, Van Morrison

Rock Around The Clock

Long Tall Sally, Little Richard

Oye Como Va

Satisfaction, Rolling Stones

Start Me Up, Rolling Stones

You Really Got Me – The Kinks

Mustang Sally, Wilson Pickett

La Bamba, Richie Valens

Wipe Out, Surf Rock

Pipeline, Surf Rock

I love Rock And Roll, Joan Jet

Tequila, The Champs

 

Slow Dance Introductory Song List

Sky Fall, Adel

Because (I Love You), Dave Clark Five

Kissing A Fool, George Michael

Don’t Dream It’s Over, Crowded House

Where Or When

Hold Me Thrill Me, Mel Carter

What A Difference A Day Made

I Can’t Help Falling In Love

Unforgetable

 

Latin Introductory Song List

Spanish Harlem

La Cumpracita

Perfidia

Amapola

Solamente Una Vez

Sabor A Mi

Amour Amour Amour

Besame Mucho

Cherry Pink and Apple Blossom White

Frenisi

It’s Impossible

 

Stadium Rock Introductory Song List:

American Girl, Tom Petty

La Grange, ZZTop

Sharp Dressed Man, ZZTop

2 Princes, Spin Doctors

Love Me Two Times, The Doors

Sweet Home Alabama, Lynard Skynard

Let’s Groove Tonight, Earth, Wind & Fire

Highway to Hell, AC/DC

Middle, Jimmy Eat World

(Love Is) What I got, Sublime

Come Together, Beatles

Who Can it Be Now?, Men At Work

Should I stay or go?, The Clash

Lets get it on, Marvin Gaye

I Want You to Want Me, Cheap Trick

I Wish, Stevie Wonder

Signed Sealed Delivered, Stevie Wonder

High and Dry, Radio Head

Yellow, ColdPlay

Don’t You Love Her Madly?, The Doors

Road House Blues, The Doors

Get It On (Bang A Gong), T-Rex

Keep Your Hands To Yourself, Georgia Satellites

Pride and Joy, Stevie Ray Vaughn

He Baby Que Paso, Texas Tornados

I’m a believer, Smashmouth

Walking On The Sun, Smashmouth

Mysterious Ways, U2

Start Me Up, Rolling Stones

Under My Thumb, Rolling Stones

 

Jazz Trio Introductory Song List showing categories of styles:

Swing and Standards

Fly Me To The Moon, Sinatra

The Nearness of You, Tony Bennett

Moonglow, Rod Stewart

Moon River, Mancini

Tuxedo Junction, Big Band

 

Rock and Roll

Tequila, The Champs

The Wanderer, Dion

Pretty Woman, Roy Orbison

Great Balls Of Fire, Jerry Lee Lewis

Rock Around The Clock

 

70s Song Writter

Saturday In the Park, Chicago

Bennie And The Jets, Elton John

Oye Como Va, Santana

Tiny Dancer, Elton John

Leave A Tender Moment Alone, Billy Joel

 

80s

All Night Long, Lionel Richie

Lady In Red

I Had The Time Of My Life from Dirty Dancing

Isn’t She Lovely, Stevie Wonder

Caught Up In the Rapture, Anita Baker

Dance All Night, The Cars

Don’t Stop Believing, Journey

More 80s

Under the Sea from Little Mermaid

Beauty And The Beast

You’ll Be In My Heart from Tarzan

Hold Me Now, Thompson Twins

Kiss From A Rose, Seal

 

Rock and Classic Rock

Ena Gotta Da Vida, Iron Butterfly

First There Is A Mountain, Donovan

Truckin’, The Grateful Dead

It’s A Beautiful Day, U2

Paradise, Coldplay

 

There are many more songs to choose from but more importantly I look forward to hearing your ideas and receiving your requests.  It’s one of my favorite things to do.  Sincerely, Eric Zimmermann DJ/Master of Ceremonies, Pianist and Band Leader