Skip to main content

Jazz Bands in East Sussex

Live jazz for events in East Sussex

Live jazz changes the feel of a room without taking it over. In East Sussex, jazz bands are booked for wedding drinks receptions, corporate dinners, awards evenings, garden parties and milestone celebrations — anywhere the music needs to sound polished and relaxed, with the option to lift the tempo once the evening gets going.

Popular event venues in East Sussex include Hendall Manor Barns, Buxted Park Hotel and Chalk Farm, and our jazz acts travel to events across Uckfield, Hastings and Lewes. Wherever your event is, tell us the venue when you enquire and we'll help you choose a line-up that suits the space.

Jazz covers a lot of ground. Some acts specialise in Great American Songbook standards, others in gypsy jazz, New Orleans trad, Latin and bossa nova, or modern soul-jazz arrangements of pop songs. Listening to a few will quickly tell you which sound fits your event.

Hireaband has booked live music for events since 1999. Each jazz band on this page travels to East Sussex as standard, travel is always included in the quote, and the instant quote button will show you prices and availability for your date without waiting for a reply.

The essentials:

  • Typical cost: from around £500 for a jazz duo to £2,500 or more for a larger band, depending on line-up and date
  • Line-ups from solo pianist or duo through to a five or six-piece jazz band
  • Background sets for receptions and dinners, or livelier swing for dancing
  • Travel is included in every quote
  • Every booking carries a 14-day change-of-mind refund

A duo or trio — often piano or guitar with double bass and vocals — suits a drinks reception or a dinner where people want to talk. A quartet or quintet adds drums and a horn such as saxophone or trumpet, giving a fuller sound for a larger room. If you want dancing later, choose an act that lists a swing or party set as well as a background set.

Expect to pay from around £500 for a duo up to £2,500 or more for a larger band. Line-up size matters most, then the length of the performance and the time of year, with busy Saturdays and the Christmas season at the top end. Every quote includes travel, so there are no extra costs added later.

Every act's page has video and audio of the musicians who would actually play, along with their repertoire and written reviews from people who have booked them. It's the easiest way to check the style and the sound before you commit.

Enter your date and venue in the instant quote button for live pricing and availability. After you book, we look after the contract, deposit and details, and keep in touch right up to the event. You also get a 14-day change-of-mind refund and an emergency contact number to use on the day.

Show more
Refine Your Search

Gentlemen of the Road

A vintage 20's - 40's style swing band that will blow your socks off with their unique arrangements of modern tracks

Read more

From £1,985

Price is based on standard fee without any travel or extras

A Touch Of Paris

Jazz, Swing, Gatsby, Parisian Themed Ensemble

Read more

From £645

Price is based on standard fee without any travel or extras

The Baby Blues

An Authentic Swing Band Playing Your Favourite Rat Pack & Soul Tunes. You Even Get A Choice Of Singers..

Read more

From £2,250

Price is based on standard fee without any travel or extras

Vintage Jukebox

Swing Band Playing The Biggest Hits Of The Last 40 Years

Read more

From £2,295

Price is based on standard fee without any travel or extras

Blue Note Jazz

Duo or Trio | Sax, Guitar, Drums | Standards & Modern Covers

Read more

From £595

Price is based on standard fee without any travel or extras

Velvet Jazz

2 - 5 Piece Jazz Band | Ideal Daytime Entertainment | Female Vocals

Read more

From £525

Price is based on standard fee without any travel or extras
Working with a budget?

Working with a budget?

We work with acts from £250 - £5,000+! We can certainly help you find the perfect entertainment that fits your style and budget - get in touch to get started.

Get in Touch

Stella & Fly

Piano & Vocals Duo | Ideal Afternoon or Evening Entertainment

Read more

From £680

Price is based on standard fee without any travel or extras

The Cannonballs

Combining Your Favourite Party Songs With Their Own Piano Based Style

Read more

Fascinating Rhythm

Jazz Duo Or Trio | Guitar, Sax, Double Bass

Read more

From £515

Price is based on standard fee without any travel or extras

Vipers Swing

The Smoothest Sounds | Female Vocals | Sax

Read more

From £999

Price is based on standard fee without any travel or extras

The Speakeasies

"Post Modern Jukebox" styled modern era tunes with a vintage twist plus classic party bangers to fill that dance floor.

Read more

From £1,635

Price is based on standard fee without any travel or extras

Dan Burnett - Piano Vocalist

Dan Burnett is one of the UK’s leading piano vocalists. It’s in his blood.

Read more

From £495

Price is based on standard fee without any travel or extras

The Martinis

Wedding & Function Bands Don't Come Better Than This. All Genres, Male & Female Vocals, They Have It All.

Read more

From £2,200

Price is based on standard fee without any travel or extras
Working with a budget?

Working with a budget?

We work with acts from £250 - £5,000+! We can certainly help you find the perfect entertainment that fits your style and budget - get in touch to get started.

Get in Touch

Joe Penfold - Singer & Pianist

Joe Penfold - A Super Singer and Pianist Performing a Variety of Genres And Sing-along Hits

Read more

From £545

Price is based on standard fee without any travel or extras

Harlem Shuffle

Combining Rat Pack Swing With Modern Pop Songs For A Postmodern Jukebox Sound.

Read more

From £1,700

Price is based on standard fee without any travel or extras

Manhattan

Smooth As Silk & Ready To Bring Jazz, Swing & Pop To Your Event

Read more

From £2,095

Price is based on standard fee without any travel or extras

Badass Brass

A Funky New Orleans Style Brass Band Playing Modern Covers & Classics.

Read more

From £1,700

Price is based on standard fee without any travel or extras

The Mojitos

A Huge Twelve Piece Band Performing Unique Arrangements Of Popular Songs

Read more

From £2,130

Price is based on standard fee without any travel or extras

FAQs

Jazz works particularly well for wedding drinks receptions, corporate dinners, awards evenings, garden parties and milestone celebrations — anywhere you want live music that adds atmosphere without stopping conversation. Many acts can also play a livelier swing set later for dancing.

Yes. Most jazz acts are used to playing at a volume that lets guests talk comfortably, especially duos and trios. Tell the band the room and the purpose of each set, and they'll pitch the volume and repertoire to suit.

A trio is usually piano or guitar, double bass and vocals or a lead instrument — ideal for receptions and dinners. A quartet or quintet adds drums and often saxophone or trumpet for a fuller sound, and a larger band gives you the energy for a dance floor.

A duo or trio needs very little: a small corner of the room and, in some cases, a single power socket. Larger bands with drums and amplification need more floor space and power nearby, so it's worth checking with your venue in East Sussex before booking.

From around £500 for a jazz duo to £2,500 or more for a larger band. The line-up, how long they play and the date make the biggest difference, and travel is always included in the quote.

Yes. Each act lists its repertoire, and most are happy to learn a special request with enough notice. If you have a style in mind — standards, gypsy jazz, bossa nova or swing — choose an act that specialises in it.

Reviews

(5)

“All our dealings with Manhattan, from initially visiting their very user friendly website, through the booking process, and then arranging details for the event, was straight-forward and efficient. Harrison was most helpful and the band themselves were excellent! They were flexible and willing to fit in with what we wanted, prepared well and their performance was fantastic. I have received lots of positive feedback from those at the event and will certainly not hesitate to recommend Manhattan in the future.”

(5)

“Tom is a talented and versatile saxophone player with a great future ahead of him. His impressive technique is matched by a mature sense of musicianship and he has a comprehensive understanding of how to fluently negotiate a broad range of repertoire. Tom’s outlook is highly professional and he is sensitive to the requirements of the different settings he performs in”

(5)

“I really enjoyed working with Livi ITM. Despite their youth, the band were thoroughly professional and dedicated musicians who brought a fresh dynamic to our music festival. The trio complement each other very well, bringing a warmth to the stage that the audience to engage with. Livi, front and centre, delivered controlled vocals of a seasoned pro, years ahead of her time. I look forward to working with them again.”

(5)

“Incredible band, incredible show, incredible evening. Our daughter's 21st was absolutely perfect and the modern songs you did with a swing twist were amazing. Just The Way You Are was our favourite. Honestly thank you so much for an unforgettable evening. Would recommend you to all our friends!”

(5)

“The nojitos surpassed all our expectations from start to finish. The clips on Youtube do not do them justice, they managed to perform modern songs in a classic way, like watching Count Basie perform Taylor Swift! Not only will we be booking them again, we'll be passing their details to everyone we know that wants a top quality music set. The whole crowd loved every minute. Absolutely perfect”

(5)

“For my 40th birthday last November, I wanted to re-create some swing style magic for myself and my friends. And with Gentlemen of the Road that's exactly what I got. The set list was awesome, and you can tell the band love what they do as the sound they produced was wonderful. I can't recommend them highly enough. Two long sets just wasn't enough! Thanks guys, we had an incredible evening.”

Local Venues in East Sussex

Hendall Manor Barns

Hendall Manor Barns

A cluster of ancient barns in the Weald near Uckfield, given over to one wedding at a time, with a split-level stone barn made for dancing in.

View venue
Buxted Park Hotel

Buxted Park Hotel

A Palladian house in 312 acres of Sussex parkland near Uckfield, with a glass orangery, a ballroom and a lake the photographers head straight for.

View venue
Flimwell Park

Flimwell Park

A timber cathedral standing in 54 acres of ancient woodland near Ticehurst, built for celebrations that want trees, light and a great deal of space.

View venue
The Grand Hotel

The Grand Hotel

Eastbourne's White Palace, all pillars, chandeliers and sea air, where a ballroom with its own stage and dancefloor waits for the evening to start.

View venue
Pelham House

Pelham House

A listed town house in the middle of Lewes with a walled garden looking out to the South Downs.

View venue
Michelham Priory

Michelham Priory

Cross the longest medieval moat in England to a 7-acre island near Hailsham, an Elizabethan barn, and gardens that have been tended here since 1229.

View venue
Buckhurst Park

Buckhurst Park

A Sackville family estate at Withyham with gardens laid out by Lutyens, lakes, terraces and two lawns made for a marquee and a long evening.

View venue
Chalk Farm

Chalk Farm

A 17th-century oak-beamed farmhouse under the South Downs at Willingdon, small enough that the whole place genuinely becomes yours for the day.

View venue
Brighton College

Brighton College

Gilbert Scott's gothic quad a few streets back from the Brighton seafront, with a chapel, a great hall, and the whole site yours for the day.

View venue
Top

Refining your acts

Hum a little tune to yourself while we check your date against over 800 entertainer diaries. It'll be worth the short wait.

Unknown has been moved to/from the wishlist.

Get in touch