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Live sax and violin duo performing at a luxury event at The Knowlton venue in Connecticut

Live Entertainment

Live Bands & Musicians for Every Event

Nicholson Events books live musicians and bands of every style for events across NYC, Connecticut, Westchester, the Hamptons, New Jersey, and destinations worldwide. From a jazz trio at cocktail hour to a 14-piece cover band closing out your gala, we curate and manage the right act for your event.

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The Right Sound for Your Event

Live music changes the energy of a room in a way that no playlist can replicate. Nicholson Events works with a curated network of professional musicians across every style, from swinging jazz quartets to high-energy cover bands spanning five decades of hits. We do not hand you a catalog to browse alone. We listen to what you are trying to create, match you with the acts that fit, and manage every detail from booking through performance.

Whether you need subtle elegance for a corporate reception, layered entertainment across a mitzvah cocktail hour and main event, or a full concert-quality show for a gala, we have the relationships and the production expertise to make it happen. Serving NYC, Connecticut, Westchester, the Hamptons, New Jersey, and destinations worldwide.

What We Book

Every style, every setting. Tell us your event and we will match you with the act that fits.

High-energy live party band performing on a mirror-ball stage at an event

Party & Cover Bands

High-energy bands that keep a room dancing. Covers spanning decades and genres, sized to your venue and guest count.

Jazz ensemble performing during a cocktail hour at an elegant event

Jazz & Cocktail-Hour Ensembles

Trios, quartets, and quintets that set an elegant tone from the first greeting. The gold standard for cocktail hours and reception arrivals.

Live guitarist performing at a cocktail hour event

Solo Musicians & Duos

Acoustic guitarists, singer-songwriters, and instrument duos for intimate settings, outdoor ceremonies, or corporate receptions.

Electric violinist performing a dynamic high-energy set on a stage at an event

Strings & Specialty

Classical quartets, electric violinists, and hybrid string acts that bridge elegance and energy. Equally at home in a ballroom or a rooftop loft.

Irish bagpipe band in traditional dress performing at an outdoor event

Cultural & Themed

Bagpipe bands, traditional folk ensembles, cultural performers, and themed acts that bring a specific moment or heritage to life.

Live percussionist playing conga drums at a corporate event

Percussion

Conga and drum performers, steel pan players, and percussion ensembles that add pulse and energy to any moment of the night.

Electric violinist performing an energetic set at an event venue in Connecticut

Featured Artists

Our network runs deep, and a few names come up again and again. Meet a few of the artists and acts our clients request most.

Tomas, Latin guitarist for weddings, cocktail hours, and private events in NYC and CT, posing outdoors with his classical guitar

Latin Guitarist

Tomas

Tomas is a Latin guitarist whose playing draws on the folk and classical traditions of Spain and South America, reshaped into a sound that is entirely his own. Expect soulful melodies, layered harmonies, and rhythms that pull guests in without ever overpowering the conversation in the room.

Regarded as one of New York City’s premier Latin guitarists, Tomas holds regular residencies at the St. Regis, Ritz-Carlton, and Peninsula hotels in Manhattan. His concert credits stretch from the International Festival of the Guitar in Lima, Peru to the Brooklyn Museum, Merkin Hall, Trinity Church, and NJPAC.

He performs solo or with a full ensemble, which makes him a natural fit for wedding ceremonies, cocktail hours, and dinner receptions where warmth and sophistication set the tone.

Book Tomas for Your EventView Full Profile →
Donnie Kehr, Broadway pianist and vocalist from Jersey Boys and The Who’s Tommy, performing on stage at a live event

Pianist

Donnie Kehr

Donnie Kehr is a lifelong musician and American actor who brings true Broadway pedigree to the piano. He originated roles in Jersey Boys, The Who’s Tommy, and Billy Elliot, and sang on two Grammy-winning cast albums, featured on Pinball Wizard for The Who’s Tommy in 1993 and on Jersey Boys in 2006.

On screen, his credits include Clint Eastwood’s Jersey Boys, Wall Street, and Chaplin with Robert Downey Jr., plus television roles on House of Cards, Gotham, Quantico, and Daredevil. He has performed on the Tonight Show, Letterman, Good Morning America, the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, and the Oscars.

Donnie also directs live concerts, including the Rockers on Broadway series in NYC and the opening ceremonies of the 2009 Maccabi Games at Madison Square Garden. At a private event, that experience shows up as a piano set with genuine concert showmanship.

Inquire About DonnieView Full Profile →
Electric violinist performing a high-energy strings set for a corporate event and gala in NYC and Connecticut

Strings & Specialty

Electric Violinist

Few moments land like a live electric violinist stepping into a grand entrance or a peak dinner set. The sound is part classical training, part club energy: soaring melodies looped and layered over a DJ track, building a room in a way a traditional string quartet never could.

This is the act we reach for when a client wants strings without the formality. An electric violinist bridges elegance and adrenaline, equally at home under the chandeliers of a ballroom or on a rooftop loft, trading phrases with the DJ as the dance floor fills.

We book the electric violin for corporate galas, mitzvah grand entrances, cocktail hours, and product launches across NYC, Connecticut, and beyond, solo or paired with a saxophonist, percussionist, or full hybrid band.

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Live percussionist playing congas and hand drums alongside a DJ set at a corporate event in NYC

Percussion

Live Percussionist

A live percussionist is the fastest way to turn a strong DJ set into a concert. Congas, timbales, and hand drums riding on top of the track add a pulse you feel as much as hear, and the energy in the room climbs with every fill.

It is one of our most requested hybrid formats: a DJ holding the groove while a percussionist improvises live over the top, reading the crowd and pushing the night higher. Add a saxophonist or electric violinist and you have a full live-band feel without the footprint of a full band.

We book live percussion for mitzvahs, corporate parties, weddings, and cocktail hours across NYC, Connecticut, and beyond, as a solo add-on to a DJ or as part of a larger ensemble.

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Island Breeze Caribbean Sound, steel drum band, performing live steel pans for a wedding and corporate event audience in NYC and CT

Steel Drum Band

Island Breeze Caribbean Sound

Island Breeze Caribbean Sound plays Caribbean and steel-drum music: steelpans backed by bass, drums, percussion, guitar, and vocals, creating a relaxed island atmosphere from the first note. The repertoire draws on well-known Calypso and Reggae hits by artists such as Harry Belafonte, Bob Marley, and Jimmy Cliff, alongside styles like latin jazz and mambo.

Versatility is the point of this act. Island Breeze can play lively background music at low volume, or charge up a party with high-energy dance music, instrumental or featuring vocals.

The band is scalable from a solo steel drummer up to a full 8-piece band, which makes it a natural fit for weddings, corporate events, cocktail hours, and tropical or island-themed parties across NYC, CT, and beyond.

Book Island Breeze for Your EventView Full Profile →

Where Live Music Elevates the Night

Live music works in every event format. Here is where we book it most.

Bar & Bat MitzvahsCorporate Galas & DinnersCocktail Hours & ReceptionsGalas & FundraisersWeddings & CeremoniesSweet 16s & MilestonesHoliday PartiesProduct Launches & Brand Activations

How Live Music Booking Works

Three steps from idea to showtime. We handle everything in between.

01

Tell us about your event

Share your event type, date, venue, guest count, and the feel you are going for. A quick conversation is all we need to start matching you with the right acts.

02

We curate a shortlist

Based on your event, we recommend specific acts from our network that fit your format, venue, and budget. You get options with video samples, not a catalog to browse alone.

03

We handle everything

Once you confirm, we manage contracts, logistics, load-in coordination, sound check, and on-site performance management. You show up and enjoy the show.

Frequently Asked Questions

What types of live bands and musicians can Nicholson Events book for my event?
Nicholson Events books party and cover bands, jazz and cocktail-hour ensembles, solo musicians, duos, string acts, electric violinists, cultural and themed performers including bagpipe bands, and live percussionists. We curate the right act for your event format, venue, and audience, whether that is a 14-piece cover band for a corporate gala or a jazz quartet for a cocktail hour.
How far in advance should I book live music for my event?
For peak dates (spring and fall weekends, holiday parties, June weddings) we recommend booking four to six months in advance. For corporate events and weekday bookings, eight to twelve weeks is usually sufficient. Rush bookings are sometimes possible, contact us and we will check availability for your date.
Can Nicholson Events book live musicians for a cocktail hour and then a different act for the main reception?
Absolutely. Layered entertainment formats are one of our specialties. A common package is a jazz duo or string ensemble during cocktail hour, followed by a high-energy DJ or cover band for dinner and dancing. We coordinate the handoffs and stage logistics so the transition is seamless for your guests.
What markets does Nicholson Events serve for live music bookings?
Nicholson Events books live musicians and bands for events across New York City, Connecticut, Westchester, the Hamptons, New Jersey, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and destinations worldwide.
Is live music a good fit for corporate events?
Live music is one of the most effective ways to elevate a corporate event. A jazz trio during a reception, an electric violinist during dinner, or a full cover band for a holiday party creates an atmosphere that a playlist cannot replicate. We have booked live music for everything from intimate client dinners to 1,000-person corporate galas.

Ready to Book Live Music for Your Event?

Tell us about your event and we will find the perfect act, handle the booking, and manage everything through performance night.

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Also explore:Bar & Bat MitzvahsCorporate EventsGalas & Fundraisers