Tom Nutile Music – Questions and Answers
The Tom Nutile Big Band is available for large or small corporate events, weddings, fundraisers, swing dances or ballroom dances, concerts, festivals, nightclubs, and any other event requiring a professional musical group that plays with precision and enthusiasm. The band features 15 musicians, including a vocalist, or 16 musicians, if you would like both a female and a male vocalist.
How do I engage you for a performance?
Call or e-mail Tom and he’ll discuss your event with you to make sure we can provide exactly what you want.
Mobile phone: 508-397-2810
Land line and fax: 508-651-9909
E-mail: tom@tomnutile.com.
What sort of music will you play for me?
We are inspired by the classic period of American popular music, when the big bands of Duke Ellington, Glenn Miller, Count Basie and Benny Goodman held sway and Frank Sinatra, Ella Fitzgerald and Bobby Darin were cutting records. We also play more modern fare, whether it’s a recent pop hit, rock or soul from the 60s and 70s, or a tune from the swing-dance craze of recent years.
What sets you apart from other bands I can hire?
No band in the region is more versatile, more professional, and can play in as many styles. Our roots go back to the 1940s, when Tom’s father, Roy Nutile, started a swing orchestra with his teenage friends in East Boston and began collecting big-band arrangements. As a result, we have more than 600 big-band charts, ranging from early swing arrangements to the latest in modern jazz and pop.
How much do you charge?
We provide the best music in New England, using the region’s best musicians, at very competitive prices. Since there are many variables involved in an event, it is best to call or e-mail Tom Nutile and discuss pricing with him.
Isn’t a 15-piece big band too loud for most events?
We frequently play for the cocktail reception or dinner portion of parties, corporate events, or weddings, and we do it very softly, using our quietest arrangements. People sitting near the band are still able to carry on intimate conversations. Because we are essentially an acoustic ensemble, we can play much softer than a rock band. We also have a state-of-the-art sound system that can amplify all our musicians so that, when appropriate, we can fill even the largest ballroom or auditorium with clear, clean, balanced sound.
How much space do I need for your big band?
The ideal space is 20 feet wide and 16 feet deep, but we have played in smaller configurations, such as 16 feet by 16 feet. We recently performed for a large university where the ballroom allowed only 10 feet between the back wall and the dance floor and we fit adequately in that space. When in doubt, call or e-mail and we’ll figure out together whether your space can accommodate our band.
What does your band wear?
That’s up to you. We have performed in tuxedos, business suits, business casual attire, all-black outfits and – for one festive outdoor wedding – Hawaiian shirts with black slacks. No matter what we wear, we always have a neat, professional appearance.
I have an event in a small space for a small number of people. Can you cut down your big band so we have just a few musicians?
Most big-band arrangements work only for a big band, meaning 15 musicians or more, so we can’t cut down the band to come up with a “smaller” big band. What we can do, however, if you need a smaller group, is recommend the Tom Nutile Trio, consisting of Tom on saxophones and clarinet, supplemented by a guitarist and a bassist. The Trio is suitable for a variety of events, including weddings, cocktail parties and corporate events. If you are looking for a medium-sized band that can play swing and rock and pop, we can offer you a five-piece group, consisting of a rhythm section (piano, bass, drums), Tom on saxophones and clarinet, plus a singer. To turn the five-piece into a six- or seven-piece ensemble for more instrumental color, we add one or two more melodic instrumentalists, usually a trumpeter and a guitarist.
