California Jazz at Its Finest: Carter and Bodlovich

By Christina Andrews

Special events in the Napa Valley demand just the right music to make them successful. The music needs to add energy and a celebratory feel to an atmosphere already resplendent with the natural beauty of the valley and the elegance of the wedding venues. The music must enhance, but not intrude and must meet the same standards of quality, technique and creativity we find in the wine, food and design elements. Part of this regional event (a.k.a. “wine country”) experience is finding services that resonant with the spirit of the area.

Northern California is renowned for the richness of its arts culture and jazz music is an integral part of the music scene here. Many jazz groups uphold traditional styles and perform/rework standards that have a wide appeal because of their familiarity. Other jazz groups edge out beyond what is conventional, incorporating new harmonic elements and instrumentations, weaving in material from folk, funk, rock, surf, Latin and other styles. You may find that you enjoy and connect with both of these types of performers. The question is “which of these music acts are going to be appropriate for your special event?”

Isaac Carter and Jason Bodlovich are hotshot guitarists from the Sonoma area who are renowned among jazz aficionados for their brilliant technique, beautiful and intricate arrangements and the breadth of their expressive/stylistic range. They bring a youthful exuberance to their music but demonstrate a mature sophistication in their interpretation of jazz standards and in their original works. They move effortlessly from cool Brazilian jazz rifts to boinky funk licks and despite all this wild meandering, the music is perfect for wedding events in the wine country. It's polished, it's beautiful, it's not too loud, it's varied and it's inspiring. Carter and Bodlovich serve up a tasty buffet of musical hors d'oeuvres that are sure to please all of your guests.

How do you incorporate this kind of talent into your event without them stealing your thunder? Easily. Isaac and Jason have performed at hundreds of elegant events in Napa and Sonoma Counties, as well as at venues in San Francisco and they understand the protocol. They will provide you with just the right proportion and mix of soothing ballads vs. invigorating dance tunes while maintaining just the right dynamic level. You'll be able to enjoy the music but converse without straining your voice.

Jazz groups such as the Carter & Bodlovich Duo or Trio offer just the right sound for cocktail hour and for during dinner. Typically cocktails are served in an area that's away from the ceremony area. The group can draw the guests toward the cocktail area with uptempo jazz standards. Guests will relax and unwind as they absorb the beautiful harmonies, rhythmic textures and familiar melodies. The same combo can then move easily to your dinner area providing relaxed, atmospheric jazz for during the meal. Couples who are using a DJ for the dance reception might consider employing this same group to do their special dances at the end of dinner so that these important moments have more depth of sound, emotional impact and originality than they would get from a recorded performance.

Although Carter & Bodlovich performs primarily as a duo, they are available as a trio (add Latin percussion), quartet (add bass) and with any number of horns or vocalists.

Isaac Carter is also an accomplished classical guitarist and can provide you with a wide range of standard wedding repertoire for your ceremony.