Hella Fitzgerald

San Francisco Bay Area, Napa, Monterey, Carmel, Lake Tahoe

About This Vendor

Hella Fitzgerald - from bebop to hip-hop!

We are a deluxe party band collective based in Northern California, that specializes in vintage jazz and swing, classic soul, funk, R&B, 90's and contemporary songs. We also showcase vintage versions of modern tunes. Featuring some of the finest musicians and vocalists in the area, we can support events of any size, theme and budget, as we incorporate classic jazz and swing, motown, soul, 90's, and contemporary songs. We are flexible in band size and instrumentation and will work with you to support your venue size, budget, and musical tastes. Check out our brand new Honor Brass Band to add a little New orleans flavor to your ceremony or cocktail hour! With our experience and sensitivity to detail, it is our ultimate goal to help create a special and memorable event.

Details

Business Attributes

Woman-owned Business

Instruments

Accordion, Bass, Cello, Guitar, Harp, Keyboard, Organ, Percussion, Piano, Saxophone, Trombone, Trumpet, Violin, Vocals

Music Genres

Dance, Disco, Hip-Hop, Jazz, Klezmer, Latin, Pop, R&B

Music Services

Live Music, MC Services, Recorded Music, Sound Equipment

Wedding Activities

Rehearsals & Parties, After Party, Wedding, Ceremony, Reception

Awards and Affiliations

Hella Fitzgerald Reviews

Reviewed On 8/04/2022 by Pierre C

Hella Fitzgerald delivered. The band is solid with excellent sound, thanks to their super helpful bass player/sound guy. Their music set the perfect atmosphere. As a musician myself, I had high expectations for them - and they did not disappoi...

nt. We were happy, our guests loved it, and I highly recommend them for your event. Thank you!

Reviewed On 5/06/2022 by L C

Was really looking forward to our scheduled consultation, we even received a text and email confirmation but Lilian no-showed and ghosted us. We send two follow up emails to check and see if everything was okay, but no response from them. Not a...

good look and unfortunately we won't be booking them.

Reviewed On 12/02/2021 by Sarah D

I am so glad that we booked Hella Fitzgerald for our wedding! We had a very diverse crowd at our wedding, and I was worried that it would be hard to find a band that would appeal to everyone and get people dancing, but Hella exceeded our wilde...

st expectations! Everyone was out on the floor having a great time and people told us over and over again that it was the most fun they've ever had dancing - all thanks to Hella. We're also salsa dancers, and Hella Fitzgerald managed to adapt some of their songs to fit a salsa beat, which was a completely unexpected delight for us. This band sounds as great live as they do on their demos, and they are fun and professional and will make any night a party to remember. Lilan was a pleasure to work with during the planning aspect of things too. Book them!

Reviewed On 9/27/2021 by Justin C

Hella Fitzgerald is one of the best bands in the Bay Area. Our wedding’s theme was 1930’s vintage, and HF was the perfect fit in every way. They are easy to work with, flexible, and sound REALLY good. Our families from Chicago, Southern CA, and...

Minnesota all pulled me aside and ask, “What is that band called? They’re amazing!” If you have an event - book these guys! Thanks for making our wedding so memorable and fun. - Justin Capsuto

Response from the Vendor on 09/28/2021

thank you so much Justin! We also had a blast and were so happy to be a part of your special day. Congratulations!

Reviewed On 9/19/2021 by Andrew N

They were the band for my sister’s wedding. Amazing!

Reviewed On 9/14/2021 by Caitlyn I

Hella Fitzgerald is SUCH a fun band to have at your wedding. My husband and I were searching for a band that specialized Jazz, Funk, R&B and other more classic genres of music. They had us on our feet and dancing the night away. We had not one,...

but two ripped pants on the dance floor that night (including the groom's) which I consider to be a true testament to how talented and entertaining they were. They helped arrange our ceremony music as well (we went with a harpist) and handled all of the sound set up. Lilan was great at MCing the night. Thank you Hella Fitzgerald for making our wedding ROCK and for being so flexible and helpful throughout the uncertainty of planning a wedding during covid. Our guests had a blast and so did we!

Response from the Vendor on 09/28/2021

thank you so much Caitlyn! I think that's the most pairs of ripped pants in the weddings we have done so far haha!

Reviewed On 11/24/2020 by Shelby S

Awesome music and awesome people! Lilan was very flexible with our ever-changing Covid plans and she worked to make our special day as memorable as possible. Highly recommend!

Reviewed On 5/13/2020 by Stacey S

Hella Fitzgerald is an energetic and extremely talented group of musicians! They played a terrific mix of genres as well as classic and unique songs at our wedding that got every guest grooving on the dance floor all night. Hiring this band for...

your wedding or other event is a worthy investment, and guests will fondly remember it long afterwards. Kimiko, the lead singer, also did a flawless job setting up and managing the sound system during the ceremony and reception, too. There were no issues with sound quality during vows, speeches, or dancing which allowed everyone to fully enjoy the moment. Their band manager was responsive, kind, and very professional and provided various options to fit our event needs and budget. We’re grateful to have had the best band at our wedding and highly recommend them!

Reviewed On 3/04/2020 by Francois N

Hella Fitzgerald made our wedding hella good! They were professional and courteous, accommodating (the band learned pieces we requested and allowed us to jam with them) and they rocked!! Lila was such a great MC and front woman! I highly recom...

mend them.

Response from the Vendor on 03/04/2020

Thanks, Francois! It was a pleasure working with you! I'll be sure to pass this along to the rest of the band :)

Reviewed On 1/25/2020 by Amanda S

They are AMAZING! I didn't leave the dance floor for the whole event. Jazzy music, incredible vocals, and GREAT VIBES. These musicians are SO TALENTED! I will take any opportunity to see Hella Fitzgerald

Response from the Vendor on 01/25/2020

Thanks, Amanda! Looking forward to partying next year with you!

Reviewed On 1/21/2020 by Gabriela G

I found Hella Fitzgerald after a simple Google search, and am so grateful I did. I was running point on entertainment for my company's holiday party and Hella Fitzgerald was the right choice to fit our 1920s theme, and get the energy going. The...

y were easy to communicate with during the planning process, and an incredibly talented band.

Reviewed On 12/14/2019 by Ryan H

Hella Fitzgerald was fantastic. Lilan and the band got everyone on the floor and moving all night! In addition to the main band, at our cocktail hour we also had Honor Brass Band (Hella Fitzgerald's New Orleans brass band with many of the same ...

members). Between the two groups, they played so many different styles of music - jazz, funk, pop, everything in between - and did a great job reading the room to keep the energy high. Aside from that, Lilan and the team were amazing to work with. SUPER professional and organized (but like, in a fun way), and came with a lot of great ideas based on their experience of what was going to work best. They were also really open and accommodating about the ideas and requests we had. Anyway, everyone should hire this band. They are the best. Thanks Hella Fitzgerald!

Reviewed On 10/20/2019 by Heather D

Hella Fitzgerald was the PERFECT band for our wedding day. They were responsive in the planning process and stayed flexible to our vision. All of their preparatory efforts led to a smooth day and a whole , happy crowd of dancers! We could not r...

ecommend them more highly!

Response from the Vendor on 10/21/2019

Thank you so much for the kind review! It was such a pleasure working with you and J, and we wish you all the best :)

Reviewed On 10/10/2019 by Megan P

My (now) husband and I booked Hella Fitzgerald for our wedding at a small venue in September. They were recommended to us by the venue and we were instantly impressed by their videos online. Working with them was so easy and stress-free. They k...

ept in constant contact with us throughout the planning process and kept everything on track and fun on our wedding day. We would recommend Hella Fitzgerald for your wedding or event, they were perfect!

Response from the Vendor on 10/11/2019

Thank you so much! It was such a pleasure working with you :)

Reviewed On 9/23/2019 by Scott T

We are so happy Hella Fitzgerald was able to be such a big part of our wedding! They really knew how to bring down the house with their powerful sets. I highly recommend them for any party. Lilan was clear and communicative leading up to the...

big day and the band stayed true to their schedule. A++ performance!

Reviewed On 9/10/2019 by Elyse K

Hella Fitzgerald played for our wedding August 2019 - and they were AMAZING!!! They were easy to work with during the planning process, and were great performers on the day of the show. Detailed review: 1) The Music - This is an incredible gr...

oup of musicians! We hired a group of 9 musicians (2 singers, horns, sax, guitar, base, drums, keyboards). Several of our guests were musicians themselves and they were impressed by the bands' talent. - The singers (Lilan in particular) are so talented! Soulful, engaging and always in tune - it was a serious treat to get to listen and dance to them! The set list was also perfect. They had a great list of songs, and were respectful of our "do not play list". They played a great combination of funk, soul, pop - providing a unique/memorable all super fun dance party. Our guests kept commenting on how good the band was! 2) MC Skills - Lilan MC'd our reception events (intros, speeches, cake cutting, first dances, etc) and she was professional, succinct, and articulate. We were proud to have her guide the events and keep things running smoothly. 3) Professionalism & Communication- Working w/ Hella Fitzgerald was an easy process. They had a straight forward contract, and were happy to answer questions and work with our venue coordinator as needed. They went above and beyond to meet the venue requirements, which we sincerely appreciated! Overall - from easy-going personalities, to a fun set list, to great musicianship - this band is amazing! They are cool / timeless all at the same time and we 110% would book them again. Thank you to Lilan and her team for making our wedding so memorable!

Response from the Vendor on 09/10/2019

Thank you so much! I'll be sure to pass this along to the rest of the band. It was such a pleasure to work with you and I hope our paths cross again!

Reviewed On 8/06/2019 by Andrew M

This band is killer! We hired them for our wedding reception in July 2020 at the St. Francis Yacht Club and they made the night unforgettable. They were fun and upbeat. Volume control was great for the older crowd and the energy from the band a...

nd on the dance floor was unforgettable. Do yourself a favor and hire this band!

Response from the Vendor on 08/08/2019

Thanks so much! It was such a great night. Wishing you all the best! -Hella Fitzgerald

Reviewed On 6/22/2019 by Elyssa L

The dance floor was one of the most important parts of our wedding and we knew we wanted a live band to really bring the energy. This band is legit. They are all extremely talented musicians, and all our guests loved it. We got so many complime...

nts on the band, still a couple months later. My biggest advice to couples when working with them is to not try to micro manage. We probably tended towards the type A planning couple, and in retrospect this was unnecessary stress we were putting on ourselves. Communication isn’t always that speedy, but I think they hired a dedicated person so it’s improved. And generally, they know what they’re doing, so just give them some direction and they can craft a set list from there that will keep people on their feet all night. Would work with them again in a heartbeat.

Reviewed On 6/04/2019 by Jeff B

Hella Fitzgerald exceeded my every expectation! Working with this band from start to finish, they are really a class act. I booked them for a high end gig in SF and the guests and clients could not stop talking about how incredible the entertai...

nment was. Lilan and her team were incredible to work with, and their product was incredible. I would recommend them to anyone in a heart beat!

Reviewed On 4/02/2019 by Lu L

Hella Fitzgerald and associated act, Honor Brass Band were absolutely amazing for our wedding. They looked great, they sounded amazing, they brought A+ energy to the dance floor and they made it all flow so smoothly. With very little guidance...

from us, they knew exactly how to handle every aspect of the sound, music and MC responsibilities. They made it so easy and so good. Hire great & talented people and they will make your life easy on the one day when you really shouldn't have to worry about anything. Thank you Lilan and Hella Fitzgerald and Daniel and Honor Brass Band.

Reviewed On 1/11/2019 by Larry P

Go directly to Hella Fitzgerald. Skip all the amatures out there. Seriously, book Hella Fitzgerald if you want to be taken care of by musicians that know what the heck they are doing. I can't say enough about the professionalism, ability to ada...

pt, and downright musical mastery displayed by this amazing group!

Reviewed On 11/26/2018 by Katie S

Amazing band for our vintage-y wedding! They absolutely made the evening what it was and we couldn’t have been happier with their performance. They were engaging with the audience and made the announcements go seamlessly throughout the night.

Reviewed On 11/15/2018 by Cathy C

Hella Fitzgerald recently played at a fundraising event for me, and they really made the evening special. They are fantastic musicians and kept everyone on their feet dancing... but even more important was how easy they are to work with. Very, ...

very nice people and showed flexibility in a couple of unusual situations - I was the event organizer so they made me look good. Terrific voices and amazing musicianship. You'll love them!

Reviewed On 11/05/2018 by Kerry R

Lilan and a trio ensemble from Hella Fitzgerald performed at our wedding. Lilan has a beautiful voice. She is very professional and easy to work with. Lilan performs all over the Bay Area as a professional singer. We are very happy and would re...

commend Hella Fitzgerald!!

Reviewed On 10/31/2018 by TIFFANY H

Best wedding band hands down! We had Hella Fitzgerald play our wedding in Napa, and they made everything PERFECT! Thank you for making our day so fun and special!

Reviewed On 10/02/2018 by Nitin C

Extremely easy to work with, Hella Fitzgerald set the right tempo and tone for my wedding. They did 3 sets, one for cocktail hour and 2 during the reception. The cocktail hour featured a trio while the reception featured a full band. The music...

they played was nothing short of amazing! Cocktail hour set the mood with some light jazz; the reception set built up the energy wonderfully culminating with songs that energized my guests on the dance floor. Best of all, they were highly accommodating when structuring the full package. Would highly recommend!

Reviewed On 5/21/2018 by Eleanor W

What an amazing and talented ensemble! We recently had the pleasure of having Hella Fitzgerald play at our wedding (5.12.18), and we are so incredibly happy that we did. Our band was led by Natalie and Tasche, who were both incredible musicia...

ns with loads of energy, enthusiasm, and charisma. All of our guests RAVED about the band. They definitely set the perfect tone throughout the event: for the ceremony Tasche played lovely and well timed renditions of two classical pieces I requested, the cocktail hour and dinner featured a selection of their jazz, swing and blues cannon, and the reception was brought to life with their incredible soul, funk and contemporary selection. I requested they learn a new song for our first dance, and their rendition was so far and above the source material I had sent them. Both Natalie and Tasche have such beautiful and powerful voices, and with each song I was blown away. Their range was so fluid and impressive! Lilan, the band leader, was the epitome of class and professionalism in her communications with me, and her correspondence was always prompt. She checked in with me multiple times before the event, and her planning shone through in the effortless flow that characterized the event. I made a few last minute requests for the break music, and she graciously accommodated them. If you are considering a live band for your event or wedding, do yourself a favor go check them out live at one of their many regular engagements! We were already wedded (haha) to having some live music for the ceremony and cocktail hour, and their prices were extremely competitive compared to those of a short engagement band and typical DJ. Our reception was made SO SO SO much better with their live music and energy. Any wedding DJ can play the same top 40 hits for your reception, but none can compare to the enthusiasm, musical talent, and pure JOY that you will experience with Hella Fitzgerald at the helm.

Reviewed On 4/14/2018 by Cindy T

The fantastic musicians and singers of Hella Fitzgerald were not only the featured stars of our wedding celebration that we were super excited to just listen to and appreciate with our closest family and friends, they played beautiful music thr...

oughout the event, from great piano solos of our chosen processional and recessional songs during the ceremony, to fabulous instrumental music to really set the scene and tone during the cocktail hour, to the highlight of the night: the dancing and celebrating with the full band rocking the house. Lilan, the band leader, was also our emcee for the night, and she did a perfect job keeping the energy up and positive and keeping things moving. Truly inspired live music is such a privilege to enjoy, and we felt so lucky to enjoy it with our loved ones in a celebration that will always be so dear to our hearts. Thank you, Hella Fitzgerald! We can't recommend you more highly!!

Reviewed On 1/15/2018 by Sam M

Hella Fitzgerald was the dream band for our dream wedding. Thorough communication, detail oriented, beautiful live sound, an eclectic mix of music from the classics/jazz/R&B/modern and a ton in-between, and some of the sweetest and most kind mu...

sicians I've ever met -- the magic they provided for our recent wedding was beyond what we expected even after reading their stellar reviews. Lilan helped us coordinate and put together the perfect band package for our wedding in the Bay Area. We had some special requests and the band was more than down to help make those a reality. The band provided a special arrangement of music for our ceremony, played during our dinner and then for our reception. Lilan also provided emcee duties for every piece of the reception - from introductions to the money dance, and bumped our party up to the perfect degree. These musicians aren't just the most professional musicians I've worked with in my entire career, they take their craft to another level, and the magical quality of music they laid down the entire night gained the love and adoration of all our guests. We can't thank Lilan and the band enough for being there for us on this special day. If we ever need another band for another party, it's them. And for anyone looking for a band that can do it all and then some, you need to call Hella Fitzgerald.

Reviewed On 10/31/2017 by Catherine N

Hella Fitzgerald was the BEST addition to our ceremony and reception! We originally weren't going to have a live band, but once I found Lilan and Hella Fitzgerald, I knew I just had to have them! Not only did they provide the most awesome mus...

ic for our reception, they also provided piano accompaniment for the ceremony. My guests were also commenting on how great they were, everyone was very impressed. This is a group of real professionals and amazing musicians. I wish I had another party to throw, just so that I could hire them again!