Alice Harvey

The Voice Of Smooth Jazz

F.A.Q What if the venue doesn't have a piano? In situations like this Alice's pianist would bring a digital piano which can even be used outside. Digital pianos are ideal when playing for events that require music in more than one location. They can usually be relocated and set up within twenty minutes. Does a digital piano sound as good as a proper piano? It does depend on the quality of the proper piano that you are comparing the digital piano with. A digital piano is nearly always better than the piano that you will find at a venue. You can hear the quality of a digital piano by listening or downloading the music on this site. Does a digital piano look like a normal piano? No, it doesn't but it definitely does look neat and tidy. Please see picture at the top of the page. Does Alice perform with backing tracks? In order to keep the music live - Alice does not use backing tracks in her performances. Therefore the smallest line up available is the duo (piano and vocals). How much space does Alice need? As a duo, using her pianist with digital piano, they can fit into the tiniest of spaces - a space of 1 metre X 2.5 metres being more than adequate. Space for larger line ups takes a little bit more working out as the musicians can be placed in a line or any number of other formations. If we add a bass player to the line up will he play a proper bass? No offence to bass guitar players, but most people refer to a double bass as a proper bass. The bass players Alice uses (usually Mike Porter-Ward) always play a double bass which you can see in the photograph to the right. Will it be noisy if we have a drummer in the line up? No, the drummers Alice uses (usually Dave Trigwell) are skilled jazz drummers and are capable of playing very quietly. They are also masters of the long lost art playing with brushes which is ideal for background music. Also, the drum kit that they use is different from that of a rock drummer - one of the key differences being the diminutive size of the bass drum. A jazz kit does not produce anywhere near the same volume level as a rock kit. What happens when Alice takes a break? Alice can provide music during breaks. A CD player or MP3 player can usually be plugged into the PA system. Can you send us a playlist? Alice doesn't usually work from a playlist. She prefers to pick the songs she is going to sing at the time of the performance. This enables her to select material that matches the mood and the ambience of the event. You can see a list of songs Alice sings on the repertoire page. Does Alice need some sort of cover if she is singing outside? Yes, some sort of cover is needed as protection from the elements is vital. The heat from the sun can be very harmful to electronic equipment and a sudden downpour could be disastrous. Is it necessary to meet up with Alice before the event? This isn't necessary as nearly everything has to be sorted out on the day of the event. No meeting beforehand can really help with the decisions that have to be made on the day. Music for ceremonies and other requests can usually be sorted out by email or telephone. How do I secure the booking? After Alice has given you a quote and presuming that you have decided to go ahead with the booking: she will send you a letter of confirmation. In order to send you this letter Alice will need to make sure that she has all following information: The type of event (Wedding, engagemant party, corporate dinner etc.) The date of the event The address of the venue including postcode The line up (piano and bass, solo piano etc.) A start time and a finish time A contact number for if I have any queries On the day emergency contact number (best man's mobile or similar) Dress code (lounge suit, black tie etc.) Any other requirements (music for ceremony, gazebo, radio microphone for speaches, extra long extension lead etc.) She will send two copies of the letter and all you have to do is check all the details carefully and send a signed copy back to her. The booking is then secured. So How Much Will It Cost? Prices are from £480 (for vocals and piano) depending on distance from venue and other requirements. Please contact for a quote for your individual requirements. How would you like to be paid? Cash on the day is preferred. This enables the musicians to be payed straight away - rather than making them wait for the cheque to clear in Alice's bank. Is it OK to pay beforehand just to get it out of the way? If this is what you prefer then its usually OK. Is there somewhere public where I can hear Alice sing live? Throughout the year Alice only does a few public events. The bulk of the work she does consists of weddings, corporate events and private parties. However, public events will always be advertised on this site. What about Public Liability Insurance? Alice does have public liability insurance but could we ask, in the interest of safety, that all children are kept out of the performance area. Also, they do like to twiddle knobs and press buttons which can make things very difficult during a performance. Is Alice's electrical equipment PAT Tested for safety? Yes all Alice's equipment has been tested by a qualified electrical engineer. Alice tries to make sure that all equipment is safe, but once again, could you please do your part by keeping children away from the electrical items in the performance area.   Top Of Page Here