Chicago Jazz Entertainment

What Chicago Jazz Entertainment does

Chicago Jazz Entertainment is a privately-held live jazz entertainment booking agency headquartered in the Chicago metropolitan area, founded by Mike Jeffers, who also founded ChicagoJazz.com and publishes Chicago Jazz Magazine. The company aggregates a curated roster of Chicago jazz musicians — including Steinway Artist and Grammy-nominated pianist Ben Paterson, Rat Pack specialist Frank Lamphere, vocalists Michele Thomas, Sam Fazio, Keri Johnsrud, and Stephanie Browning, and ensembles such as the Chicago Jazz Quartet and Chicago String Quartet — and books them for corporate receptions, weddings, and private events. Service configurations span from duos through ten-piece bands, with themed performance categories (Martinis & Sinatra, Rat Pack Jazz, Holiday Jazz) and flexible repertoire (classic jazz standards, American Songbook, holiday music, and limited R&B/pop).

The business operates on a direct-to-consumer model with no intermediaries: customers submit booking inquiries through the company website or call 773-927-0396, and pricing is quote-based and customized per event based on ensemble size, duration, and performance requirements. All performances are marketed as fully insured and backed by a 100% performance guarantee. Distribution is regional, limited to the Chicago metropolitan area, with documented venue-based residency relationships at the Peninsula Hotel Chicago, the Drake Hotel (six-year residency), LondonHouse Chicago, and the Chicago Hilton.

Revenue is generated entirely through one-time event booking fees; no subscriptions, retainers, or recurring contracts are disclosed, and there is no publicly available pricing. The company is founder-owned and bootstrapped with no institutional investors, parent company, or external funding rounds indicated in the available data. Operating status is active (website carries a 2026 copyright), and no patents, trademarks, regulatory actions, M&A activity, or formal awards are documented in the input. The company has no app, no public API, and no AI/ML capability stack — its competitive position rests on talent curation, brand reputation in the Chicago jazz scene, and embedded relationships with premier hospitality venues.

Name

Chicago Jazz Entertainment

Legal name

Chicago Jazz Entertainment

Website

https://chicagojazzentertainment.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2006

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Chicago Jazz Entertainment is a privately-held Chicago-based booking agency that provides live jazz ensembles — trios, quartets, vocalists, and themed acts — for corporate receptions, weddings, and private events in the Chicago metropolitan area through direct website and phone inquiries.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

NAICS

Musical Groups and Artists (711130)

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900), Services-Miscellaneous Amusement & Recreation (7990)

akta.pro primary industry

Live Music Booking (Bands, Soloists, DJs) (HSACAHAA)

Keywords

• Live jazz entertainment
• Jazz trio booking
• Corporate event music
• Wedding jazz musicians
• Jazz vocalist booking

Headquarters

HQ city

Chicago

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

Revenue model

1. Live Performance Booking: Chicago Jazz Entertainment generates revenue by booking jazz trios, quartets, vocalists, and ensembles for corporate receptions, private events, and weddings. Services are priced per event/booking as one-time engagements. The company offers various ensemble configurations from duos to ten-piece bands depending on client needs and budget.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels1 record

Core offering

Chicago Jazz Entertainment is a Chicago-based booking agency that provides live jazz ensembles (duos through ten-piece bands) and vocalists for corporate receptions, private events, and weddings in the Chicago metropolitan area. All performances are fully insured and backed by a 100% performance guarantee, with volume levels tuned for networking and conversation. The agency also offers themed programs such as Rat Pack jazz and Sinatra/Martini-style sets.

Product overview

Chicago Jazz Entertainment is an entertainment booking service providing live jazz music for corporate events, weddings, and private events. The portfolio consists of multiple jazz ensembles (trios, quartets, and string quartets), vocalists, and themed performances including Rat Pack Jazz, Martinis & Sinatra, and Holiday Jazz. The core offering centers on providing fully insured and guaranteed jazz musicians who create an atmosphere suitable for networking at controlled volume levels. Key performers include Ben Paterson (Steinway Artist), Frank Lamphere (Rat Pack specialist), and multiple vocalists including Michele Thomas, Sam Fazio, Keri Johnsrud, and Stephanie Browning.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Named customers5 records

Segments3 records

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Recent moves4 records

Expansion highlights2 records

Direct peers

• The Bash: Event entertainment booking marketplace (formerly GigMasters) where customers request quotes from local entertainers including musicians and bands. Directly comparable to Chicago Jazz Entertainment in the live music booking category, with overlapping customer segments of corporate and private event planners seeking entertainment for similar occasions.
• GigSalad: Online marketplace that connects event planners with live entertainment providers including bands, musicians, and DJs. Directly comparable to Chicago Jazz Entertainment because it operates in the same live entertainment booking category, serving the same event planner and private/corporate customer base through a quote-based booking model.

Broad incumbents

• Bark: Global local services marketplace that includes event entertainment categories such as live musicians and bands. While much broader than Chicago Jazz Entertainment, it competes for the same customer base of event planners seeking entertainment and represents a marketplace alternative to the direct booking model.
• Thumbtack: Large U.S. local services marketplace that includes event entertainment as a category alongside many other services. While much broader than Chicago Jazz Entertainment, it competes for the same corporate event and wedding entertainment bookings, making it an incumbent marketplace alternative for sourcing live musicians.

Regional players

• Elegant Music: Los Angeles-based live music booking service providing jazz ensembles and string quartets for weddings and corporate events. Comparable to Chicago Jazz Entertainment in offering curated classical and jazz performers for similar event use cases under a similar booking model, but operating in the Los Angeles market rather than Chicago.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/chicago-jazz-entertainment

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Chicago Jazz Entertainment