Kai Hoffman Jazz Band
American jazz singer Kai Hoffman gives you her own original take on the well-known classics

With a voice that can be as clear as a bell, yet is equipped with deep low resonances when required, London-based American jazz singer Kai Hoffman gives you her own original take on the well-known classics that epitomize the Swing Jazz repertoire. And that's not all. Kai's repertoire extends through Latin Jazz, Blues, Jump Jive, Soul and Motown, from the 1920s-1960s, as well as her own original tunes. Listen out for mouth-wateringly tight arrangements and perfect phrasing from the instrumental ensemble of piano, double-bass and drums that completes The Kai Hoffman Jazz Quartet. The band is also available as a duo or a trio.
Currently in the final stages of producing their debut album ‘Losing Track of Time,’ the Kai Hoffman Quartet lineup features pianist/composer Simon Whiteside, with Kai on vocals and French horn, the award-winning Jim Hart on drums and vibes and the versatile Nick Pugh on bass. Simon Whiteside’s swingin’ and groovy arrangements for the CD also bring in top level frontline players Robbie Robson on trumpet, Sam Crockatt on tenor sax, and Sam Bollard on bari sax and bass clarinet, as well as the brilliant South American percussionist Andres Ticino, and the SWString Quartet.

Originally from the gorgeous coast of Massachusetts, Kai studied at the Manhattan School of Music in New York City before moving to Cologne, Germany, to study at Europe's largest music conservatoire, the Hochschule fuer Musik. With degree in hand, Kai then was accepted at the Royal College of Music in London, where she completed a postgraduate program in 2001. Whilst completing her studies in London, Kai was also busy performing with the National Youth Jazz Orchestra (NYJO), with whom she played (and sang) for 5 years – performing with Jamie Cullum, John Dankworth, Cleo Laine, Phil Woods and comedian Bruce Forsyth. The Kai Hoffman Jazz Quartet was formed during her time with NYJO.
A busy London freelancer, both as a vocalist and on French horn, Kai has performed with her quartet and numerous other ensembles at venues including the Royal Albert Hall, the Symphony Hall Birmingham, the Royal Festival Hall, the Jazz Cafe Camden, Ronnie Scott's Club, the Bull's Head, Barnes, the Spice of Life, and the Barbican, as well as numerous other jazz and classical music venues, since 1999.
Sample repertoire
Jazz (swing, ballad and blues)
All of Me
Bye Bye Blackbird
Can’t Help Lovin’ That Man
Come Fly With Me
Cry Me a River
Embraceable You
Every Time We Say Goodbye
Fever
Fly Me to the Moon
Georgia
Honeysuckle Rose
I Could Write A Book
I Get a Kick Out of You
I Got Rhythm
It Had to Be You
I Thought About You
Lullaby of Birdland
Misty
My Baby Just Cares For Me
My Funny Valentine
The Nearness of You
Night and Day
Our Love is Here to Stay
Over the Rainbow
Pennies From Heaven
People Will Say We’re in Love
Someone to Watch Over Me
Summertime
Star Eyes
Sweet Georgia Brown
They Can’t Take That Away From Me
Unforgettable
What a Wonderful World
When I Fall in Love
You’re Nobody ‘Til Somebody Loves You
Latin
Besame Mucho
Corcovado (Quiet Nights of Quiet Stars)
Girl from Ipanema (Garota de Ipanema)
Perhaps, perhaps, perhaps (Quizas, quizas, quizas)
Mas Que Nada
One Note Samba
So Danso Samba (Jazz n’ Samba)
So Nice
Triste
Wave
Boogie Woogie/Motown/Pop/Rock and Roll
Ain’t No Sunshine
Ain’t Nothing Like the Real Thing
Baby I Need Your Lovin’
Baby Love
Beautiful (Christina Aguilera)
Eight Days A Week
Hound Dog
How Sweet It Is
I Heard It Through the Grapevine
I Just Want To Make Love To You
I Will Always Love You (Whitney Houston)
I Wish I Knew How It Would Feel To Be Free
Kansas City
Killing Me Softly
Love Me Tender
Moondance
Never Can Say Goodbye
Nowhere To Run
Power of Love (Celine Dion)
Promise Me
Rock Around the Clock
Route 66
Save The Best For Last
Save The Last Dance For Me
Saving All My Love For You
The Shoop Shoop Song (It’s In His Kiss)
Sittin’ On the Dock of the Bay
Son of a Preacher Man
Stand By Me
Stop In the Name of Love
Sunny
Take Another Little Piece of My Heart
Under the Boardwalk
Walk on By
Wind Beneath My Wings
You Can’t Hurry Love
You Keep Me Hangin’ On
You’ve Got a Friend
You’ve Really Got a Hold on Me
1920s
All of Me
Amazing Grace
Auld Lang Syne
The Best Things in Life Are Free
Birth of the Blues
But Not For Me
Bye Bye Blackbird
Can’t Help Lovin’ That Man
Fascinatin’ Rhythm
Georgia On My Mind
Give My Regards to Broadway
I Ain’t Got Nobody
I Got Rhythm
It Had To Be You
Let Me Call You Sweetheart
Lover Come Back To Me
The Man I Love0
Oh, You Beautiful Doll
Paper Doll
St. Louis Blues
Someone to Watch Over Me
Stardust
Tea for Two
You Made Me Love You
FAQ's
When will the band arrive to set up?
When you book a band you will be asked for both a start time and an end time. The start time must be at least 30 minutes prior to the performance commencing to allow the band to set up. If the band you book requires more than 30 minutes, you will not be charged extra, the band will just arrive slightly before the start time that you have specified. The band will finish playing at the end time and will need to pack up immediately.
Will the band provide their own their own sound equipment?
All of our London-based bands are self-contained and provide their own sound equipment suitable for most situations. If your event is to be held in a large venue, or you have more than about 300 guests, we recommend that additional sound equipment should be used. In this case, please contact us before booking to confirm exactly what you require and to receive a free quote. If you wish you can provide any extra sound equipment yourself or hire a third party company to provide it.
Do you supply DJs or Discos?
Yes - for events within London, please visit the DJ Packages for Events in London page.
If your event is outside London, you can search for DJ's & Mobile Discos for Events in the directory.
What will the band require?
- A standard power socket (no more than 5m from the performance area)
- Parking for up to 3 cars (depending on the size of the band)
- Refreshments (it is customary to provide musicians with food & drink
How do I choose the right band for my event?
To help you choose, consider the following:
- A smaller ensemble (e.g. duo/trio) may find it hard to be heard in larger venues or at busy events.
- If you are booking a band for dancing, larger ensembles with drums and/or vocals are more suitable.
- Try our advanced search to find exactly what you're looking for!
Related Articles:
Selecting a wedding band - how to choose music for a wedding reception
Selecting a corporate event band - choosing the right music for your corporate event
How do I book and when do I
pay?
- Pay by credit card - You can pay either a deposit, or the entire cost to secure your booking. Your card will not be charged until the booking is confirmed by us, and you will receive both confirmation of the booking and notification of successful payment. If you choose to pay a deposit, the remaining cost will be charged to your credit card on the date of the event.
- Pay by cheque - To pay by cheque you must pay the entire cost at once. When we confirm your booking we will supply details of where to send your cheque. Please do not send payment until we have confirmed your booking by email. Please make any cheques payable to “LastMinuteMusicians.com”
- Bank transfers - Available on request.
Can I cancel my booking after paying
my deposit?
Yes, you can cancel your booking at any time and receive a full refund! However, if you cancel less than 91 days before the event, part or all of your deposit will be retained as a cancellation fee. 21 to 91 days before performance: 50% of full fee is retained, 1 to 21 days before performance: 100% of full fee is retained. This reflects not only the time and effort involved organising the booking, but also the decreasing probability of the act finding alternative work at such short notice.
Is VAT added to your prices?
No. LastMinuteMusicians.com is not VAT registered.
How far in advance do I need to book a band?
Our most popular bands get booked up years in advance so it is always a good idea to book as far in advance as possible. We can only take online bookings for bands up to 3 days before your event, however, it is sometimes possible to make a telephone booking right up to the last minute!
If I book a band with drums, will the drums be too loud?
Playing at the appropriate volume it is extremely important to most of our clients. All the drummers in our bands are quite used to playing sympathetically to the surroundings, and can play with 'brushes' which allows them to balance perfectly with the other instruments in the band.
Do I need to tell the venue that I have booked a band?
Yes. Venues are now required by law to have a licence for live music so it always a good to let your venue know if you have hired a band. They will probably give you information about loading procedures, parking etc. which you should pass on for the band as soon as possible.
Do you provide backing bands for solo artists?
We are often asked to supply a band for a showcase or one-off gig. We can supply anything from a pianist to a full professional backing band. Please contact us for more information
Do you ever have to substitute musicians?
Yes, but only on a few exceptional occasions! Whilst every effort is made to ensure that musicians aren't substituted, occasionally it is necessary for us to do so in cases of illness etc. The substitute musician would be an experienced professional recommended by us and suitable for the band you booked.
Do you provide any bands for events outside of London?
In some cases we will supply bands outside of London, especially if you can offer accommodation. Please contact us to enquire about a specific band.
Not found the answer?
Simply contact us if you have any other questions about our London-based bands or call us on 0870 428 3549 (mon-fri, 8.30am-6.30pm).
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