The Tom Nutile Big Band, Octet/Septet or Trio are available for large or small corporate events, weddings, fundraisers, swing dances or ballroom dances, indoor or outdoor concerts, festivals, nightclubs, and any other event requiring a professional musical group that plays with precision and enthusiasm.
The Big Band features 17 performers, including a male and female vocalist, five saxophonists (who double on flute or clarinet), three trumpeters, three trombonists, and a rhythm section of keyboard player, guitarist, bassist and drummer. The Septet and Octet include both a male and female singer, two or three wind players (saxophonist/clarinetist, trumpeter and often a trombonist), and a rhythm section of keyboard player (who often doubles as our second singer), a guitarist, bassist and drummer.
The Trio is Tom on saxophone/clarinet, a guitarist, and a bassist.
Although our roots are in swing music, that is only small one part of what we do. Our repertoire runs from swing through Frank Sinatra, Ella Fitzgerald and Michael Buble on through the soul, pop, rock and R&B of the Fifties and Sixties up to the present day.
How do I engage you for a performance?
Call, e-mail or text Tom and he’ll discuss your event with you to make sure we can provide exactly what you want.
Phone or text: 508-397-2810
E-mail: music@tomnutile.com
What sort of music will you play for me?
We are inspired by the classic period of American popular music, when the big bands of Duke Ellington, Glenn Miller, Count Basie and Benny Goodman held sway, plus music from the 1950s and 1960s, when Frank Sinatra, Ella Fitzgerald and Bobby Darin were cutting records.
We also play more modern fare, whether it’s a recent pop hit by performers such as Ed Sheeran, Beyonce, Taylor Swift, Adele, John Legend and Meghan Thee Stallion back through Amy Winehouse and Pharrell on through the classic tunes of Van Morrison, Bill Withers, the Beatles, Rolling Stones, Michael Jackson, Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons, Aretha Franklin, the Supremes, the Drifters, Smoky Robinson and the Miracles or even early rock/R&B legends Chuck Berry, Wilson Pickett, Jackie Wilson and Elvis Presley.
Our Big Band and Octet/Septet has a substantial library of tunes from the swing-dance craze of recent years (Zoot Suit Riot, Stray Cat Strut, Go Daddy-O).
What sets Tom Nutile Music apart from other bands I can hire?
Few organizations in the region are more versatile, more professional, and can provide as many styles as we do. Our roots go back to the 1940s, when Tom’s father, Roy Nutile, started a swing orchestra with his teenage friends in East Boston and began collecting big-band and small-ensemble arrangements. As a result, we have more than 1,000 big-band, octet and septet charts, ranging from early swing arrangements to the latest in modern jazz and pop, R&B, soul, funk and rock. Our Trio generally plays swing, rock, pop and, especially, Great American Songbook standards and usually doesn’t rely on scripted arrangements.
How much do you charge?
We provide the best music in New England, using the region’s best musicians, at competitive prices. Since there are many variables involved in an event, from how long you’d like us to play, to where the event is located, to the size of the ensemble, it is best to call or email Tom Nutile and discuss pricing with him.
Isn’t a 17-piece big band too loud for most events?
The Tom Nutile Big Band frequently plays for the cocktail reception or dinner portion of parties, corporate events, or weddings, and we do it very softly, using our quietest arrangements. People sitting near the band are still able to carry on intimate conversations. Because we are essentially an acoustic ensemble, we can play much softer than a rock band. We also have a number of excellent sound systems that can amplify all our musicians. Even when we use the Tom Nutile Trio, we can fill large ballrooms and auditoriums with clear, clean, balanced sound.
I am holding an event, and I want something a little different than your big band, septet, octet or trio. Whom should I contact?
You should still give us a call. We can build to suit. For example, we can add a singer to our trio to form an intimate but versatile group for a small party. If you like the styles of music we play, but want an additional category, we can provide that via pre-recorded music or by utilizing one of our musicians as a DJ during breaks.
How much space do I need for one of your ensembles?
The ideal space for the Big Band is 24 feet wide and 16 feet deep or larger, but we have played in smaller configurations, such as 18 feet by 18 feet for the Big Band. For a recent wedding in a mansion, we fit the Septet inside a 12-foot by 10-foot rectangle bordered by four marble pillars. We have also performed for a large university as well as a restaurant where the floor plan allowed only 10 feet between the back wall and the dance floor, and we easily fit in that space. We have fit the Trio into a corner of a large kitchen when asked to perform at a house party. When in doubt, call or email and we’ll work together to determine what your space will accommodate.
What does your band wear?
That’s up to you. We have performed in tuxedos, business suits, business casual attire, all-black outfits and – for one festive outdoor wedding – Hawaiian shirts with black slacks. No matter what we wear, we always have a neat, professional appearance.
How do I pronounce your name, Nutile, and why don’t you have a “descriptive” name, like The Big Phat Band or The Rolling Stones?
Nutile is pronounced as if there were no i in the middle: NEWT-Lee. It’s an Italian name and the pronunciation was Americanized when Tom’s family came over from Italy in the 1880s. We’re called The Tom Nutile Big Band because, back in the golden era of swing, most bands were named after the leader: The Duke Ellington Orchestra, The Buddy Rich Big Band, etc.
