How to book a live saxophonist for your event

He plays live over the music that is already there. At most events that is a DJ set: the DJ builds the night, and the saxophone answers it, improvised, following the floor rather than a fixed setlist. It works because it is the same music the room already loves, with a human voice on top of it.

In practice that means one to three live sets across the evening, placed where they do the most: the aperitif when guests arrive, the golden hour outdoors, and the moment the floor fills. Between sets the DJ carries the room, and the saxophone comes back when the energy calls for it.

If you already have a DJ, book sax over the DJ's set. It is the most common booking and the easiest thing to add to a night that is planned: nothing about your programme changes, the saxophone joins it.

If you have no DJ yet, book sax and DJ as one act. One booking, one point of contact, one sound check, and the set is built end to end, so nobody has to introduce two suppliers to each other on the day.

• Sax over your DJ: you keep your DJ, he plays one to three live sets on top.
• Sax and DJ: the whole evening as one act, from the first hour to peak time.

Five things let him answer properly on the first reply, without a round of questions:

• The date, or the month if it is not fixed yet.
• The venue and the city, or the region if you are still choosing.
• The kind of event: a venue night, a corporate reception, a private party, a wedding, a day on the water.
• Roughly how many guests, and the hours you want live music.
• Whether a DJ is already booked.

Send it through the booking form or on WhatsApp. Either way it reaches Jovan himself.

The earlier the better, especially for Saturdays between May and September, when the calendar fills first. Events outside Vienna take a little more lead time because travel is arranged around them. That said, a free date is a free date: if yours is close, ask anyway. Short-notice bookings do happen.

A date is held the moment you confirm the quote. Until then it stays open, so if you are choosing between weekends, say so and he will tell you which are still free.

Less than most people expect. The saxophone plays through the sound system that is already there, the DJ's or the venue's, so what is needed is a free input on that system, a little space near the DJ, and power nearby. He brings the saxophone and the microphone.

If your venue has no sound system and no DJ, say so in the inquiry. The sax-and-DJ format covers the sound as one act.

He arrives ahead of doors for the sound check with the DJ or the venue, so the first note of the first set is the first thing your guests hear from him. Set times are agreed with you and the DJ beforehand and stay flexible on the night: if the floor fills early, the saxophone comes in early.

Between sets he is simply another guest at the edge of the room, and after the last set the DJ closes the night the way you planned.

I read every inquiry myself and reply personally. I play as Josax from Vienna, and I travel: ten countries so far, from beach clubs in Greece to charter decks on the Adriatic. Tell me the date and the room, and I will tell you honestly what would work best that night.

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