Hello! I'm a versatile saxophonist in the Richmond, Virginia area. I have performed Smooth or Traditional Jazz, Rhythm and Blues, or Contemporary Worship all around the Mid-Atlantic for 25 years. In addition to performing for countless private events, I was also privileged to perform at the East Coast Jazz Festival and at the Kennedy Center. I arrive punctually at each event to perform high-quality listening jazz sax that sets a classy mood. I can perform either by myself along with backing tracks played on a crystal-clear QSC PA loudspeaker system (that I provide at no additional cost), or I can arrange a trio or quartet for clients wanting a fuller sound and ambience.
Our community greatly enjoyed this performance. Our acoustic summer night event was an outstanding success due to James Bjork's fantastic performance.
James did an absolutely amazing job. We received so many compliments on his performance. I would highly recommend James.
James and his band were incredible! They came early to set up, were kind & courteous to our attendees, and sounded incredible in our event space. They even helped take a group shot of everyone at the party which was a super sweet offering by James. Thank you for making our holiday party the best we've ever thrown!
James was perfect for our senior residents- they reported that they felt taken back in time with the performance. James did a great job of recognizing the songs the residents enjoyed and playing songs from a similar time period. Would absolutely consider James for our next event.
James is talented, timely, and personable. I want to have another party just to have him out again1
We enjoy the music his selection of songs were great. We would definitely use him again.
I hired James as a surprise for my fiancee when I proposed to her, as she loves the saxophone. He was on time, professional, and played smoothly with skill and grace; it was the perfect touch for the evening. And he has an extensive, pretty impressive list of songs to choose from. Highly highly highly recommended - would hire again for an event in a heartbeat!
James 100% set the mood for our cocktail and dinner hours at our wedding - so romantic and lively! I would definitely consider booking him for another event in the future! THANK YOU, James.
James was amazing beautiful music all night. Thank you so much!
I am satisfied with his performance.
What can I say; James, you were great. Your sax playing is so smooth and refreshing. I kept receiving comments, "Where did you get the sax player from he is excellent." Again, amazing work thank you for your sax playing and professionalism. I will highly recommend you and so, sorry I did not see you at the end of the session. Many blessings to you.
His musical talent is AWESOME!!
On time, friendly, professional and a great sax player. He has a great selection to choose from. He even took some pictures for us. Thank you James for a great evening.
Photos from this event
The music and musicianship was top notch! Would hire again and recommend.
When I consider words that best reflect the musical experience of James Bjork, and his very capable fellow musician, Fred Ostrow, words like smooth, classy and intelligent come to mind.
I booked James and Fred to perform for my wife’s “Double Nickels” birthday celebration, and I’m pleased to say, they met, as well as exceeded my every expectation!
James and Fred are as natural performers as anyone! The prevailing sentiment among our guest was, “they really enjoy doing what they do!” And it was apparent by their songs choices, their ability to engage the audience, as well as their down-to-earth personalities, and musical genius.
I will most certainly keep them on my “A-List” of entertainment for future engagements!
Thank You!
GTP
Photos from this event
All of the guests wedding party bride and groom actually adored the selection of music one time real clear.
James was so easy to work with and he did an amazing job at our wedding many compliments from the guest
James is the most professional musician, very talented and a wonderful personality. I am definitely pleased with his performance and will definitely be using him on future events!!!
Photos from this event
James was amazing. I received so many compliments from my guest about his playing. Thank you so much James!!! You were amazing!!!
My wife and I met with James at a venue where he was playing. That was exactly the vibe that we wanted for our wedding. We met with James again at the venue to make sure timing and event schedule were in order. I had goofed...we needed James one hour earlier...he made it happen. Our wedding was atypical...held in a historic antebellum residence with attached ballroom; we planned an hour to gather, socialize and cocktail; a ceremony; followed by a well done reception in the ballroom for one hundred guests. James handled the transition from cocktail to ballroom without a hitch. The ambiance can be described as nothing less than perfect. James listened to what we were after, understood as only a jazz musician can; and created the perfect mood for our wedding and reception. Given the chance, we will definitely engage again!
Saxophonist James Bjork was very professional from the first day of contact. He was timely and did excellently what was needed to make our event successful. The music was great. I highly recommend him if your looking for a jazz artist to perform at your events. Thank you so much for rendering your services for Something Delightful Empowerment For Women Valentine's Banquet.
Best Regards,
Sherronda Ross-Brown
Photos from this event
I hired James to play a NYE show with my entertainment band. He arrived ready to go, preparing 40+ songs for the evening. From start to finish, his performance was fantastic. He also performed alongside one of our trumpet players with ease. I will definitely be calling on James for future events and would recommend his saxophone playing for anyone looking for the ultimate pro.
James was wonderful. He was professional, punctual and played a variety of music. I would definitely hire him again.
In the words of my wedding guests, James Bjork was "Amazing". He played Saxophone prior to ceremony and during the cocktail hour. I was due to sing while James played coming down the isle as rehearsed; unfortunately there was a glitch with the mic and he made a split decision not to play. Although everyone said I sounded wonderful, I would have preferred the accompany of the Sax and the equipment should have been checked.
James was a true professional! I really enjoyed his style and song selections. If you are looking for beautiful music for any event, please select him. You will not be disappointed!
Excellent job! My family really enjoyed James.
James Bjork was truly incredible! He showed up at our event and completely rocked it out! We will definitely book with James in the future! Thank you!
James really made my best friend surprise engagement special. He was prompt, professional and met all of our expectations. We really appreciate you and will definitely book again for our special occasions!
Thank you so much for making our event very special. My fiancé cried when she heard the beautiful music playing. Can’t wait to book you for future events!
Should be more stars! Awesome performance! Special evening all due to James!
James was a trooper and performed outdoors in ninety degree weather, following all of our social distance guidelines. We have heard great feedback!
Mr Bjork performed at my Dad’s funeral service. My Dad was a saxophone player as well. Mr Bjork was very respectful of the service and did an amazing performance in honor of my Dad.
Mr. Bjork did an awesome job! He arrived early to set-up and played promptly at the start time in the appropriate attire. The exchanged communication was swift and clear, and he also accommodated a last minute request. The crowd and I absolutely enjoyed his holiday and r&b classic sets. I would book him again for another event.
James Bjork played the sax and provided music tracks on his professional equipment at my dad's celebration of life. We had last minute changes and he easily accommodated us. He has my vote
James and the band provided a large range of music and songs that were perfect for our event. He took a lot of time to discern what we wanted before the party, arrived on time, and totally hit a homerun with the setlist and performance. Our guests really enjoyed their music.
James was great! He was accommodating, skilled and professional
James is a professional, personable and amazing saxophonist! He was flexible and accommodating with my musical requests. His performance at my mother’s milestone birthday celebration was outstanding! The different genres of music he played were all excellent. I would definitely choose him again for future events!
James performance was outstanding. My anniversary party’s evening highlight!
Ready to book again soon!
James lived up to expectations. I would not hesitate to hire him again.
James was awesome at the wedding reception. We had alot of great compliments, 'at last' was an absolute crowd favorite. Very polite and on time.
James was the perfect choice for our rehearsal dinner. Easy to work with and would not hesitate to hire again.
On time. Polite and professional. Damn good musicians. No one could stump them - they knew every song!
Will hire them again.
Thanks, fellas!
Response from James Bjork:
Thanks for having us Justin! We look forward to performing for you again! (Note to potential clients- we CAN wear jacket-and-tie, or even tuxedos, if that is your preference).
Photos from this event
James did a great job for the event! He was timely, personable and very talented on the saxophone. Will certainly be booking again.
James was an amazing addition to my wedding. He played as guests found their seats and throughout our reception. He sent me a list of song choices (which were fantastic) and even played a personal request. He was so good, that at the end of the ceremony - my husband wanted him to keep playing! If you book him, you won't be disappointed.
James was simply wonderful everyone there love him and his performance was great will be hiring him again...
Mr. Bjork, played a very important role in my wedding ceremony. He stayed in contact with my groom and wedding coordinator. He was there I believe 45 minutes early than schedule. He looked professional and sounded awesome. I would hired him again.
James was fabulous! All of my guests enjoyed his smooth tunes. My mother was excited to have live music at her party. He took it up a notch. Thanks!!
So thankful to have James Bjork play at our Housewarming. The guests are still talking about how much they enjoyed his music. Above all he showed up on time, was professional, and friendly. He even accommodated my request to stay longer so the guests could continue enjoying the music. I definitely will recommend him to friends and plan to hire him again for my next big event. Except next time I'll plan to have him perform longer.
Cheers,
Madelyn Peay
Regarding James Bjork:
Let me begin by saying that one of the best ideas we had regarding our daughter’s Anniversary Party was hiring James Bjork to play saxophone. What a special treat for our daughter, son-in-law, as well as our guests. James opened the party by playing At Last, as the Anniversary couple entered the room.
James helped to make the evening so special. He was dressed appropriately, arrived early, filled the room with incredible music, and went above and beyond our expectations.
I happen to be an Event Planner and Coordinator, so I have worked with many DJs, Musicians, Bands, and other vendors. I would highly recommend James Bjork to any of my clients, friends, or family. Would I hire him again for any of my special events? Absolutely!
We thank you again, James, for helping to make our daughter’s 10th Anniversary Party a success. The guests were impressed, we were impressed, but most of all our daughter and son-in law were impressed and thoroughly enjoyed your performance.
Thank you,
Roland and Lynnette Wilson
James arrived early and was set up and ready to go before the first guest arrived. He was professional and polite and played beautifully.
He also took requests. He was very good to work with. I would highly recommend him for anyone's special event.
James, Bill and Cindy added the perfect touch to my client's VIP Reception. Their professionalism, flexibility and wonderful talent was exactly what we were looking for. We highly recommend that you contact them - you won't be disappointed!!
If you are looking for a true professional that delivers, you need to hire James! He responded to emails promptly, he was on-time with his equipment ready to go and he played some amazing music. He is very talented. I would definitely hire him again for my future award receptions!
James was great. Everything I expected and more. From the moment I requested a quote to the end of the engagement, James was focused on my event. He was a true professional, effective commutator, and most of all an outstanding musician. When I have my next event I will request James' services.
WOW...The only party I have ever thrown is by far the best!
James and his Jazz Ensemble made me look famous.
Very professional and Very Very Jazz Cool....:)
I recommend them 100%
Jeremy Moreithi
He was the perfect choice for our event. Great talent, wonderful music selection, and easy to work with! We'd engage him again in the future if there's an opportunity!
Price Range: $200-$450+ for solo performance
Gig Length: 15 - 180 minutes
Languages: English, French
Insurance: $1,000,000 - Umbrella Liability policy from USAA
Whether with a small ensemble or playing by myself with prerecorded backing tracks, clients should expect a pleasing-sounding, polished, "user-friendly" listening jazz sax experience that provides a significant measure of ambience to a party. "Jazz" can mean a lot of things, so I assure that my music will sound classy but not dissonant or "out there." You can hear for yourself in my audio clips.
If I am performing alone with tracks, I go from song-to-song in my programmed sets with a few seconds of silence between each song that will enable me to switch back and forth between my tenor sax and soprano sax (Kenny G) if the mood strikes me. I can also play songs from my song list (see this site) on immediate request. My current song list for solo performance features ample jazz and R&B favorites, and I program a nice blend into my sets as desired. Unless instructed otherwise, I will play more jazz for quieter dinner conversation music, but then switch more to R&B as the event proceeds. Clients seeking a specific song not in my list should contact me in advance to ensure that I can locate a suitable backing track (or sheet music if needed for a trio/combo).
I will communicate promptly in advance of the performance regarding all details (such as attire), and will arrive with ample time for setup before the scheduled start time.
While I can perform a few zestier pop/R&B classics in my solo performance sets, my solo act or small ensembles are not well-suited or intended to be a full-blown, high-energy "center-of-attention" spectacle that interacts with an audience. Clients are recommended to hire an actual party band with vocalists for that, or at least a piano-bar type witty pianist who encourages the crowd for "Sweet Caroline" sing-a-longs, etc. My musical services are all about adding a touch of class to an event where people want to still be able to hear each other over a glass of wine.
I am a saxophonist in the Richmond, Virginia area. I earned a B.A Cum Laude in Music from St. Olaf College (MN), where I was student director of its jazz ensemble. From 2000 to 2014, I performed Smooth Jazz, Traditional Jazz, Rhythm and Blues, Contemporary Worship, and Pop idioms all around the the DC-Baltimore metro corridor, before relocating to Richmond in2014. In addition to performing in countless private events, I also performed at the East Coast Jazz Festival and at the Kennedy Center. Finally, I regularly performed in several large churches in the DC metro area that feature world-class music production. The sound clip of "Takin' it to the Streets" in this promo page on Gig Salad is an example of my playing during in a worship performance.
I am well-connected with numerous other fantastic instrumentalists and vocalists in RVA to enable me to configure a jazz combo for your occasion. For example, I can line up one of my many skilled pianist associates to form a jazz duet. For an even fuller live sound, please consider letting me assemble a versatile trio with piano and upright string bass (sound clip also available here). If you like the kick of jazz drums, I can also assemble and lead a jazz quartet as well.
Alternatively, if you're working with a modest budget, I can still provide classy ambience for your event by performing jazz sax by myself along with backing rhythm tracks. My primary video, as well as the "Solo jazz sax with backing tracks medley," "Body and Soul,""Feels So Good" audio tracks available on this page are examples of what this sounds like-- a BAND, even though it's just me. Imagine how this could spice up your reception! My PA system for backing tracks can range from a single battery operated speaker for a graveside memorial or gazebo marriage proposal, but can expand from there as needed, up to three battery-powered speakers on up to mic-ing up my sax and the backing tracks through multiple, linked 1000-watt powered QSC loudspeakers with subwoofer cabinet. This setup will enable my saxophone sounds (whether with tracks or a jazz combo) to fill a small to medium-sized modular ballroom.
Finally, are you worried about putting money down on one of those "flaky musician types?" Fear not. I also hold a Ph.D. in Neuroscience (day job). Therefore, I'm a precise "detail-oriented" kind of guy. I simply have played the sax pretty much my whole life.
Please take a moment to check out my music clips. I look forward to performing for your event. Contact me today!
I'm a person who leaves nothing to chance. For every performance, I bring in my vehicle both a primary and a backup powered loudspeaker (for backing tracks), microphone (if needed), ipod/m3 device, sets of connector cables, and even a second sax! As long as I'm vertical and in one piece, you WILL have a performance! I do not own or provide any special lighting, and my performance will require an electrical outlet for my backing-tracks loudspeaker, or for bass and keyboard amps if I'm recruiting and leading a trio or quartet for your event. I can also use a smaller battery-powered amp (that many street "buskers" use) that can't get quite as loud if no electricity is available.
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