List your services
Log In
Margi & the Dapper Dots
- Stamford, CT
- Jazz Band
- Travels up to 500 miles
- Contact for rates
Overview
Margi & the Dapper Dots is a jazz band playing timeless tunes {sweet, sultry, and swingin'} from The Golden Age of Popular Song (standards from (phone number hidden)0s) with an authentically classic, retro vibe and a true love & depth of knowledge of the genre and time period. Margi has performed at Birdland, Lincoln Center's Midsummer Night Swing, Mohonk Mountain House, Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall, Mezzrow Jazz Club, The Metropolitan Room, The Friars Club + many other venues in and around NYC. Her voice has been described as 'transportive', harkening back to the days when those marvelous singers sang the timeless classics penned by the likes of Berlin, Gershwin, Porter, Rogers & Hart + others.
1 Review
Margi and the Dapper Dots played my 60th birthday party...they were fantastic!! Margi has a beautiful voice and the band was phenomenal. They played all the standards and had the crowd dancing...everyone loved the music! They created the perfect mood for my event.
Margi is a true professional and was very easy to deal with. We will definitely hire her again!
1940s Era Entertainment, 1950s Era Entertainment, Big Band, Bossa Nova Band
Booking Info
Price Range: Contact for rates
What to Expect
We offer a quality listening experience and true, timeless elegance. Those who have heard us have used the words 'transportive', 'classic', 'polished', 'swingin', etc. The older generation knows and loves all the songs we sing, and the younger generation seems to be taken by the accessibility, beauty, and swing of these timeless chestnuts. Either way we appeal to a wide audience of folks.
Gig duration can run anywhere from a cocktail hour to an all day event. We are flexible.
Set list is entirely dependent on the event/setting, etc. For a wedding, for example, I would choose songs with a more love-centric theme, but for a vintage event focusing on a specific era (the 1920s, etc.) I would choose songs specific to that period. With a breadth of knowledge of these songs (I have made it truly a study, through first falling in love with the music, then wanting to know more), it is easy for me to choose from the variety of songs I know to suit any occasion.
About
As far back as she can remember, Margaret Gianquinto, whose childhood family nickname was Margi, listened lovingly to music from the Golden Age. With these songs at her core, she followed her own musical path, exploring classical piano and choral singing, singing harmonies across multiple genres, and arranging for folk piano. But her true passion has always been the timeless evergreens that she grew up with: The classic songs of Tin Pan Alley, Broadway and Old Hollywood. Her sultry style, which many describe as "vintage," is reminiscent of an earlier era when those marvelous big band singers and gifted vocalists sang the music of Berlin, Gershwin, Porter, Arlen Rodgers and Hart, and other gifted songwriters/songwriting teams.
Margi Gianquinto is a versatile performer. She performs a many different musical settings, from duo (with piano or guitar), to trio, quartet, five piece band and beyond. She has the ability to improvise harmonies in real time, has created/worked in several vocal harmony groups on the jazz scene, and is known to integrate vocal harmony into her performances whenever possible.
A lover (and student) of a bygone era, she has done several events/shows with varied 'vintage' themes, from the 20s-50s and more. Having a broad knowledge of standards, specific decades, performers and composers, she can tailor songs choices to a specific theme, composer, or time period easily, depending on the setting.
Additional Booking Notes
I have a med sized (but mighty) Fishman PA. It's helpful if there is a sound system & mixing board in place, but in general for smaller events we usually go with my PA, sometimes an amped bass, and if there is no piano, an amped guitar, and no mic for the horn player). It is always nice when a venue has a piano, but I am happy to work with a guitarist or have my keyboardist bring his keyboard along if necessary/requested.
Services Offered
Set List
*indicates to include verse
**indicates (potential) vocal harmony
This, of course, is not an exhaustive list. I am learning new songs everyday and would be happy to take a few personal requests, as long as they fit within the genre...
Ain’t Misbehavin’ (1929 Fats Waller)
Almost Like Being in Love
Always (1925 Irving Berlin)
A Wink and a Smile (1993 Harry Connick Jr.)
Be Anything (But Be Mine) (1952 Irving Gordon)
Be Careful, It’s My Heart (1942 Irving Berlin, from the film "Holiday Inn")
Because of You (There's a Song in My Heart) (1940 Arthur Hammerstein/Dudley Wilkinson)
Better Luck Next Time (from "Easter Parade") (1948 Irving Berlin)
Blue Skies (1926 Irving Berlin)
Blue Turning Grey Over You (Fats Waller/Andy Razaf)
*But Not For Me (1930 George & Ira Gershwin)
But Beautiful (1947 Jimmy Van Heusen/Johnny Burke)
Bye Bye Baby (1949 Leo Robin/Jule Styne)
**Bye Bye Blackbird (1926 Ray Henderson/Mort Dixon)
Cheek to Cheek
Come Dance With Me (1959 Jimmy Van Heusen/Sammy Cahn)
**Comes Love (1939 Stept/Brown/Tobias)
Corcovado (1960 Antonio Carlos Jobim/Gene Lees)
Count Your Blessings (Instead of Sheep) (1954 Irving Berlin, from the movie "White Christmas")
Cry Me A River (1953 Arthur Hamilton)
Dance Only With Me (1957 Jule Styne/Comden & Green)
Day By Day (1944? Stordahl/Weston/Cahn)
**‘Deed I Do (1926 Fred Rose/Walter Hirsch)
Deep Purple (1933 Peter DeRose, lyrics added by Mitchell Parish in 1938)
**Don’t Blame Me (1932 Jimmy McHugh/Dorothy Fields)
Don’t Take Your Love From Me (1941 Henry Nemo)
Don’t Worry ‘Bout Me (1938 Rube Bloom)
**Dream a Little Dream of Me (1931 Fabian Andre/Wilbur Schwandt)
Embraceable You (1930 George & Ira Gershwin)
Exactly Like You (1930 Jimmy McHugh/Dorothy Fields)
*For All We Know (1934 J. Fred Coots/Sam M. Lewis)
Give Me the Simple Life (Rube Bloom/Harry Ruby)
Haunted Heart (1948 Howard Dietz/Arthur Shwartz)
Heart and Soul (1938 Hoagy Carmichael/Frank Loesser)
Heartaches (1931 Al Hoffman/John Klenner)
He’s a Tramp (1955 Peggy Lee/Sonny Burke, from the Disney film "Lady & the Tramp")
How About You? (1941 Burton Lane/Yip Harburg from "Babes on Broadway")
How Come You Do Me Like You Do? (1924 Gene Austin)
I Can’t Believe That You’re In Love With Me (1926 Jimmy McHugh/Clarence Gaskill)
I Can’t Give You Anything But Love (1928 Dorothy Fields/Jimmy McHugh)
I Didn’t Know About You (1944 Duke Ellington, sung by Jo Stafford)
I Don’t Know Enough About You (1945 Peggy Lee/Dave Barbour)
I Don’t Know Why (I Just Do) (1931 Fred E. Ahlert/Roy Turk)
*I Don’t Want to Walk Without You (1941 Jule Styne/Frank Loesser)
I Never Loved Anyone (1947, sung by Jo Stafford)
*I Fall In Love Too Easily (1944 Jule Styne/Sammy Cahn)
I May Be Wrong (But I Think You're Wonderful) (1950 introduced by Doris Day in "Young Man with a Horn")
*I Remember You (1941 Victor Schertzinger/Johnny Mercer)
I Should Care (1944 Stordahl/Weston/Can)
I Walk a Little Faster (Cy Coleman/Carolyn Leigh)
**I Wish I Knew (1945 Harry Warren/Mack Gordon)
If I Could Be With You (1926 James P. Johnson)
If I Give My Heart to You (1954 Jimmy Brewster/Jimmy Crane/Al Jacobs)
It Could Happen to You (1944 Jimmy Van Heusen/Johnny Burke)
It Only Happens When I Dance With You (1948 Irving Berlin, sung by Judy Garland in the 1948 film Easter Parade)
I’m Gonna Sit Right Down (and Write Myself a Letter) (1935 Fred E. Ahlert/Joe Young)
I’ll Be Around (1942 Alec Wilder)
I’ll See You In My Dreams (1924 Isham Jones/Gus Kahn)
I’m Always Chasing Rainbows (1917 Chopin/Harry Carroll/Joseph McCarthy)
I’m Confessin’ (That I Love You) (1929 Fats Waller)
I’m Glad There Is You (1941 Jimmy Dorsey)
**I’m Making Believe (1944, recorded by The Ink Spots & Ella Fitzgerald))
Just Friends (1931 John Klenner/Sam M. Lewis)
Let Me Love You (Bart Howard)
Let There Be Love (1940 Lionel Rand & Ian Grant)
Like Someone In Love (1944, Jimmy Van Heusen/Johnny Burke)
Long Ago And Far Away (1944, Jerome Kern & Ira Gershwin)
Love Is Here to Stay (1938 George & Ira Gershwin)
*Love Letters (1945, Victor Young)
Love, You Didn’t Do Right By Me (1954 Irving Berlin, from the movie "White Christmas")
Lucky To Be Me (1944 Bernstein/Comden & Green)
L-O-V-E (1965 Bert Kaempfert/Milt Gabler)
Make Someone Happy (1960 Jule Styne/Comedian & Green, from the musical "Do Re Mi")
**Moonglow (1933 Will Hudson/Irving Mills/Eddie DeLange)
Moonlight Saving Time (1931 w.m. Irving Kahal & Harry Richman)
Nevertheless (I'm in Love With You) (1931 Harry Ruby/Bert Kalmar)
Nice Work If You Can Get It (1937 George & Ira Gershwin)
Once Upon a Dream (1946 Gordon Jenkins, from "Manhattan Tower")
Rhode Island Is Famous for You (Arthur Shwartz/Howard Dietz)
Save Your Sorrow For Tomorrow (1925 Al Sherman/B.G. DeSylva)
Some Other Time (1944 Bernstein/Comden & Green, from the musical "On the Town")
Somebody Loves Me (1924 George Gershwin)
Someday (You’ll Want Me to Want You) (1944 Jimmie Hodges)
Someone Like You (1947 Harry Warren, introduced by Doris Day in the film "My Dream Is Yours")
Sometimes I’m Happy (1927 Vincent Youmans/Irving Caesar)
Somewhere Along the Way (1952 Kurt Adams/Sammy Gallop)
S’ Wonderful (1927 George Gershwin, from "Funny Face")
Taking a Chance On Love (1940 Vernon Duke/John La Touche & Ted Fetter)
That Old Feelin’ (1937 Sammy Fain/Lew Brown)
The One I Love (Belongs to Somebody Else) (1924 Isham Jones/Gus Kahn)
The Song Is Ended (1927 Irving Berlin/Beda Loehner)
The Song Is You (1932 Jerome Kern/Oscar Hammerstein II)
*These Foolish Things (1936 Eric Maschwitz/Jack Strachey)
Time After Time (1947 Jule Styne/Sammy Cahn), from the movie "It Happened in Brooklyn")
True Love (1956 Cole Porter, from the film "High Society")
Try Your Wings (composed for/performed by Blossom Dearie 1958)
They Didn’t Believe Me (1914 Jerome Kern/Herbert Reynolds)
When I Grow Too Old To Dream (1934 Sigmund Romberg/Oscar Hammerstein II)
*When Your Lover Has Gone (1931 E.A. Swan)
Where Are You? (1937 Jimmy McHugh/Harold Adamson)
We Three (My Echo, My Shadow & Me) (recorded by The Ink Spots in 1940)
Who’s Sorry Now? (1923 Ted Snyder/Bert Kalmar & Harry Ruby
Why Don’t You Do Right (1936)
Why Should I Cry Over You (1922 Nathan "Ned" Miller)
Wrap Your Troubles in Dreams (1931 Harry Barris/Ted Koehler & Billy Moll)
You Always Hurt the One You Love (recorded by The Mills Brothers, Connie Francis & others)
You and the Night and the Music (1934 Howard Dietz/Arthur Shwartz)
You Belong To Me (1952 Pee Wee King/Chilton Price/Redd Stewart)
You Made Me Love You (1913 James V. Monaco/Joseph McCarthy)
Young At Heart (1953 Johnny Richards/Carolyn Leigh)
You're a Sweetheart (1937 Harold Adamson/Jimmy McHugh)
You’re Getting To Be a Habit With Me (Bb)
Who Cares? (1931 George & Ira Gershwin)
You Do Something To Me (1929 Cole Porter)
You Keep Coming Back Like a Song (1946 Irving Berlin)
You'd Be So Nice To Come Home To (1943 Cole Porter)
STANDARDS IN A 50s/60s Rock 'n Roll/Country/Rhythm n' Blues Style:
**Among My Souvenirs (a la Connie Francis)
Be Anything (But Be Mine) (a la Connie Francis)
Heartaches (a la Patsy Cline)
If I Didn't Care (a la Connie Francis, via The Ink Spots)
*Love Letters (a la Elvis Presley)
Someday (You'll Want Me To Want You) (a la Patsy Cline)
Somewhere Along the Way (1952 Kurt Adams/Sammy Gallop) (a la Cliff Richard)
These Foolish Things (a la Sam Cooke)
True Love (1956 Cole Porter, from the film "High Society") (a la Patsy Cline)
Where the Boys Are (a la Connie Francis)
Who's Sorry Now (a la Connie Francis)
You Always Hurt the One You Love (a la Connie Francis)
You and the Night and the Music (1934 Arthur Shwartz/Howard Dietz)
You Made Me Love You (1913) (a la Patsy Cline)
BOSSA/LATIN:
Corcovado/"Quiet Nights of Quiet Stars" (1960 Antonio Carlos Jobim/Gene Lees (English lyrics)
Dance Only With Me
Get Out of Town (1938 Cole Porter)
Haunted Heart (Shwartz/Dietz)
How Little We Know (Hoagy Carmichael/Johnny Mercer, as sung by Lauren Bacall in "To Have and Have Not")
Meditation (1960s Antonio Carlos Jobim/Newton Mendonca, w/English lyrics by Norman Gimbel)
Wild Is Love (1960, as sung by Nat King Cole)
You and the Night and the Music
WALTZES:
Dance Only With Me
If I Had My Way (a la The Mills Brothers/Bing Crosby)
My Best Girl (from the musical "Mame")
What’ll I Do (Irving Berlin)
When I Grow Too Old To Dream (1934 Sigmund Romberg/Oscar Hammerstein II)
Team
| Jon Weber | Piano |
| John Merrill | Guitar |
| Chris Byars | Clarinet, Saxophone, Flute |
| Chris Gelb | Drums |
| Yoshi Waki | Bass |
Influences & Inspiration
Influences include, but are not limited to...Peggy Lee, Doris Day, Julie London, June Christy, Chris Connor, Shirley Horn, Rosemary Clooney, Helen Forrest, Jo Stafford, Blossom Dearie, Carmen McRae, Patti Page, Nat King Cole, Frank Sinatra, Fred Astaire, Mel Torme, harmony groups of the past (The Ink Spots, The Mills Brothers, The Boswell Sisters, etc.), the big bands...
Some favorite composers/lyricists: Irving Berlin, Cole Porter, George/Ira Gershwin, Harry Warren, Frank Loesser, Jerome Kern, Sammy Cahn/Jule Styne, Howard Dieitz/Arthur Shwartz, and the list goes on...
Of course let's not forget all the old MGM musicals I grew up on, where first heard these songs in all of their glory
Setup Requirements
Depends on gig and size of event. PA, mixing board, mic(s), mic stand, etc....
Testimonials
Margi and the Dapper Dots bring a unique and authentic sound from the 1930's / 40's. Her voice really added to the magic of our wedding.
– Tara
I booked Margi and her band for my friend's wedding in NYC on June 14th and I must say, they were phenomenal! Margi was awesome and professional throughout the planning process and she rolled with the punches on last minute changes to the evening.
Margi has such a beautiful voice. She and her band looked fabulous and sounded amazing. Their repertoire and enthusiasm got everyone up and dancing and all the guests commented it was one if the best weddings ever, and all because of the music. It was truly a magical evening from start to finish, thanks to Margi and her band!
– Roslyn
Margi and the Dapper Dots are phenomenal! Margi's voice is warm, joyous, and generous. She and the band played many songs I know by heart, however, there was great variety with subtle changes that made each song feel unpredictable and exciting. They played three sets of mixed tempos that were just perfect for dancing the night away. Both my friends/guests at my wedding who are not dancers and my friends/guests who are very much involved in the NYC Lindy Hop scene, look forward to future events (wedding or not) in which we can dance again to her melodic voice and swing-able rhythms! Thank you Margi and the Dapper Dots for adding some special sauce to our wedding!
– Jessi