Business has certainly picked up for Bill Pollack Music since same-sex marriages became legal in Illinois—he even worked two same-sex weddings that first weekend they were allowed this past June.
The first was at the home of Mary Dempsey, who hosted the event, and they played "Lets Fall In Love" just before the couple walked down the aisle. "They were a delightful same-sex, interracial couple with a beautiful daughter," said Pollack, who noted that the officiant was a high-level Illinois judge.
Pollack also that weekend worked the wedding of Marianna and Sarah at Café Brauer, and played the song "The Way I Am" by Ingrid Michaelson for the processional and the theme from the HBO show Game of Thrones for the recessional.
Working with the LGBT community isn't new to Pollack; he's just more involved since Gov. Quinn signed same-sex marriage into law in Illinois. Bill Pollack Music did a few large LGBT galas in the 1990s, he said. "I remember how surprised I was seeing tuxedoed couples and evening gowned couples dancing together," at the time, Pollack said. "Now, one hardly gives it a second thought.
"The LGBT community is a blossoming business, like Indian and Arabic weddings. The main difference is that, for LGBT weddings, we already have the skill sets needed. They want to dine to gentle dinner music and then dance all evening to great songs just like at straight weddings. Let's face it, this is great new business and I want more of it."
Bill Pollack Music, based in Evanston, was created after Pollack realized that the name "Bill Pollack Orchestra" ( BPO ) didn't fully capture the scope of everything they were doing, he said. "Event planners were constantly calling for all kinds of crazy, interesting and creative bands for their clients. Each gig often required a specialized band with different musicians and musical parameters," he said. "I found one of my great pleasures in life by creating what had yet to be created for my clients. My band actually suffered for a number of years as I was putting all of my efforts into the creative aspects of Bill Pollack Music while ignoring the logistical components of running a tight band. Back in those days we were more like Phish, jamming out on every song. Today the band is more like a concert with lighting cues, computer technology and some choreography."
And the gay community is definitely prominent under the Bill Pollack Music banner, as there have been a variety of musicians in the band including gays, African-Americans, women, Latinos, Jews, Asians and Indians from time to time, he said. "Our band is like an extended family and you can't get in without tons of talent and an open mind. I fired a guy in the 1990's who was proselytizing intolerance on the bandstand," he said.
"For me, the gay community is a living celebration of how America is constantly growing and maturing as a nation."
Pollack, who lives in Evanston, is the president and chief creative officer for Bill Pollack Music, Inc. His wife, Life, is a hotel catering sales manager.
"My parents insisted on tolerance and civil rights. They also imbued in us that understanding and kindness trumps law and culture," said Pollack, raised Jewish. "My older brother married an African-American woman; my younger brother married a deaf woman; and I married a blond, blue-eyed Catholic girl. We each have remarkable children and close families. What I'm getting at is, it's not what you are, but how you are that makes life sweet. Soon, knee-jerk reactions to sexual [orientation] will become passé and tribalism will disappear.
"These days, [thanks to same-sex weddings], I get to work with a more balanced representation of American culture, which makes my day both more interesting and lucrative. I love my new LGBT clients. Same-sex weddings are fun and heartwarming because they're new to this business. Its time has come and was long overdue."
And there certainly have been some fond memories, already, from same-sex weddings he's worked. Take, for instance, the time Pollack admittedly was "feeling bad" having rejected a number of requests from a certain group of very young men as those requests were on his "do not play" list. "They were brothers, who were dressed in plaid shorts with matching jackets," Pollack said. "These boys had been so polite and well-behaved that something had to be done. So, I hustled up to the bandstand and had them lead the group in some amazing dance moves. I still remember seeing all of the smart phones appear to capture the moment."
Pollack's wedding memories are plentiful—and not just from his special night.
There was, for instance, the time at a downtown Chicago hotel when he asked the guests to be seated so that the catering staff could begin placing the salad. "The mother said in a loud and happy voice, 'Fuck the salad; let's dance!' The band fell over in hysterics," Pollack said.
"Another time, back when I was an inexperienced bandleader, I forgot to include a pair of black socks in my garment bag. Now in those days, I couldn't afford roadies so my friend and band drummer Pat Blazso and I set up all of the equipment. I didn't realize my mistake until about 20 minutes before the event started. I had to wrap my white socks in black duct tape and squeeze on my shoes.
"Kate Milan, who later went on to sing with Dennis DeYoung from Styx, was our gorgeous lead vocalist [and] was the epitome of good taste and high fashion who also gently enforced proper band etiquette. In the middle of every other song she would burst out in inappropriate laughter when noticing my shiny socks. The audience loved her energy and they danced like crazy."
Despite Pollack's title, or perhaps because of it, he is truly multi-dimensional.
"I guess my first job is chief sales manager," he said. "I consult on the phone, email and meet with perspective clients constantly. Since I'm a pretty easy guy to get along with, I find it both beneficial and profitable to let clients take all the time they want with me either on the phone or in person. I often combine sight visits with consultations. This allows clients to audition my personality and learn about the band simultaneously.
"Hiring a band is much more involved than purchasing a typical retail item. At a store you can touch, see and feel the product ahead of time. Most people don't know much about the complicated logistics of live entertainment. The thought of starting various musicians at different times, in different locations makes them nervous. Of course we do this every week, so it's like falling out of bed for us.
"Buyers worry about getting stuck with a 'band-zilla,' or worse yet, [they] wonder if their band will actually show up on time. So a big part of 'selling' includes educating and reassuring."
Pollack added, "For me, selling is confidence in a great product. I'm responsible for all of the song selection, genre variety and pacing, which keep your guests dancing all night. This is where experience helps. Understanding your client's needs, and balancing those with the real-time expectations of their guests, is like being a Zen juggler. The mood and energy of the evening is constantly in flux, yet the individual age and perspective of each guest remains constant. A balanced perspective [is needed, thus know] when to rock, when to disco, when to play oldies, when to slow things down, and when to go current pop is an art form."
Pollack also does video editing.
"We began as a jazz trio and became an incorporated entity providing a crazy-creative amount of entertainment that works both locally as well as across the country," Pollack said. "If you like Katy Perry, we've got a pop string quartet that performs ceremony and reception music. We've got Spanish guitar quartets with Flamenco dancers, Indian musicians and dancers, Arabic DJs, gospel choirs, drum lines, steel drummers, Latin jazz groups, world music bands, violinists in pink wigs, DJs projecting music videos, DJs performing with musicians and singers as well as the Bill Pollack Orchestra. Entertaining an expanding fusion of cultures makes this job a blast.
"It's a big, beautiful and ever-changing world, which makes me excited about the future of Bill Pollack Music."
On Sept. 20, Pollack and his band performed once again for the Symphony Ball. Riccardo Muti led the Chicago Symphony Orchestra in Beethoven's Ninth Symphony, and then patrons headed over to the Palmer House and danced to the Bill Pollack Orchestra.
On Nov. 22, Bill Pollack Music is back for its third encore for the University of Chicago Cancer Research Foundation Gala at the Four Seasons Hotel.
This year, Pollack has also performed for Hubbard Street Dance Company and at the Joffrey Ballet spring gala.
