Music. Pure and simple. But what kind? Duke Ellington is thought to have said, "there are only two kinds of music: good music and the other kind." The Emissaries play the good kind. But if you're looking for specifics, read on.
American standards. Classic jazz. Those are two simple ways of describing the song list. The band pays homage to such great American composers as George Gershwin, Cole Porter, Rodgers & Hammerstein, Billy Strayhorn, Thelonious Monk, and Charles Mingus. They have also been known to break out with some tight R&B grooves on tunes by the likes of James Brown or Arnie Lawrence (a tremendous musician and one-time teacher to the whole band). They provide an exciting mix of swing, jazz, latin and rhythm & blues that appeals to even the most diverse crowd. They don't get tired of playing the same old songs. In the jazz tradition, they keep it fresh and new by incorporating improvisation as a key element in every performance. So even if they've played a song a thousand times, they've never played it the same way twice.
Here is a partial list of the great songs The Emissaries might choose from. Some songs are repeated -- this is because they can fit into different styles.
Music. Pure and simple.