Cagen Music LLC is a nationally renowned music agency based in Chicago, providing exciting and creative music for concerts, weddings, corporate parties and charity galas. Recognized as wedding music experts, we have produced the entertainment for over 4,000 Chicago Weddings, plus hundreds of weddings nationwide. Destination weddings are our specialty!
We bring you once in a lifetime music for your once in a lifetime event. Concerts, Festivals, Parties, Receptions, Award Shows, Conferences - Cagen Music does it all for a diverse group of local, national and international clubs and clients.
We bring you once in a lifetime music for your once in a lifetime event. Concerts, Festivals, Parties, Receptions, Award Shows, Conferences - Cagen Music does it all for a diverse group of local, national and international clubs and clients.
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It is our intention to be the polar opposite of marketing and hype. We prefer to let the quality of our music and service speak for itself. Our business continues to grow organically, with each new client leading us to a dozen more. What a fabulous "job" we have - going to parties, rockin' out, and sharing music, joy, and laughter.
Our wedding clients want their special day to be so spectacular that their family and friends have the time of their lives. They want high-energy wedding entertainment that will keep their guests rockin' on the dance floor all night long, creating the event that everyone talks about for years to come.
Duchess of York, Sarah Ferguson with Don & Becky Cagen following their performance at the Children in Crisis Gala at the Ritz Carlton. Both new young boards and seasoned philanthropists of major institutions, cultural landmarks, charity organizations, and privately owned foundations trust that a Cagen Music performance will raise attendance and increase their fundraising.
It's your night. It should be your music. Cagen Music has been electrifying events for over 30 years. Our nationally acclaimed musicians perform at concerts, festivals, corporate events, charity galas and remarkable weddings, like yours! Cagen Music's premier ensemble, hailed as one of "one of the hottest bands in the nation" by Modern Bride Magazine.
Reviews (17)
Holly O'Brien
Dec 24, 2021
Cagen Music was absolutely amazing to work with! We had the Don Cagen Orchestra perform at our wedding in November and ALL of our guests are still raving that this was the best wedding band they have ever heard! Working with Don and Becky was also a seamless process. We moved our wedding once due to COVID and they were so flexible and easy to work with on this.
The dance floor was packed all night and everyone truly had a blast thanks to Don and his incredibly talented band! We are so grateful we decided to work with them and would highly recommend to anyone looking for an excellent band with awesome people!
The dance floor was packed all night and everyone truly had a blast thanks to Don and his incredibly talented band! We are so grateful we decided to work with them and would highly recommend to anyone looking for an excellent band with awesome people!
Katie Broenneke
Dec 09, 2021
Look no further for your wedding music needs. Cagen Music is exactly what you're looking for! Our wedding was in September, and our 200+ guests are STILL telling us: "Your band was amazing!", "That band was the best band I've ever heard at a wedding", "Your wedding was so fun, and that band?! Fantastic." I wish our guests had paid attention to all the details that well! Honestly though, Cagen Music deserves every recognition.
After having to reschedule multiple times due to Covid, we really wanted to dance the night away with our friends and family. They made sure our guests stayed on the dance floor all night long with a wide variety of songs. I'd even go so far as to say our first dance song sounded better than the original! Definitely choose Cagen Music for your next event, you won't be disappointed!
After having to reschedule multiple times due to Covid, we really wanted to dance the night away with our friends and family. They made sure our guests stayed on the dance floor all night long with a wide variety of songs. I'd even go so far as to say our first dance song sounded better than the original! Definitely choose Cagen Music for your next event, you won't be disappointed!
Anne S.
Oct 09, 2021
The Cagens put their clients first, period. We experienced this from start to finish when working with them for our wedding. They truly listened to us in all of our conversations about a year in advance of the big day and implemented the most special touches that really stood out to us and made our day even more memorable. Not only are they incredibly talented in their own knowledge and expertise of music, but they also hire and contract equally as talented musicians to ensure your music selection sounds the very best it can.
To take it an even bigger step further, Becky went out of her way for me to help me surprise my husband with a bagpipe precessional at our ceremony and ensured the surprise went off without a glitch. She worked with out church and planner behind the scenes and left me with 0 worry day of that this was going to be an epic moment. Oh, and it was! Also, trust me when I say this. get the violins, absolutely worth it.
Hearing Hotel California on a trio of violins during dinner at our wedding had me shook. Lastly, who doesn't love people gushing to them about their wedding after the big event? Your guests are guaranteed to have the best time at the wedding with the Cagens there to entertain, and they will without a doubt be raving to you for months and years to follow about your amazing band (it's currently happening to me right now). Obviously, the Cagens are the best band you could hire for your wedding, but they are also some of the best people you could get to know through your wedding planning process. We love the Cagens and know you will, too! For context: our wedding was downtown Chicago in Sept 2021.
To take it an even bigger step further, Becky went out of her way for me to help me surprise my husband with a bagpipe precessional at our ceremony and ensured the surprise went off without a glitch. She worked with out church and planner behind the scenes and left me with 0 worry day of that this was going to be an epic moment. Oh, and it was! Also, trust me when I say this. get the violins, absolutely worth it.
Hearing Hotel California on a trio of violins during dinner at our wedding had me shook. Lastly, who doesn't love people gushing to them about their wedding after the big event? Your guests are guaranteed to have the best time at the wedding with the Cagens there to entertain, and they will without a doubt be raving to you for months and years to follow about your amazing band (it's currently happening to me right now). Obviously, the Cagens are the best band you could hire for your wedding, but they are also some of the best people you could get to know through your wedding planning process. We love the Cagens and know you will, too! For context: our wedding was downtown Chicago in Sept 2021.
Derek Easttom
Mar 25, 2020
Incognito played at my wedding recently, and without a doubt, it was the best wedding band I've ever heard, and I'm so glad that the wedding they were at was mine. People sang along and danced all night long. They guided the timeline of events along expertly, and throughout the planning process Becky Cagen was a joy to work with. I cannot recommend them highly enough.
Kate S.
Jul 31, 2019
The musicians were great to work with and did a fabulous job. We did a package with CagenMusic that allowed for us to have a jazz trio during the ceremony and cocktail hour and a DJ for the reception thereafter. They showed up early, they were professional, and they played great music-- we couldn't ask for more! The DJ really listened to what we wanted (and didn't want) and he checked in with us throughout the reception to make sure everything was to our liking.
He was so nice! Our only complaint was that administrative process was a bit unorganized in the month leading up to the wedding. While they were very kind throughout the process, I would recommend being the one to reach out if you have questions. Overall, a great experience!
He was so nice! Our only complaint was that administrative process was a bit unorganized in the month leading up to the wedding. While they were very kind throughout the process, I would recommend being the one to reach out if you have questions. Overall, a great experience!
Ay
Jun 26, 2019
Gina Uhrich
Feb 16, 2019
The Don Cagen Orchestra played at our wedding at the end of August in 2018 and were fantastic! The band was one of my favorite parts of the wedding and we received a ton of compliments from our guests! All guests (young and old) packed the dance floor all night! My husband and I are University of Michigan grads and they surprised us by playing the fight song.
I also used them for the instrumentation for the ceremony and cocktail hour. They were super helpful in making song suggestions for our ceremony and enhanced the instrumentation for our first dance - making them extra memorable!
I also used them for the instrumentation for the ceremony and cocktail hour. They were super helpful in making song suggestions for our ceremony and enhanced the instrumentation for our first dance - making them extra memorable!
The Fresh Plan
Nov 07, 2018
Our daughter's wedding was this past weekend and we couldn't have been happier with Don Cagen and his band. They were phenomenal, the music was amazing but even better than that they really made it a party! The flow of the night is generally dictated by the band and to say they "killed it" would be a gross understatement. I can't tell you how many people came up to us to tell us how much fun they had and how when the night came to end, they were shocked because they had so much fun and never even looked at their watches and couldn't believe what time it was. Guests of ours that said they rarely dance at weddings told us they were up dancing the entire night and barely even ate! It was an incredible party and far exceeded my wildest dreams. Thank you, Don & Becky!
Sarah Bransen
Jun 01, 2018
Second only to my groom and our family and friends, The Don Cagen Orchestra was the highlight of our entire wedding! I have so many positive things to say that I will just go in chronological order. First, contacting and booking with them was easy and they were really flexible with all of our ideas and needs. They were professional and personable from beginning to end.
When it came to the planning process, Becky was available via email and phone and she really helped me make creative musical decisions that turned out perfectly. THE BIG DAY I will admit I was a little bit of a nervous wreck but as we arrived to the venue, Becky approached me and it just made all of my nerves go away because I knew that if everything else goes wrong I KNOW that at least the music would be right and that was so important to my husband and I. Chitarra played the violin and cello at our ceremony and even accompanied my sister during her musical offering which was a well known song in a different arrangement.
They continued the beautiful music into cocktail hour. We requested modern, upbeat music and they nailed it because the ambiance was just perfect. Don rocked out one of my favorite songs on the trumpet for our introductions and their song choices for dinner and dancing could not have been more perfect for us. I feel like they totally understand our taste and didn't need much direction with that which eliminated a lot of unnecessary stress from the whole process. Overall, the Don Cagen Orchestra was my favorite part of our wedding and it also happened to be the least stressful and most fun part of it too. They are so versatile and they sound AMAZING! I highly recommend working with them for your wedding. Thank you, Don and Becky!
When it came to the planning process, Becky was available via email and phone and she really helped me make creative musical decisions that turned out perfectly. THE BIG DAY I will admit I was a little bit of a nervous wreck but as we arrived to the venue, Becky approached me and it just made all of my nerves go away because I knew that if everything else goes wrong I KNOW that at least the music would be right and that was so important to my husband and I. Chitarra played the violin and cello at our ceremony and even accompanied my sister during her musical offering which was a well known song in a different arrangement.
They continued the beautiful music into cocktail hour. We requested modern, upbeat music and they nailed it because the ambiance was just perfect. Don rocked out one of my favorite songs on the trumpet for our introductions and their song choices for dinner and dancing could not have been more perfect for us. I feel like they totally understand our taste and didn't need much direction with that which eliminated a lot of unnecessary stress from the whole process. Overall, the Don Cagen Orchestra was my favorite part of our wedding and it also happened to be the least stressful and most fun part of it too. They are so versatile and they sound AMAZING! I highly recommend working with them for your wedding. Thank you, Don and Becky!
Barbara Minkus
Apr 02, 2018
I cannot even imagine giving a wedding without this amazing orchestra at the forefront of the affair. Don Cagen and his incredible wife Becky Cagen from the first moment until the last notes were played and sung made my daughter's wedding simply magical. There are not sufficient words to express our gratitude.
Siera J.
Sep 28, 2017
My husband and I never planned to hire live musicians for our wedding, however after attending a bridal fair and seeing/hearing Chitarra (Cagen Music), I knew we had to book them. Working with Becky was great, and she was even able to accommodate my request to have a custom song played while my sister in law sang, even though this request came only 5 days before the wedding and the musicians would have to learn the score. They were the highlight of the ceremony, aside from the bride and groom, of course.
Caroline W.
Sep 24, 2016
Cagen Music was the most incredible decision for us! We got married at the beautiful Blackstone Hotel, downtown Chicago, in September and had heard wonderful things about this band. We went to meet Don almost a year before the wedding and he played us some of their music via cd and we were blown away. Well, we were even more blown away the night of our wedding.
They are the best band we have ever heard live. So professional, they work the crowd, know all the right beats to get the entire room on the dance floor all night long. The party did not stop! Becky and Don are so professional to work with every step of the way. I am Australian (my husband is American) and I requested a Men at Work song to be played and Don made it happen on the night. It was a huge hit and everything was SO memorable. They are worth every cent. You can't beat a live band but especially the Cagen's!
They are the best band we have ever heard live. So professional, they work the crowd, know all the right beats to get the entire room on the dance floor all night long. The party did not stop! Becky and Don are so professional to work with every step of the way. I am Australian (my husband is American) and I requested a Men at Work song to be played and Don made it happen on the night. It was a huge hit and everything was SO memorable. They are worth every cent. You can't beat a live band but especially the Cagen's!
Lauren LePine
Apr 07, 2016
To say that I attend a ton of weddings is an understatement. legit it's my job. I run a wedding planning company in Chicago and have had the opportunity to be both on the working and guest side of many of Cagen Music's performances. Attention to detail, professional attitude and seamless set ups are just a couple of the highlights of working with them.
Amazing music, packed dance floors and a variety of music (and different band configurations) are a few of the perks of being able to attend a wedding they are performing at. If you are getting married- do yourself a favor and book with Cagen.
Amazing music, packed dance floors and a variety of music (and different band configurations) are a few of the perks of being able to attend a wedding they are performing at. If you are getting married- do yourself a favor and book with Cagen.
Linda M.
Nov 24, 2015
There are very few times I can say I'm blown away! Omg! Cagen music did the most amazing job coordinating all the music for my wedding. No one stopped dancing. Incognito played during the reception, the cover girls did a live performance that had guests at the edge of their seats. Good vibes hit a home run during cocktail hour with the vibraphone! Wow is all I can say!
You would be nuts not to work with them. Words can't describe how amazing and professional Cagen is. Thank you for making my wedding better then I could have ever imagined! Xoxo
You would be nuts not to work with them. Words can't describe how amazing and professional Cagen is. Thank you for making my wedding better then I could have ever imagined! Xoxo
Donald L.
Dec 07, 2014
When you meet with Don Cagen, the first thing he will tell you is that he WILL keep your guests on the dance floor. And he will. I am a musician, and I can attest to the Don Cagen Orchestra's technical skill. More than that, Don knows how to "read the room" and will pick just the right music for your guests. He and Becky are also very easy to work with in planning for your event.
As it turns out, we had some unusual circumstances come up during our daughter's wedding reception that required several last minute rearrangements of our program. Don worked with us on the fly to make all this imperceptible to our guests. I would call Cagen Music without hesitation in the future.
As it turns out, we had some unusual circumstances come up during our daughter's wedding reception that required several last minute rearrangements of our program. Don worked with us on the fly to make all this imperceptible to our guests. I would call Cagen Music without hesitation in the future.
Cathy H.
May 03, 2012
I heard the Don Cagen Orchestra at a friend's wedding and knew immediately I would hire them if I ever got married! They kept the dance floor packed all night long, playing high energy hits and mixing the music and the dinner in a seamless, fun way. When we called Becky Cagen to arrange music for our own wedding, she was prompt and professional in every interaction.
She helped us arrange Orchestra Chicago (smaller and therefore a bit more affordable than the Don Cagen Orchestra) for our wedding, and I knew without even hearing them that they would be great, that's how much I trusted Becky. Sure enough, the music was unbeatable. They created a mix of music that was perfect for our tastes (heavy on the Beatles and Al Green, light on Justin Timberlake) and kept the flow of the evening running smoothly. Their services are not cheap, but you get what you pay for: quality. Two thumbs up.
She helped us arrange Orchestra Chicago (smaller and therefore a bit more affordable than the Don Cagen Orchestra) for our wedding, and I knew without even hearing them that they would be great, that's how much I trusted Becky. Sure enough, the music was unbeatable. They created a mix of music that was perfect for our tastes (heavy on the Beatles and Al Green, light on Justin Timberlake) and kept the flow of the evening running smoothly. Their services are not cheap, but you get what you pay for: quality. Two thumbs up.
Deborah S.
Aug 01, 2011
Don & Becky are quite simply the best at what they do. Our wedding was so much fun, and we owe it all to the music! All our guests were up on the dance floor from the very first moment right up until the last. They couldn't be nicer to work with, offered lots of very helpful suggestions, and were totally flexible about meeting our requests. They did my sister's wedding seven years ago, and I was blown away!
They play such a wide range of music, and are so tuned into the mood of the room throughout the course of the event, that they play all the right songs at the right times. I didn't hesitate in choosing them for my own celebration this summer, and I couldnt be happier about the decision. Wedding planning can be a nightmare, but the one piece that was effortless was dealing with our band! I really just cannot say enough about them! Best decision you'll make!
They play such a wide range of music, and are so tuned into the mood of the room throughout the course of the event, that they play all the right songs at the right times. I didn't hesitate in choosing them for my own celebration this summer, and I couldnt be happier about the decision. Wedding planning can be a nightmare, but the one piece that was effortless was dealing with our band! I really just cannot say enough about them! Best decision you'll make!
