Review Centre: Big Bands

"Dan and his crew were so incredibly nice, professional, and really went above and beyond to ensure every detail was perfect for our event! Cannot recommend them enough!"

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"I just recently played at a little wedding celebration - the happy couple and their toddler, and me with my little set up playing in the corner while they ate cake. Even the kid danced a little, and they had a good afternoon. Here is their review sent to Encore (who did the booking): Alex L, 1 hour ago Wedding in Blackfriars Priory, Ladybellegate St, Gloucester GL1 2HN, UKSean was our saxophonist for our elopement wedding and I can not fault him at all! He was so accommodating with our song requests/genre and even played a few songs for our toddler. Absolutely fantastic. The venue commented on how great he was and so did everyone we showed the videos to. Would 110% recommend and would love to have Sean again at another event. Thanks Sean! :)"

Reply by Saxophone in England recording/performing
Thank you - have a good time All the time...Sean

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"What an absolutely fantastic band, we recently hired them for our mums Gatsby themed party, they were amazing, would definitely recommend them to add that touch of roaring 20s Glitz & Glamour to any occasion, 5 Stars"

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"‘I just a wanted to say how fantastic you and the guys were at our wedding. It still makes me smile thinking of the day and in particular the wonderful, wonderful music and your stunning voice. It was my dream to have your kind of music a part of the day and you were all completely amazing. And do let me know if you record your stuff, I'll be first in the queue!' "

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"Thank you Trip for Biscuits, you were amazing! From the after dinner duo, to the evening 5 piece band, it was perfect. With your unique style, your music added such great flare to our wedding. From randomly seeing you perform for the first time in the Bootlegger in Exeter, we absolutely loved your music & you certainly didn't disappoint for our big day!"

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"On behalf of Coby and I, we just wanted to thank you and the Mr Swing musicians for the fabulous evening of music and dance on Sunday. We all enjoyed the swing band tremendously and have highly recommended you to our interested guests. Hopefully will see you all perform again soon."

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"Thank you so much Matthew. Honestly everyone was raving about the band. Honestly in that room it was just incredible. Truly was. Thank you xx"

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"I am writing to recommend Styliannie. She worked with us at Mare Village Ayia Napa, Cyprus as a vocalist and band member for seasons 2023/2024/2025 and reported to me in my position as Group Entertainments Manager for Wavemaker Hospitality in Cyprus. As a performer she was always conscientious and reliable. Her vocal abilities and range are fantastic and her stage presence is immense. She can deliver a whole range of different styles and had a great repertoire. I have always put a premium on integrity among my musicians and she never failed to deliver. Styliannie is a delight to work with and I wouldn’t hesitate to hire her again."

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"The Uptown Society Orchestra may have had six members, but it sounded as if it had twice as many as members blew triumphantly throughout New Years' eve night. (Front page Kalamazoo Gazette, regarding the New Years Eve Festival 2004, Kalamazoo, Michigan) Bill Wood, Arts and Entertainment critic, Kalamazoo Gazette"

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"Totally recommend! Un band de nota 10, au facut un adevarat show la nunta noastra. Toti invitatii ne-au multumit personal pentru alegerea muzicala. Chiar as mai vrea sa va aud cantand, ati lasat o impresie foarte buna si sper sa ne vedem si la alte evenimente."

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"Couldn't recommend the band more, they were truly amazing! Funk'N'Soul performed at a corporate party for us, they came with a DJ included which was a bonus. Everyone was dancing and had an incredible evening. Will definitely use them again"

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"Giuliano is fantastic, the Italian Sinatra! An exceptional artist accompanied by top-notch musicians. A kind and accommodating person, he made our wedding unforgettable with his music. Simply the best we could have hoped for."

Reply by Giuliano Ligabue
Thank you very much for your kind words Stefanie!!

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"If I didn’t say it enough to you last Saturday (or to any other member of the swing band I could find!), thank you so much for the amazing set Mr Swing did at our wedding! What a fabulous night! The swing band was something I was really looking forward to and you exceeded all expectations – it was amazing! From start to finish, we loved every second of it and the fact that you were able to play ‘Let There Be Love’ for our first dance made it even more special and meant a lot to both of us. Every one of our guests came and told us how much they loved the swing band and I’m not sure there was a single song you played when Phil and I weren’t up on the dance floor! I’ve never seen my dad and uncle as animated as when they were singing along to ‘Delilah’ and even my 87 year old grandma joined the conga line at the end of the night! It was everything that we imagined it would be and more; Mr Swing really did help to make it the best day of our lives. I know I managed to accost most members of the swing band on the night but can you please pass on our most heart-felt thanks to everyone involved – the band was truly fantastic! We’ve been singing ‘Ain’t that a kick in the head’ all week! I’ll email you any pictures that we get through from our photographer. From your most enthusiastic fans."

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"‘Thank you for such a wonderful performance last night! Everyone was so impressed with you and wish you the very best for the year to come. I hope you enjoyed the evening too. I thought the concert went very well!' "

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

" All Music Review Thom Jurek The title of this set is an apt one. While much of the music presented by the Rick Holland-Evan Dobbins Little Big Band, it hearkens back -- in terms of its sophistication, confidence and outright jazz literacy, not nostalgically -- to an era when progressive jazz, and big bands (this one numbering 10 pieces) flourished on the scene. This is one sophisticated outfit. Featuring the arrangement and compositional skills of Brent Wallarab, Jim Martin, Bill Dobbins and Kerry Strayer, this band struts out the tradition and make some joyous, complex, and elegant music that reflects its own unique identity. The résumés of all these players are impressive and reflected in the confidence of the date. It opens with "SUNY-Triangle," a Martin composition that works its artful sleight-of-hand over Antonio Carlos Jobim's "Triste." Martin uses the rhythmically complex samba and drapes some tough, knotty twists and turns over it. The intro is a beautiful and raucous wake-up call, while the head of the tune, with its staggered entrances and exits -- including some fine soloing by John Viavattine on tenor and John Nyerges on piano -- give this tune a unique identity. "Creature Comfort" is a beautiful mid-tempo ballad by Wallarab with edgeless yet multi-dimensional dissonances written into its harmonics. It swings beautifully and includes a fine, punchy solo by tenorman Glenn Cashman. Besides the originals, there are some fine readings here as well. There's Wallarab's arrangement of Duke Ellington's "Black and Tan Fantasy" that's a thoroughly modern exercise losing none of Ellington's humor or rhythmic complexity. Likewise, Gerry Mulligan's haunting, wee-hours, "Night Lights," is given expert treatment here by Strayer, and Dean Keller's baritone saxophone playing combines Mulligan's sense of lyric and Ben Webster's sense of time. In Time's Shadow reveals that innovation need not sacrifice accessibility or swing. It is convincing evidence that the big band form is alive, well and full of surprises."

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review: