Review Centre: Brass Musicians

"Thank you so much for coming along to our event. Loved your music. My friends partner actually said he was gutted when you finished as he loved every song you were playing! Happy to give you a glowing review ! Kylie :) "

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"What an incredible group! Deep Down Brass played in the evening of our wedding day. They were a fantastic addition to the day and we can't recommend them highly enough. They played a wide variety of music and styles, from folk to modern pop songs with their own twist. Any requests we had in advance were handled superbly. The group had everyone up and dancing and the day wouldn't have been the same without them. Not only are they fantastic musicians, they're also a lovely group of people. If you're considering booking Deep Down Brass - what are you waiting for?!"

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" I am proud that the Rick Holland - Evan Dobbins Little Big Band calls Tala Vera cantina home once a month. Rick is a consummate professional as well as a top tier musician. His Band comprises the best players Rochester has to offer. Such talent coupled with an amazing book of swing and traditional jazz, presents a special evening of music every time they play at Tala Vera. Bernard Matthews, Owner of Tala Vera, Rochester, NY I have had the pleasure to do some arranging and writing for Rick's groups and I have to say that his groups are always chocked full of the best musicians around. It's a pleasure to have music played with precision and integrity - no matter what the style or genre. I would highly recommend any or Rick's groups for a jazz or commercial setting. Jim Martin, Grand Rapids, MI We had the pleasure of having the USO-10 piece play at our wedding in May 2017. From the minute we met Rick Holland and heard the band play we knew they were the band for us. It was a pleasure to work with Rick, who was so professional and helpful in many ways especially song choices from everything to cocktail music, our entrance song, first dance, parent dances to our exit song. The dance floor was never empty. We are thrilled with the USO and look forward to hearing them again in the near future!! Thank you for making our wedding so special! Maureen and Mark Deckman Sometimes it all just falls into place. The setting, the situation, the scene, the tone -- everything is going your way. That describes last night for me. And at the heart of this mid-week Xanadu was the Rick Holland Uptown Orchestra, a modest, brass-centric outfit led by the trumpet-blowing Holland that swung with equal parts effervescence and laid-back cool at Lovin Cup. And come to find out, five of his Hollands regular guys were sidelined, and the holes on the bandstand were plugged with subs --- hired music muscle like Po’ Boy Erik Jacobs on the slide trombone. By the time the Orchestra heaped on a helping of Count Basie, there was nowhere else I wanted to be. I dragged my mom out in the cold for this show and she was thrilled when they stomped on the Savoy. Holland led the affair with a relaxed air, coaxing more than conducting under his porkpie lid. He went around the bandstand numerous times so every cat there got his fair shake, including pianist extraordinaire Bill Dobbins. This is one sweet band, yes, yes. Frank De Blase, Roch City News With all the hype going to Wynton Marsalis, you might not guess that there are other, lesser-known, straight-ahead trumpet players out there who are consistently ripping the hide off the ball. This, Rick Holland's auspicious debut, is an impressive effort. The trumpeter leads his quartet, backed by a solid Michigan-based rhythm section: pianist Terry Lower, bassist Ed Fedewwa, and drummer Larry Ochiltree, through a fiery trail of originals and standards, interspersed with some fine balladry. Holland's sensitive ear translates to some tight arrangements and a well-organized program. On flugelhorn, he boasts a rich, full tone that purrs with warmth. On the faster tunes, he steams. This is the kind of jazz that feels just right on a wintry day, with the fireplace in full throttle, and the feet resting on a cushion: it hits the spot perfectly, drenched with emotional power and skillful fortitude. Steve Loewy, All Music Guide You get the feeling from Holland’s recordings, that Holland and his compatriots are not only talented musicians, but fully formed human beings with wit, style and elegance---folks whom you would enjoy sharing a fine dinner and stimulating conversation. Bill Barton, Green Mountain Jazz Messenger "Rick brought his quartet and the little big band to our wedding and reception. He was wonderful to work with, being both receptive to our requests and knowing where to fill in the gaps with his expertise. Not to mention I could call him anytime, and he worked around our schedule. They played a tasteful mix of songs great for just listening to and a few that got everyone up on the dance floor. In the end, everyone was raving about how great the band was. We couldn't be happier!" P.S. Lindsey was amazing, the two comments I heard most were "Wow, they are great!" and "That girl can sing!" Sam and Ellie Carrell I hired Rick Holland Productions for my wedding and I thank my lucky stars I did. They were just an absolute solid band. I live in Toronto so the 10 piece band crossed the border for my wedding - our wedding coordinator said she'd never heard a band that good over her decade long career. I like to think I'm a genius for finding them ?? Kian K., Toronto, ON, CA From the bride: "The music was wonderful! We could not have asked for a better band. Our guests were really impressed; the Uptown Society Orchestra really made our reception special.” From the groom: "What a professional group. Their exceptional musicianship brought a real element of class to the party. There is nothing like the sound of a live band, and this group made our reception better than we could have hoped for.” From the father of the bride: (Dennis Nowicki): "The band was fantastic -- they really exceeded our expectations." Anders Dahlberg and Stacy Nowicki, Wedding at the Chicago Art Museum 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 Amazing! Rick Holland Productions worked seamlessly with our wedding, where we had three separate "performances" that were adpated to by Rick's use of different members of the Little Big Band. We had a cocktail reception where a trio played, then a brass quartet accompanied our Wedding ceremony. After our guests were transported by horse-drawn carriage to a lake side reception site, the Little Little Big Band got things started and the full Little Big Band played the night away to the extreme pleasure of our entire party. They even let Joe Robinson jam with them in the chill of the autumn, fire-lit evening! Thank You so much Rick! Matthew Cooper, Bradford, PA Rick brought his quartet and the little big band to our wedding and reception. He was wonderful to work with, being both receptive to our requests and knowing where to fill in the gaps with his expertise. Not to mention I could call him anytime, and he worked around our schedule. They played a tasteful mix of songs great for just listening to and a few that got everyone up on the dance floor. In the end, everyone was raving about how great the band was. Lindsey Holland was amazing, the two comments I heard most were "Wow, they are great!" and "That girl can sing!"We couldn't be happier! Sam and Ellie Carrell When we heard the Uptown Society perform at a New Year's Eve concert we knew that we wanted them to play at our wedding. They had the perfect blend of jazz, swing and romantic ballads. They are excellent musicians and we were thrilled to find that they were available for our wedding. Our guests were thrilled that we hired them; we received so many compliments. Uptown Society provided a wonderful 'soundtrack' for our storybook wedding. Eric and Kim von Oeyen, Battle Creek, MI"

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"I just want to say thank you to Big Smoke Brass for making everyone dance when they came to entertain shopkeepers and customers in Gabriel's Wharf both in the summer and before Christmas. We would love to have you back again!"

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"Mark was extremely good at communicating from the start and was efficient at providing supporting documents for our venue. He performed for our drinks reception and very last minute offered to play us into our wedding breakfast with the song that we personally requested; he organised this very quickly with the best man who announced our entrance. We couldn't thank Mark enough for adding that extra special touch to our wedding day and would gladly recommend Mark to family/friends for all occasions!! Thank you so much :)"

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"Dan played at our wedding and it was absolutely perfect, I highly recommend him! He played background jazz saxophone in the venue courtyard while our guests were having reception drinks and canapes. Our guests loved it. We chatted to Dan about the kind of music and atmosphere we wanted to create for our rustic wedding and he did the rest and came up with the most perfect set. My husband is very musical so it meant a lot to him that Dan created such an excellent atmosphere"

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"David, Thank you very much for playing at our exclusive Pre-Cannes Party. We look forward to having you back very soon! General Manager. Atheneum Hotel. Mayfair London. "

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"These guys are simply brilliant. Forget any notion you might have of boring brass bands, as these guys are vibrant and will get any crowd on their feet. If you need a band for that extra buzz, then I highly recommend these guys!” "

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"We had a large, high-level event at a chateau in Vevey, and we really wanted live music. I found gig heaven, listened to Simone, and put in the deposit right away. They arrived on time and were a delight for the whole event. The perfect mood setter for something like this. Will definitely hire these guys again if I host something here in the future!"

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"The broad repertoire his groups encompass and the care with which he deals with musical details are a welcome exception in this age of super specialization and an obsession with quick results at the expense of real quality. Bill Dobbins, Eastman School of Music"

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"Thanks so much to the talented Phil Hanson for entertaining us all so well last night. A fab night was had by all "

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"He was on time. The play was good my wife and children really enjoyed your play. I will surely use him again."

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"Frank De Blase, Roch City News Sometimes it all just falls into place. The setting, the situation, the scene, the tone -- everything is going your way. That describes last night for me. And at the heart of this mid-week Xanadu was the Rick Holland Uptown Orchestra, a modest, brass-centric outfit led by the trumpet-blowing Holland that swung with equal parts effervescence and laid-back cool at Lovin Cup. And come to find out, five of his Hollands regular guys were sidelined, and the holes on the bandstand were plugged with subs --- hired music muscle like Po’ Boy Erik Jacobs on the slide trombone. By the time the Orchestra heaped on a helping of Count Basie, there was nowhere else I wanted to be. I dragged my mom out in the cold for this show and she was thrilled when they stomped on the Savoy. Holland led the affair with a relaxed air, coaxing more than conducting under his porkpie lid. He went around the bandstand numerous times so every cat there got his fair shake, including pianist extraordinaire Bill Dobbins. This is one sweet band, yes, yes "

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"Just a short note to thank you ever so much for the great show and dance for us here at the HAG. I have waited until today to write this as we had a meeting on Wednesday and it confirmed everything that I told everyone about the upcoming show and dance. I was told, the band said this was the first time you have played in a hanger and I must say, the acoustics were awesome and the sounds were great even where I was sitting. At the time I thought you had more than enough on your plate but how in hell did you save the song "At Last" for the very last number. It was the very song I would have requested and it back to my Junior and Senior days in high school. Nuf said about that. Yup, I might have had a small tear in my eye, hearing the music, you absolutely stunning! And the Band, exceeded my expectations. Got to get you guys back—Rick Holland is just a splendid musician!!"

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"“The Ambrassadors played at our wedding and we cannot recommend them enough. They learnt our first dance song and came in perfectly. Their outfits fit in so well with the festival vibe and our guests LOVED them. Every wedding should have the Ambrassadors. We already want to organise an event where they can play again. Thank you for making our wedding so special.” "

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review: