Review Centre: One Man Bands

"I had not heard him perform live, before the party and was very pleasantly suprised! Several people inquired about Gary and I am sure he will get more bookings as a result of this show! "

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"All of this is an admittedly roundabout way of confessing that I wasn't prepared to be as delighted as I am with Go Tell It on the Mountain (Silkheart), an album of traditional hymns and originals with heaven-gazing titles by Booker T. Williams Jr., a New York-based tenor saxophonist originally from Seattle who performs as Booker T. The obsessive soul-searching implicit in the programming suggests an affinity with John Coltrane. But unlike too many of the saxophonists who aim for Coltrane's spiritual elevation, Booker T has a devilish sense of humor best illustrated by his "Say amen, Gracie" drollery on "What a Friend We Have in Jesus," a homey little melody he elongates and fragments with the comic élan of a Sonny Rollins. In fact, the classic album that Go Tell It on the Mountain most recalls is Way Out West, Rollins's 1958 album of cowboy tunes--and not just because Booker T, like Rollins before him, finds inspiration in unlikely places. It's also because Booker T's interaction with the bassist Saheb Sarbib and the drummer Andrew Cyrille is as carefree and almost as electrifying as Rollins's with Ray Brown and Shelly Manne thirty years ago (or better yet, with Wilbur Ware and Elvin Jones on A Night at the Village Vanguard, from around the same time). Despite the sarcasm implicit in Booker T's low-register bleats, his performances of "What a Friend We Have in Jesus" and "Jesus Loves Me" exude sincerity, much the way Rollins's interpretations of oddball pop tunes do. For Booker T, as for Rollins, satire is a sign of respect, not condescension. Booker T is ecumenical: one of the album's most infectious cuts is "Halle Kalle Mazeltov," a hora whose modality he cagily exploits. The Spartan trio format means that Sarbib and Cyrille have to function as soloists as well as rhythm stalwarts, and both men shoulder the added burden gracefully, maintaining melodic continuity in a manner that bassists and drummers seldom do when they solo. Despite the length of some of the tracks (the title tune, which is just over sixteen minutes, is a Booker T original, not the folk song of the same name), Booker T's solos never deteriorate into self-indulgent braying. His sense of thematic exposition is too well developed for that-another cue he takes from Rollins. (And as if to underscore his lineage, the CD-only bonus track is Rollins's calypso "St. Thomas.") He switches to alto on his own "When Mama Cries I Cry," and his phrasing is impressively speechlike on this lighter horn. "

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"Muchas gracias Sergio, ha sido un placer conocerte y hemos quedado encantados con tu show Nos ha gustado mucho tu cercanía y tu amabilidad, un abrazo. Hasta siempre (Thank you very much, Sergio. It was a pleasure meeting you and we were delighted with your show. We really enjoyed your warmth and kindness. See you later)"

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"Professional and delightful We had Chris provide music for the cocktail hour of an engagement party. He was professional, on time, a one man band. Guests were delighted by the live music and it added some sparkle to the party. Everyone loves steel drum. "

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"Hoping that you're on the Balmoral in September!!"

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"Matt played and sang at the start of the afternoon at my nieces wedding . He was perfect for the setting and a pleasure to listen too. Thank you x "

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"We, here at the POA, wanted to take a moment to express our deepest appreciation for your performance on Saturday, and your flexibility with our scheduling. Your talent and dedication shone brightly on stage, captivating the audience, and leaving a lasting impression on all who were fortunate enough to witness it. We look forward to your future performances and continue to be inspired by your talent and passion. With sincere admiration and appreciation,"

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"Awesome!! I hired Ayden to play a song for my engagement proposal. It was a song from our first concert together. He was able to perform the song beautifully, was at the location at the exact spot and exact time, everything went perfect. Ayden really helped throughout the process and with the surprise."

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"La música de Cristián es un elemento clave en nuestras cenas. Es habitual escuchar los comentarios de regocijo"

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"Good repertoire of classics hits. Great trip over memory lane. Terrific voice and ability with guitar."

Rating: 9 / 10 Share this review:

"Brandi Paige was incredible to work with. She came early to set up and perform at our party and all of our guest loved her. Before arrival we discussed a general vibe or feel that I wanted for the party and Brandi nailed it right on the head. I never had to worry about what was playing or if the guest were enjoying it. You could feel the great energy in the room and Brandi’s voice is just incredible. Will definitely be hiring her again."

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"What a fantastic night we and our owners have had with the superb performance from Stevie M.  We booked him for our charity event and I knew from previous reviews and listening to his video on YouTube he was going to be good.  Good was an understatement - he was amazing and exceeded our expectations, everyone had a brilliant night and made our night extra special.  We will certainly be rebooking and recommend anyone holding any functions to have Stevie M as you can relax and know that a great night will be had by all, he gets everyone dancing with his selection of songs and brilliant performance. Thanks Stevie M and see you again soon"

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"I completely recommend Mark, 100 percent!....So special and out of the ordinary........ I'm so thankful we had such talent and beautiful music."

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"Amazing saxophonist played all the right tunes and brought a great vibe to the dinner party. Everyone was singing along and dancing. He really excelled our expectations and my guests absolutely loved him and his playlist. Great guy and would definitely use him again. A great time was had! Thanks so much"

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"I recently had the pleasure of hiring Jerry Miles as a guitarist for my 40th birthday celebration at my house, and I couldn't have been more thrilled with his performance. Jerry's exceptional talent and professionalism truly made my event a memorable and enjoyable experience. One of the standout moments for me was when Jerry went above and beyond by learning a song that I specifically requested. It meant a lot to me, and I was absolutely thrilled when he flawlessly performed it during the event. I have no problem recommending Jerry for any event Tom, Deleek."

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review: