Review Centre: Jazz Bands

"babis is a highly skilled saxophonist i ve seen him in his exceptional performance in santorini. his playing is both soulful and precise ,captivating audiences with his musicality and passion.!!! 5*"

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"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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"From the first song to the last, the pianist made our Portofino wedding ceremony feel truly special. Guests kept complimenting the performance, and the repertoire was perfectly tailored to our taste. Simply outstanding!"

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"An elegant and emotional performance. Leon created the perfect mood for our private event. Simply beautiful."

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"These guys have the talent, energy, and joy that you wish every performance had. It's an absolute pleasure to see them live. If they're performing near you - do not miss it. They're spectacular."

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" Review received on 9/4/2025 Beautiful music - fantastic experience We hired the duo to play guitar and flute/saxophone for our wedding ceremony and cocktail reception. They were responsive and thoughtful as we discussed songs to be played while we each walked down the aisle and when we walked down the aisle after the ceremony together. They were willing to learn new songs, and made great suggestions to improve the arrangements of one of the songs. Having beautiful live music to welcome our guests, during our ceremony, and during the cocktail reception afterwards made the day even more special. Daniel and Erin arrived early to set up, and everything ran smoothly- they were professional and easy to work with. I wholeheartedly recommend hiring the duo for weddings and other special events. I would book them again myself."

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"You were amazing! Thank you for providing such wonderful entertainment to our guests and being delightful as ever!"

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"They played a variety of music for us and even made our announcements throughout the night. They helped keep everything on schedule and had everyone out dancing. We had so many compliments on their music and how good they were. Our guests really and truly had a great time and loved the music"

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"Annelise was perfect in every way. Prompt, communicative and responsive. Everyone at the party loved her and commented on her style. This was important to us as we were catering for all ages and tastes. She sang beautifully. I would definitely recommend and book again. Just wonderful."

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"I had the pleasure of witnessing Biagio Coppa's extraordinary performance at a private corporate event. With his saxophone skills, he turned the evening into a magical experience. Playing timeless classics Jazz and original compositions, he and his trio created an atmosphere of elegance and sophistication that captivated everyone in attendance. it really felt like we were in a New York jazz venue. Brian, Austria"

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"Great band who were professional and punctual. Really added to the atmosphere of our arrival drinks. Thanks!"

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"On a beautiful August night JSJBF member band The Gumbo Gum bas, a project that grew out of leader Joe Grillo and his late brother Alfie's love of all things New Orleans, played to an appreciative crowd at Bands on the Beach. This was the second of two shows held on the beach for this summer-long Sunday night concert series, sponsored by the City of Long Branch in association with the JSJBFT. his show gave the band a chance to play live much of the material that can be found on their new CD, "Zydeland," with our own Jill Baskind donning the rub board for a couple of tunes. For those of you who may not get the reference in the title, Zydeco is a southern Louisiana dance music featuring the accordion, rub board and in this case horns. The music on the CD was dedicated to Alfie, who passed during the pandemic, and their mixing engineer, Tim Gilles, who left us during the making of the CD. All of the band members who appeared on the beach are on the record, including Dave Anthony on drums, Vinnie Borselli on trumpet, Joe on tenor sax and vocals, Steve Munter on baritone sax and clarinet, Greg Novick on bass, Steve "Big Squeezy" Rice on accordion and piano and Lars Wendt on trombone. All tunes were written, arranged and produced by Joe except as noted below. The opening title track "Zydeland," begins with the measured beat of the drums and is joined quickly by the accordion, with the horns kicking in as the lyrics invite you to join the band on a journey to this magical, musical place. As with any good Gumbo, it's flavored with local ingredients, in this case a dose of the Jersey Shore sound spices up the mix. "Dance With Me" picks up the beat and is reminiscent in tempo and style to one of Joe's major influences, Louis Prima. If this tune doesn't get you out of your seat, nothing will. "Waiting for the Cane," is dedicated to the crazies who choose not to evacuate, but start the party in anticipation of a hurricane, and party they will to this number. "King Cake" includes lyrics by Joe and music by Steve, was explained to the uninitiated that night as the legendary dessert of Mardi Gras which is said to bring luck and prosperity to whoever gets the plastic baby in their piece. It's a high energy number that gives each member of the horn section a chance to stretch out and strut their stuff, and they made it a highlight of that night and the CD. The recorded version of this song literally jumps out of the speakers. "Can't Go Back To New Orleans" is a moving tribute to Joe's brother, envisioning an ode to the city they both love through the sound of Tom Waits, one of Alfie's favorite artists. I got the chills listening to what starts out as a somber tune but ends in an upbeat fashion, finishing with Frank Rein's tuba. Joe and Vinnie collaborated on the lyrics to the tall tale of "Gumbo Parmesan," a song that's lyrics are as much of a fun dream its title implies. "By the Water'' has that infectious "Congo Square" beat, which is highlighted by Dave's opening drum pattern with accompanying percussion and conjures up a scene of the locals doing a NOLA style tap dance. With lyrics by Ken Morrison and music by Steve Rice, "Drifting Off and Dreaming of You" is a mid twentieth century style ballad, complete with strings, and has Joe in the role of a crooner which he does quite eloquently. A welcome respite from the nonstop party to this point, he sounds like the last man at the bar, smoke curling up from that final cigarette, with drink in hand, thinking about the woman of his dreams. The penultimate song, "Drinks On the House," is another fanciful flight of fantasy which would be loads of fun as an MTV video. Bring on the aliens, it's party time! The final tune, "Why Can't Everyday Be Mardi Gras?," is a fitting end to this party with Steph's clarinet leading the second line followed by the rest of the band with a chorus children along the route singing out the refrain. For this band, every time they start to play it's Mardi Gras. If these songs don't leave you smiling and dancing I don't know what will. Mission accomplished in the fun department as far as I'm concerned."

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"We thoroughly enjoyed the Jazz Quartet! It sounded fantastic! Everything was to our satisfaction, and judging by the many positive comments, our guests agreed. Thank you so much for everything, and we wish you continued jazz enjoyment and success!"

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"A great trio with an exceptional sound at a great and comfortable volume. Easy jazz and awesome dance tunes as well."

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"Let’s face it. Music soothes, heals, excites, entertains and inspires. Legendary Jazz Drummer and Bandleader, Art Blakey even said “(it) washes away the dust of everyday life.” I’ll go with that. That very moment when any artist starts to sing or play, is critical. We all want to be entertained, not just played to. And one more observation, if they look like they’re having fun - I am too. The Jazz Kings performed to a sell-out audience at the Brisbane Jazz Club: they brought their musical goods right through the front door and into our hearts and souls. The key difference is in the delivery. It’s called engagement, the sparkle in their eyes as they share their love of Jazz with everyone in the room. The Jazz Kings' repertoire is wide, impressive and constantly updated. It includes a couple of original pieces, but you can’t quite tell as they are very cleverly cloaked with the fabric of that particular era. What makes their evening different is their cheerful unpredictability. Not every song has each person doing an instrumental. (Which often can be tedious.) Two tunes might even be performed one after another without a formal introduction. Look out for some gentle fun inclusion with the audience – that’s the chance to sing along. It’s an old-fashioned but proven concept that has you laughing – and wondering where the night went. All-in-all, a thoroughly entertaining night. I’d go again. And again!"

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