Review Centre: Jazz Bands

"Such a blast dancing to not only amazing music but your VIBES guys!! Wow. Actually thought you were friends with the birthday girl. Super impressed, & will most definitely be dropping your deets for anyone wanting an awesome talented band for their next party. Thanks for the fun"

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"Wave Jazz Trio were fantastic! We hired the band for our wedding reception and they did an amazing job. They brought such a great energy and ambience to the atmosphere and were a delight to work with from start to finish. Very professional band to work with and extremely talented musicians. Highly recommended! "

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"Our guests couldn’t stop complimenting them! great trio!"

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" Unique, talented, mellow DJ! Brian was approachable to talk to, esp. with it being my first time working with a DJ. He was willing to take the time to listen to songs that were important to me and other things about the wedding (actually we had a renewal of vows celebration that was like a wedding). Brian gave great suggestions based on lots of experience. His skills exceed that of others DJ's I've seen -- he's a musician himself too...a really good one! He has a ton of songs to pick from, too; he even pulled out what I'd call dinner versions of a lot of the songs on my playlist for when we were eating (our plan was to have more mellow music during that time). He was friendly and flexible, joining in with 2 other musicians I hired for square/folk dance music. If you're looking for someone who will bring a calm presence, look no further. I've been recommending Brian to several friends. Bonus: he played the music the perfect loudness (as in loud for a party) but comfortable for the ears (you could hold a conversation). I think this contributed to our guests feeling comfortable and smiling the whole time and getting to know each other. I loved that Brian brought equipment for the music to be outdoors at the end when my husband and I danced our special Last Dance on the grass surrounded by family and friends; it was so joyful and fun. "

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"Courtney was an absolute highlight of an open house event for my client! His professionalism, punctuality, and incredible talent elevated the entire atmosphere, creating a truly sophisticated and enjoyable experience for the guests. His performance was top-notch, seamlessly blending into the ambiance while also captivating everyone in attendance. Courtney’s music added the perfect touch of elegance, and we couldn’t have asked for a better musician to enhance the event. Highly recommend his services for anyone looking to create a memorable and refined experience! "

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"Just right We wanted to thank you again for your wonderful musical contribution last Saturday. My brother was very pleasantly surprised, especially since he is a pianist himself. The music was just right in terms of style and volume. "

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"Rafael and Co were a great addition to my drinks reception. Provided perfect background jazz music, whilst attendees of the reception were still able to talk and network. I'll definitely be keeping them in mind for my next event! "

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"“I just wanted to thank you and your team again for a wonderful night on Friday. We are so pleased that we found you, as your friendliness and professionalism far surpassed our expectations. Your team created perfect atmosphere for our function! We will definitely recommend your services to others.” — UTS Business School"

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"I just want to say a huge thank you for singing at our wedding recently, you were fantastic and I thought it suited our ceremony perfectly."

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"Benedict and Valentina D. (Private) - For Cherrypickers 7/27/2022, Wedding They made our Wedding unique. Extremely professional and with an elegant repertoire. Easy to get in tune with them. They were appreciated by all our guests."

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"I booked J-SAX for the 40th birthday of my wife. It was awesome! Great music, great atmosphere! All arrangements worked very well. I was asked a lot where I got the band from ;-) We will definitely book J-SAX again for our next event. Thank you very much, you made the party unforgettable!"

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"A beautiful performance in the Lisettezaal of cultural center De Brink in Obdam on Sunday December 15th. A beautiful interplay of 4 musical friends, who played alternating gypsy swings. With personal stories told by Marcia , it was a true theater performance. The audience enjoyed the musicians and their playing. Recommended."

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"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."

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"Outstanding Music! Ayden and company did a truly phenomenal job of providing the music for our wedding! Ayden helped us right from the get-go to understand and organize the arrangement, the timings, and the logistics for the ceremony music where he and his guitarist accompaniment played gorgeous renditions of "All of Me" and "The Scientist" with additional music just afterward. They then went on to do a fantastic job down at the Reception site where Ayden himself sang a most beautiful "Let it Be Me" for our first dance. He and his band continued to play on through the night, I think for about three hours. Ayden and his band set an intoxicating tone of seemingly endless celtic and contemporary music, done with violin, voice, and strings. It melded like nothing else could with the tranquil night, the cafe lights, and wonderful company. Everything was so memorable and Ayden's music really set that off! He was also easy to work with, accommodating, informative, and well priced. We are forever appreciative and highly recommend him for anyone looking for that perfect, celtic sound for their own wedding. "

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"The band was a huge success! Everyone was enthusiastic, and their flexibility made the evening even better. Their performance contributed greatly to making the event unforgettable."

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