Review Centre: Vintage Themed Bands

"I had not seen these guys before my party but they were recommended by a few different people. To say I was delighted would be an understatement- they played for over two hours non- stop and kept the party going- everyone danced! They seem to have an endless repertoire of different genres and are good fun. Book them !"

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"So many guests commented on your beautiful voice and singing! You were amazing and we all enjoyed it so so much. Thank you again!"

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" Fascinating small band with great taste in choosing songs for such occasions! Overall we had a wonderful time having them in our event!"

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"There have been many jazz musicians – saxophonists John Coltrane and George Brooks to name a couple – who have been intrigued by the melodic and rhythmic complexities of Hindustani classical music. Saxophonist Rainer Pusch, how!ever, belongs to the rare breed of Western musicians who have been influenced by Carnatic music. The Carnatic connection came later, but jazz caught Pusch’s interest at an early age. As a 12-year-old learning the tenor sax, a “very bad teacher” scared him into quitting lessons and starting to jam with friends. “At the age of 14 I got into jazz,” he told us. “I heard the first album by [American free jazz saxophonist] Pharaoh Sanders and this album [Pharaoh’s First] kicked me in.” Pusch got completely hooked after his brother smuggled him into The Cave, a jazz club in Heidelberg. “They had jam sessions every Tuesday,” he said. “It was 1968, the time of free jazz, underground music and the hippie era. Heidelberg was the headquarters of the US army in Europe, and there were a lot of army clubs, where I found my first steady work.” Playing for Americans every Friday and Saturday was an ideal start. It was a stroke of luck that Pusch met his “first jazz guru”, saxophonist Pony Poindexter. “Pony Poindexter’s wife worked for the army and they were living in Mannheim at the time,” Pusch said. “Pony had already subbed for Charlie Parker in Billy Eckstine’s big band, recorded with [guitarist] Wes Montgomery, the vocal trio Lambert, Hendricks and Ross, and many others.” Pusch started taking lessons from Poindexter and, after a while, they started performing together. Poindexter was instrumental, in helping Pusch further his jazz education by introducing him to other American musicians. “He knew everybody,” Pusch recalled. “Through him, I met Dexter Gordon. Art Blakey sat in with us when we played an outdoor gig.” Later, in 1977, Pusch stayed with Poindexter in New York, where he met the cream of the city’s jazz scene. “He invited Philly Joe Jones to stay for two weeks in our Lower East Side loft; I met Eddie Jefferson, Bob Berg, Junior Cook,” Pusch said. He also took lessons from George Coleman, who had briefly been part of Miles Davis’s band in the early ’60s. On his return to Germany, Pusch released his first album as leader of his own outfit. However, his connection to America persisted; he would return to earn a degree in jazz composition and arrangement from the Berklee College of Music in Boston, in 1983. Pusch’s first album Journey Agent, released in 1981, was an assimilation of the styles typical of hard bop and post-bop American musicians he had met during the past decade. On the album, his quartet, which included piano, double bass and drums, performed originals and a cover of “Mixing Pot” by Brazilian musician Hermeto Pascoal. Mostly mid-tempo numbers, the tunes ranged from the ballad-like “Scientific” and earthy “B-flat Blues” to funky, Latin-inflected “Mixing”. “I’m influenced by all the players I like to listen to,” Pusch said. “That’s the secret about jazz. It isn’t only music; it’s a philosophy of personal self-development built on tolerance and the art of living in the moment.” He has performed in a variety of formats: duo, trio, quartet and big bands. Pusch is also a composer and arranger who has scored symphonic pieces for films. Pusch’s first major Indian encounter was in the late-’90s, when he performed at the Avignon Theatre Festival in France. “It had a focus on India, and members of the Kalakshetra College of Dance and Music were performing,” he said. “I got in touch with them and decided to go to Chennai to study.” Pusch received a scholarship from ICCR and moved with his family to Chennai in 1996. He would remain there for more than two years, studying Carnatic vocal from S Rajaram and rhythms from V Selvaganesh. “I got into the movie business and performed for many music directors, inclu!ding AR Rahman,” he said. There have been Carnatic saxo!phonists, like Kadri Gopalnath, before him, but Pusch is probably the first Westerner to perform the traditional south Indian style on the sax. He has also arranged compositions by Thyagaraja, Mysore Vasudeva and others, using a rhythm section comprised of guitar, bass and drums. “We respect the raga, but put it in a harmonic frame,” he said. “It’s not the style, but the attitude of the musician that counts. The future of music, art and culture lies in a respectful, well-understood and lived fusion. Not in a commercial, fast food con-fusion.”"

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"Just wanted to say a big thank you for everything you all did to make our wedding day extra special! We had so much fun and didn’t want it to ever end!"

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"Parish's voice was warm and expressive throughout, and Williams proved to be the ideal accompanist with his light, melodic touch and studied rhythmic flow. John Barham played strong, firm bass lines, and the three sounds - piano, voice and bass - blended together successfully."

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"If available, book today! Simon and the other members of the Trio were phenomenal! I cannot sing my praises enough. Between working with us for a first song and father/daughter and groom/mother dance. The music was great, everyone praised them. Like the title says, if they’re available for your gig than book them immediately, you will regret it if not!"

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"This was just a quick email to say thank you so much for performing at our wedding at Mount Edgecumbe! I had a truly wonderful day! I just want to say that you were the highlight of the wedding, everybody agrees! We literally can not sing your praises high enough! You were amazing and got everyone dancing! Definitely will recommend you to anyone who needs a singer at their wedding. Thank you so much for being so kind, wonderful and an exceptional singer! It'll be a night nobody will forget….Once again, thank you and you are extremely talented!"

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"Excellent pre-event organisation and advice. The band were superb. Loads of people came up to me after to say how good the band was and could I give them the contact details. Five Stars!"

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"Special thanks go to Santa Sax for playing his heart out yesterday and keeping everyone entertained with his beautiful music and raising over £75 for Isaac’s Food Bank ♥️ We would 100% recommend this amazing musician to anyone booking an event, not only is he an amazing saxophone player, but he is the kindest, sweetest man ? Isaac has a special affinity for the tones of the sax and it filled all our hearts with happiness to have him at the event ??? Note: Santa Sax is my alter-ego (alternative persona). This review was given in text on a Facebook post so didn't have a rating associated with it."

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"Your music was totally brilliant – thank you a million!"

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"Great voice and interpretation. I really appreciated his skill and Italian classical repertoire. He is also a very kind person. "

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"What a fantastic singer beautiful voice and amazing personality. Ruby lit up our event and had everyone singing along. We as a Community group would recommend her. Our event was to celebrate Harlow's 70th Birthday and she took the celebration to a higher league. Love by all our guests."

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"Your band yesterday was terrific. Not only did they play exactly the music we wanted but they were such lovely people. Please give them thanks from of all of us who organised the street party for the crucial part they played in making it a resounding success"

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"Special thanks go to Santa Sax for playing his heart out yesterday and keeping everyone entertained with his beautiful music and raising over £75 for Isaac’s Food Bank ♥️ We would 100% recommend this amazing musician to anyone booking an event, not only is he an amazing saxophone player, but he is the kindest, sweetest man ? Isaac has a special affinity for the tones of the sax and it filled all our hearts with happiness to have him at the event Note: Santa Sax is my alter-ego for gigs in December! This review was given as a social media comment so didn't come with a rating."

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review: