Review Centre: Brass Musicians

"Mark is a brilliant Sax player, and definitely one of the best I have worked with as a DJ! Would recommend to absolutely anybody! (10 / 10) "

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"This letter will confirm that the Gabriel Rosati Group led by Mr. Gabriel Rosati played at The Ritz-Carlton, Osaka from May 23rd to August 22nd 1997. Mr. Rosati, the band leader, performed nightly with the trumpet and vocals superbly played Jazz, Latin, Brazilian and Pop music. He was always a true professional, reacted to the comfort of all the Japanese and foreign guests, and was as well received by all. Many guests returned several times to hear the groups performances. I have no problem recommending Mr. Rosati to any future employers."

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ We had m-SAX perform at my 30th birthday party and he absolutely made the night. From the moment he started playing, the vibe was incredible, classy, fun, and energetic all at once. He knew exactly how to read the room, mixing feel good tunes with party favourite’s that kept everyone engaged and dancing. Professional, talented, and a total crowd pleaser I couldn’t have asked for a better addition to such a special celebration. Highly recommend for any event!"

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"I’ve worked with Harry both live and in the studio a number of times and I would highly recommend him. He’s a fantastic player with great versatility and arrangement skills and his positive and professional attitude is second to none."

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"I so enjoyed it! You were brilliant Phil. Would be perfect music for a wedding"

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"Simone's performance capabilities as a jazz trumpet player are truly masterful. His technical proficiency, expressive playing, and improvisational skills make him a standout musician. Whether performing in small ensembles or leading a jazz band, Simone's performances never fail to leave a lasting impression."

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"“The Ambrassadors made our wedding an even more unforgettable day. They knew exactly how to get everyone up dancing, with an incredible set list and amazing energy our guests are still talking about how amazing the band at our wedding were. Thank you so much!” "

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"What a surprise! This band and musicians were unknown to me, but they are absolutely great! For listeners to hear musicians challenge themselves, and be taken along for the ride, records like this are a must! The musicians in the Rick Holland-Evan Dobbins Little Big Band are all reaching the high musical standards realized by playing in this excellent Little Big Band! This music will be featured in my playlists for many months to come. Thank you again for sending this exceptional cd to me. Peter Kuller, Jazz Presenter, Radio 101.5 FM Adelaide, Australia"

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"Mark came and played for my wife's 60th birthday garden party and was fantastic. He is a really easy going guy who ensures everyone is enjoying his music and was great to deal with. He changed his play set to 3x30mins rather than the 2x45mins as we had to contend with the weather but that didn't stop a great sax performance. Many of our guests have asked for his details to book him in the future. Left the play list to him with some basic theme i.e Ibiza white party and he was spot on! If you book him you wont be disappointed!!!! "

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"Mark’s performance at our party was fantastic, all guests were impressed with his talent and it brought something a bit different to the event. Communication from Mark beforehand was great and he was really accommodating with my requests, couldn’t have asked for more. Would highly recommend and will definitely be booking Mark again for future events! (10 / 10) "

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"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"

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"We honestly couldn’t have asked for a better sax player for our wedding! From the very beginning, the communication was fantastic. He was friendly, responsive and organised, which made everything feel easy and stress-free in the lead up to the day. We were able to choose from a huge library of songs, which meant the music felt really personal to us and perfectly suited the vibe we wanted. On the day itself, the energy was incredible. Even though we had a relatively small number of guests, he absolutely brought the atmosphere and kept everyone engaged, dancing and smiling all night long. He read the room perfectly and knew exactly how to keep the momentum going. We’ve had so many guests tell us it was the most amazing time and the best wedding they’ve ever been to, and the music played such a huge part in that. We’re so grateful and wouldn’t hesitate to recommend him to anyone looking to elevate their wedding day!"

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

" 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:

"Mark was incredible at our wedding!! Did everything I asked, communicated with our DJ without input from me, had the perfect playlist and fulfilled my surprise of an entrance with a bang for our guests! Kept all our guests on the dance floor all night long with a great choice of songs. Would highly recommend to anyone wanting to have the best party! Thank you Mark!"

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"We had a great evening thanks to Mark - he adapted to our DJ amazingly and kept the dance floor busy! Mark was so friendly and great to work with we would 100% recommend"

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review: