Review Centre: Big Bands

" Once again, you demonstrated what a tremendous treasure you are to the music industry. The thunderous ovation that you received was the ultimate measure of success. Tom Keener Allen Library"

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"Danilo was initially booked by us only as a wedding singer and moderator, because we actually wanted to get married in church. We had so many problems with the church that 4 months before our wedding we asked Danilo if he would prepare a free wedding speech for us, which he did. And it was absolutely the best decision we could have made. Our wedding ceremony, in which Danilo first sang my husband's entrance song and then mine, and the wedding speech were super beautiful, emotional, funny and will be in our hearts forever. Our guests were also simply thrilled with our wedding ceremony and said that it was the most beautiful they had experienced so far. During the celebration afterwards, he led us through the evening with wit and emotion. In conclusion, I can say that we would always choose Danilo again."

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"Just wanted to say a huge ‘thank you’ for a great night on Saturday at Kate and Matt’s wedding. We had a fantastic evening and all of the guests enjoyed it. The acoustics in the National Railway Museum were very good. Would not hesitate in recommending your Yorkshire swing band in the future."

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"What can I say? Simply fantastic. Spot-on entertainment that kept the dance-floor packed from beginning to end. Your team’s professionalism shone out on the day by a country mile and they’re the kind of standards i love and expect! The band was absolutely fantastic. The set up, look and standard of music was second to none and the many comments we received back from our guests reflected this. The vocals from your lead singer were simply stunning. Also, the accompanying disco that you provided for us was absolutely fantastic too and together with the band it made for perfect wedding entertainment. I would have no hesitation in recommending your services. Thanks again and should the opportunity arise I hope to book you again one day."

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"Please will you pass on our thanks to all members of Mr Swing’s Dance Orchestra. We have such good memories of our friends having a great time when the swing band was playing and loads of people have been in touch to say how much they enjoyed the music. We really hope to see you perform again in the North West but until then we shall continue enjoying listening to the CD – it has enlivened every car journey since we returned from honeymoon. Many thanks once again."

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"Mr Swing’s Dance Orchestra made our wedding! We thought our special day couldn’t get any better after we exchanged our vows and heard the kind words from our family but, as soon as we heard the music, I knew that the band would leave an impact on our guests. I did not stop dancing all night! We truly enjoyed every moment of the band’s set and all our guests have commented on how wonderful they were. Really wish we could have had them longer. I want to say a heartfelt thank you to Matthew and the rest of the band for making our wedding magical. All our love, Mr & Mrs Colbeck."

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:

"Vibrant Jazz were brilliant and added a lot to the atmosphere and setting of our company's garden party. Communication with Dan was quick and easy and they were very professional, 10/10 recommend. "

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"La osqueta suna muy bien y son muy organisado y son puntuales "

Reply by Arturo Cruz & Ashe Okun
Muchas gracias Mandy, espero que hayas disfrutado del Show

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"Thank you again for the wonderful evening/night of music. Everybody loved the band and I’ve heard a few music lovers say it was the best swing band they have ever seen. The band and yourself have made an ever lasting impression with everyone. The intro was fantastic and definitely started the evening off with a bang. Katie and I thank you for our first dance it was more perfect than we could have imagined. I can not express our appreciation enough to you and the band. You guys made the evening a brilliant success and are true professionals."

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"One Size Fits All is a party band that really knows how to get a crowd moving. With two vocalists and a 4 piece horn section, they played at my 50th birthday party and had everyone on their feet. The band is tight and energetic, and their repertoire spans a wide range of genres. A fantastic evening and we will be inviting them back soon."

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"We just want to say what a fabulous night Saturday was. You made our wedding so memorable, particularly when you let our friend up there with you! We will be recommending your wedding swing band to all our friends. You have already received a great deal of compliments from those who were there!"

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"Thank you so much for providing wonderful music at our wedding. We all really enjoyed ourselves and had a fab evening dancing! See you at the Christmas ‘do’! Thanks again."

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"Great Live Band who cater to a wide audience... Have booked them for gigs @ pubs & also for a private party and they everyone up dancing on every occasions. Would highly recommend if you're looking for a band who can play the crowd and deliver a set full of Funk, soul & melodies."

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"What a band! Laura has the most incredible voice and the band rocked our Peaky Blinders dinner dance just brilliantly. Everyone is talking about it still and I’m desperately trying to think of another event to book Trip For Biscuits! Couldn’t recommend them highly enough."

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review: