Review Centre: Jazz Bands

"Darryl was amazing I definitely recommend him 100% to come play any where. I am definitely goin to book him again next month. "

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"Maya was a musical and personal delight for our church wedding ceremony as well as for the reception and the entire wedding celebration! We and all our guests greatly enjoyed her musical performance and often think back on it fondly. We are extremely grateful to have booked her. "

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:

"Perfect balance of romance, sophistication, and fun. The trio made our celebration feel extra special."

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"Having Wajdi C. perform at our private event was such a wonderful experience. From our first messages to the last song of the evening, he was professional and easy to work with. His piano playing was elegant, expressive, and created exactly the mood we were hoping for. We were thoroughly impressed with his extensive set list and will definitely invite him back for future gatherings. I highly recommend him. (10 / 10) John B."

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"We needed some background music for our drinks reception and dinner for c140 people at the Beurs van Berlage in Amsterdam.. These guys were perfect - fantastic sound, very professional and punctual, really added a special something to our event. Would certainly book again."

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"We just wanted to say thank you so much for entertaining us and our guests on our wedding day. You were absolutely perfect for us! We are still hearing about how amazing you were from all of our guests who were very impressed and had a great night. My dear Grandpa was a successful jazz singer back in his day and said it was just like seeing Frank Sinatra in his youth, he was very impressed with you indeed! Thank you so much for making the evening perfect for us, we couldn't have hoped for a better singer to celebrate our big day with! We will tell everyone about you!! Thanks again, Claire & Stu xxx "

Reply by The British Bublé
Thank you so much, Claire & Stu! It was an absolute honour to perform at your wedding and be part of such a special celebration. Hearing that your guests — and especially your Grandpa — enjoyed the show means the world to me. I’m so glad the music helped make your evening unforgettable. If anyone’s searching for a live wedding singer or Michael Bublé-style performer in London or across the UK, I’d love to bring the same timeless swing, jazz, and soulful classics to your event. Wishing you both a lifetime of happiness together!

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"I hired Wiseiris for my 40th birthday dinner and he was just amazing!! His saxophone playing was pure magic — smooth, soulful, and full of emotion. Every note felt alive, and the energy in the room was unreal. My guests thoroughly enjoyed his performance, even singing along with certain songs. Wiseris doesn’t just play music; he tells stories through sound. Can’t wait to have another event so I can hire him again!"

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"Shadow Sax! I cannot thank you enough. You went above and beyond. You were superb and you made our canapé reception! We are so glad we booked you. We so highly recommend!! Thank you so much! Amy and Harry. Note: this review was provided through a different system which rates out of 5, and received a 5 start rating (ie 5 out of 5)"

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"Das Brass was a blast at the Manchester city Fans zone at Wembley stadium. "

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"Jazz Centrale was highly professional in every way. Their performance was fantastic; they created the perfect atmosphere at our wedding ceremony. Communication (from request to completion) was also perfect. In short, highly recommended for anyone looking for a jazz band."

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"Sax Addict laid the perfect backdrop to my lakeside canapes. Lush."

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"We hired Elite Music Group to play as a trio for our wedding June 7th, and it was nothing short of superb. Igor was amazing to work with through and through, incredibly professional, and worked with us to curate the perfect music for our day. Having the strings play as we all walked down the aisle and for cocktail hour was magical, and everything flowed seamlessly. Thank you, Igor and Elite Music Group for a wonderful performance, and would highly recommend them for any wedding and/or event."

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"Arron and his team were the perfect addition to our Friday night dinner crowd. Their load in and set up was timely & efficient. They read the room perfectly and found a vibe our clientele was really into. They brought range, diversity and fun into their set. They really know how to work a crowd and would highly recommend! Can't wait to have them back! "

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"Everything and more... Howard and his group played our client event and did an outstanding job. All expectations were surpassed with their dynamic selection of music and our clients thoroughly enjoyed their performance. I couldn't recommend them more highly for any event."

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review: