Review Centre: Big Bands

"The band was superb. We all had a brilliant evening. Even James the golf club manager commented at the end of the evening and asked how we’d found you. He also thought you were great. Will definitely highly recommend you. And when my next two girls get married will be in touch! Thank you Matthew."

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"We had Igor and Mathew (2 person band - Piano + stand up bass) play during my mother’s 65th birthday celebration at a restaurant with about 80+ guests. I can’t tell you enough how much everyone appreciated and enjoyed their performance and music. They sound so amazing, playing perfectly as the party went on. They played passive jazz with a mix of bossa nova which were a perfect blend for our theme and guests. Igor and his band were very professional, on time, flexible, and very patient with our loud and crowded guests. He is easy to communicate with and is very transparent and clear. Music wise, I couldn’t believe we were able to have this band play for us as they were nothing short from perfect. Amazing people"

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"We hired Good Co to play at our home for a company party of 50 guests. They were on time, polite, fun and every one had a wonderful time. They paid attention to the wants of the crowd and catered to their likes. They were by far the highlight of our party. Next time we have a bigger party we'll hire the whole band (we only hired 3 band members due to the small crowd). Book this band - they are a sure bet from a small house party to a huge soiree."

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"To Jim and the whole Swing Shift crew: My wife and I just really wanted to thank you guys YET AGAIN for playing at our wedding back on Dec 21, 2010. So great to have you here for my brother's wedding too. Thank you so much, for all the fun, for all the joy. Thank You! JP & Michelle & baby Penelope Love"

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"On behalf of our client and ourselves, we would like to extend a huge thank you for helping to make the Elior Awards Event on Friday 14th March such a huge success! The feedback we have received is that this has been the best Elior awards night yet, praise indeed! Everything went like clockwork on the night which was a testament to the professionalism and calibre of each and every person that contributed to the event. Please can you pass our thanks on to every single member of the band; you guys really made the show and the stings were fantastic! Your contribution was key to the success of the night all the way through and you delivered to a phenomenal standard. We hope you enjoyed the evening also and have some great memories from it, you have set a very high standard for next years event! Needless to say we will be in touch again for future events."

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"I find it very important in todays jazz environment that a player of Rick Holland talent gets heard and recognized because he carries on a tradition of swing and melodic playing that I consider most important in jazz. Hendrik Meurkens, Jazz Harmonicist, NYC"

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"Jack Bowers The Rick Holland—Evan Dobbins Little Big Band Trilby RPO Productions Five years after a sensational opening act (In Time's Shadow, 2006), trumpeter Rick Holland and trombonist Evan Dobbins have returned for an encore, Trilby, marshaling as before their irrepressible Little Big Band. As was noted of that earlier recording, "the only thing small about [this band] is its numbers." Baritone saxophonist Dean Keller, who shared that chair with Kerry Strayer on Shadow, also returns. The rest of the lineup is brand new, with Evan Dobbins' dad, the well-known educator Bill Dobbins (Eastman School of Music), replacing the splendid pianist John Nyerges. Besides shining at the keyboard, Bill Dobbins wrote "My Darling Darlene" and arranged half of the album's other ten numbers. Although he doesn't play this time around, Strayer composed "Rich's Call" and arranged Sonny Stitt's "Eternal Triangle" and Oscar Pettiford's "Tricotism," while Brent Wallarab wrote "Trilby" and arranged Benny Golson's "Stablemates." Bill Dobbins' engaging charts brighten three originals by Hendrik Meurkens—"Slidin," "Second Waltz," "The Cottage"—as well as Hal Crook's "Fused" and Alec Wilder's lovely standard, "While We're Young" (a reprise from the band's earlier album). Holland, who plays flugelhorn exclusively, solos strongly on seven numbers, striking the ball with assurance and perception on every turn at bat. Bill Dobbins ("Slidin," "The Cottage," "Trilby," "Darlene," "Tricotism") amplifies the message, as do Evan Dobbins ("Slidin," "Fused"), Doug Stone (alto on "Stablemates," clarinet on "Second Waltz," soprano on "Trilby" and "While We're Young"), tenor Mike Pendowski ("Eternal Triangle," "Fused," "Rich's Call"), trombonist Nick Finzer ("Second Waltz," "Tricotism"), bassist David Baron ("The Cottage," "Tricotism") and blue-chip drummer Rich Thompson ("Eternal Triangle," "Fused," "Rich's Call"). When they're not having their say, the ensemble is front and center, giving each of the charts its single-minded attention. The result is music that flows easily without miscue. Trilby marks a second triumph by the Holland / Dobbins Little Big Band, which, as was noted after its debut album, "is more big than little, in every sense of the word." Those who appreciate a tight, swinging band, even if slightly undersized, are sure to admire Trilby."

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"Residents at White farm Lodge enjoyed a lively afternoon as the Hounslow Community Brass Band visited to perform jazz and brass music. They played a range of musical genre including classical ,contemporary and original Brass Band composition. The hall were filled with energy, smile and toe-tapping rhythms."

Rating: 9 / 10 Share this review:

"We booked Danilo & his brother as wedding speakers, DJs and entertainers for our wedding at the Jagdschloss Bellin and can highly recommend them. Not only my mum was totally thrilled, thumbs up!"

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"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 "

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

" All Music Review Thom Jurek The title of this set is an apt one. While much of the music presented by the Rick Holland-Evan Dobbins Little Big Band, it hearkens back -- in terms of its sophistication, confidence and outright jazz literacy, not nostalgically -- to an era when progressive jazz, and big bands (this one numbering 10 pieces) flourished on the scene. This is one sophisticated outfit. Featuring the arrangement and compositional skills of Brent Wallarab, Jim Martin, Bill Dobbins and Kerry Strayer, this band struts out the tradition and make some joyous, complex, and elegant music that reflects its own unique identity. The résumés of all these players are impressive and reflected in the confidence of the date. It opens with "SUNY-Triangle," a Martin composition that works its artful sleight-of-hand over Antonio Carlos Jobim's "Triste." Martin uses the rhythmically complex samba and drapes some tough, knotty twists and turns over it. The intro is a beautiful and raucous wake-up call, while the head of the tune, with its staggered entrances and exits -- including some fine soloing by John Viavattine on tenor and John Nyerges on piano -- give this tune a unique identity. "Creature Comfort" is a beautiful mid-tempo ballad by Wallarab with edgeless yet multi-dimensional dissonances written into its harmonics. It swings beautifully and includes a fine, punchy solo by tenorman Glenn Cashman. Besides the originals, there are some fine readings here as well. There's Wallarab's arrangement of Duke Ellington's "Black and Tan Fantasy" that's a thoroughly modern exercise losing none of Ellington's humor or rhythmic complexity. Likewise, Gerry Mulligan's haunting, wee-hours, "Night Lights," is given expert treatment here by Strayer, and Dean Keller's baritone saxophone playing combines Mulligan's sense of lyric and Ben Webster's sense of time. In Time's Shadow reveals that innovation need not sacrifice accessibility or swing. It is convincing evidence that the big band form is alive, well and full of surprises."

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"Wow, what a show! You have a great voice and all of your musicians were just fabulous. The music was smart, fun and sophisticated – again, just what we wanted, and such a pleasure to dance to a band who really know how to play!"

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"The band went down a storm and already I’ve been asked for your details. We really appreciated the effort and journey and thank you all. In hindsight, I wish that we had you on longer as the feedback really has been amazing. Please pass on my thanks to all of the band."

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"“Powerful and polished, , you don’t see bands with this sort of diversity in their song choices, almost every song feels like a showstopper .” Michael Cruz, Boston,Ma "

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"Trip for Biscuits played at our wedding and I could not recommend them enough. We were looking for a particular style which was hard to find in Bristol but I am so glad we did not give up on our search and came across this band! Lots of guests have commented on how great the band were too and the dance floor was evidence they really added to the day. Thank you!"

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review: