Review Centre: Swing Bands

"My experience with Petra was superb. She showed up on time, was very professional and has such a pleasant spirit. Thank you Petra for adding that special touch of making this evening beautiful! "

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"Your show was the best ever done in this theater so far! Director of the Houdini Theater"

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"Thank you for giving your time and talents to grant us a most memorable evening of brilliant music with something for everyone. Everyone who came left with a spring in their step after a thoroughly lovely evening."

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"Friday 24th November 2023 - The Jazz Kings - Tweed Valley Jazz and Blues A superb gig to bring a fitting close to a year of top-flight music. ‘The Jazz Kings’ left us in no doubt why they are currently rated among the top outfits on the North Coast. Each of them – Nicole Parker-Brown on vocals, Peter Uppman on vocals and trumpet (sometimes almost at the same time), Gordon Matheson on guitar, Col Atkinson on bass and yet more vocals, and Jose McLaughlin on keyboards – is an accomplished performer in their own right, and in combination they are a musical powerhouse to be reckoned with. It was an evening of eclectic mix, from popular jazz standards, through blues arrangements that will be appearing on their latest album, to occasional dips into the classical realms, and a few nostalgic ‘pop’ reminiscences. Among the favourites were their own arrangements of evergreens such as ‘Night and Day,’ ‘All Of Me’, ‘Misty’, ‘Georgia On My Mind’ and ‘Making Whoopee’. Jose even gave a nod towards his earlier career as keyboard player and musical director of ‘Gerry and the Pacemakers’ with his updated arrangements of ‘Ferry Cross the Mersey’ and ‘Don’t Let the Sun Catch You Crying’. All in all, a great end to 2023, and the Club Committee took time at the end to wish all members and visitors a happy and safe Xmas and a prosperous New Year. If it promises music of the same quality as this past year, then we’ll have no complaints."

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"David Hitchen has guested at our Jazz Festival in 2021, and 2022. We have booked him again for 2023. He played brilliantly with our jazz Quartet, and even presented some of the show himself, in excellent French. He paid tribute to the jazz trumpet greats, and even interacted superbly with the organisers children, who played tye encore with the group. Make sure you book this guy. He's awesome!"

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"Pauline has an unusual stage presence, talking to the audience and singing directly to individuals is very clever while performing your own take on some great tunes of which ‘Lifting Me Higher’ would be in my top 10 songs! Bravo!"

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"Everyone kept asking who they were. Truly talented musicians!"

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"Kevin and TIBI.events team orchestrated a wedding experience that surpassed all expectations. Their expertise and passion shone through each one of their performances. The day overflowed with excitement and emotion, and Kevin's team curated a soundtrack that perfectly captured the essence of our love story. The music they provided was not just beautiful; it was a lifeline during moments of overwhelming emotion, offering solace and peace when needed most. We are forever grateful to Kevin and his team for creating memories that will last a lifetime. If you're looking to infuse your special day with magic and meaning, look no further than Kevin and TIBI.events."

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" 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"

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"Incredibly talented! We hired Kevin for our wedding ceremony & aperitivo and he was fantastic. He was also great communicating with us throughout the entire wedding planning process and even met us for coffee beforehand! Highly recommend!"

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"Dear Barry, You are one in a million and most likely a billion or a trillion!!! Without YOU, our wedding would have NEVER been the fabulous event it was, which has everyone who participated in or attended it, including the staff at the Valley Hunt Club commenting that it was the best wedding EVER!!!! What you provide is transcendental, and definitely a cut above the rest of the countless and mundane assortment of the Southern California wedding DJ's. Your music selections had appeal for ALL ages, even the hard to please teenagers among our guests without annoying or insulting our seniors. This seems like an impossible feat and yet you achieved it flawlessly. And, most of all, you have a huge component of COOL which gratifies the needs of all of us want-a-be cool people!!! U R Awesome!!!! Thank you soooooooooooooo much!!!!!!!” w/luv"

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"Thanks to Gerard for making this moment so poetic thanks to his violin and his musicality. It was a magical moment! Thanks to Gerard for being able to adapt so well to my request."

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"The perfect elegant touch for our special day! 10/10"

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"Birthdayparty Flexible Good music Nice Guys.5 stars of 5"

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"Hi Darren Just want to thank you for making my mums 80th special everyone enjoyed themselves and complimented you. Thank you again. Regards Carol & Gary (10 / 10) Carol & Gary"

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