Review Centre: Crooners

"Cheryl was an absolute joy to work with. I was looking for someone to surprise my husband for his birthday party and she was everything I was hoping for. She really added that extra special element while being very unobtrusive at the same time. I would recommend her highly."

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"Jazz Centrale made our drinks reception unforgettable. They arrived well in advance, were very friendly, and were incredibly good at their work. The music created just the right atmosphere. Communication before and during the event was smooth and professional. They were flexible and helpful, which made working with them a pleasure. In short, a fantastic experience and highly recommended!"

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"Luke is a fantastic singer, everybody enjoyed the evening and Luke is such a nice lad. Would recommend him to anybody, thank you so much. "

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"Bruddah Vince is a pleasure to have at our restaurant. His amazing vocal range and large library of songs makes it an awesome experience for our guests. His aloha spirit goes a long way and makes everyone feel like they are at home on an island with zero worries. Can't wait to have him at the restaurant again in the near future. Would strongly recommend Bruddah Vince for anyone looking for amazing music by an amazing individual."

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"I've had the pleasure of knowing Barry for more than 16 years, and I've experienced his incredible performances at both public and private gatherings. Whether it's a small intimate setting or a grand event, Barry consistently gives his all and delivers an exceptional performance. His level of professionalism, attitude, and dedication as a musician and singer is truly outstanding and worthy of praise. As a fan, I wholeheartedly endorse Barry for any event you may have in mind! Cathlyn Choi Michelson"

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"Will WOW!!!! We have had nothing but fantastic feedback about the band at our ‘Happily Ever Party'. Ian and I had the best time and NQBB definitely made the day for us. We just need another occasion to hire you again! A huge thank you to you all. "

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"Annelise is a superb singer & tailored herself totally to our needs."

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"Barry was unbelievable! When we selected a touch of class for our wedding we knew we were going to get what we wanted, but we did not know that it was going to be 10 times better than we expected! absolutely everyone at the wedding was dancing and having the best time! Our wedding was perfect and Barry had everything to do with that! We gave them a genre of music to play and they accommodated it exactly how we wanted. We had a smaller wedding and they were able to put together the exact size ensemble for the space provided!"

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"Smooth sounds of his saxophone were thoroughly enjoyed by our 50-person event. He was terrific and a must-re-hire."

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"Dave contacted me to discuss the booking He was prompt, the set was out of this world and all our guest’s thoroughly enjoyed the evening as did we. His voice is amazing"

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"First Class! 10/10 Sarah gave a first class performance at the concert."

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"Mark is a one man band who plays saxophone, cocktail piano, and sings! He paly for my annual summer party and everyone enjoyed his performance and his music. His music was smooth and well rehearsed in addition to being fun to listen to. It was exactly what I was looking for along with his great customer service and personality. I will definitely have him again. Thanks again for a great day!"

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"We hired Bruddah Vince for a backyard luau graduation celebration. He was very professional, easy to communicate with, and his music/voice/talent was above and beyond what we expected. All of our guests were really impressed and made several comments about how good he sounded. He started earlier than expected and played longer than expected. Very, very happy with his performance. Thank you Bruddah Vince!! "

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"St. Francis Hospital Fourth Annual Survivors Day Event John Canella, better known as Johnny the Oldies Singer recently performed at our fourth annual Survivors Day event at St. Francis Hospital. As a performer and singer John is the best, it’s his other talents and professionalism that really sets him apart from the many other performers in the market. He is able to connect with the audiences which make his performance personalized and special. He made our patient feel like he knew them a life time and this made their experience great. John arrived on the day of the event promptly, setup his equipment (which is state-of-the-art Bose), went over the agenda and made room for special requests. There wasn’t anything he was not prepared to deliver. At the end of the program our guests, physicians and staff left grateful for a great program. Thanks John, we’ll see you again soon."

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: