Review Centre: Brass Musicians

""Thanks for an incredible performance. You guys were everything we hoped for and more. I've already received lots of requests to have you back!""

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 Rick Holland and his band played our wedding on August 28, 2010. Rick could not have been more accommodating to my husband and my wants and needs for music at the wedding. We communicated through email, over the phone, and met with each other once to go over the details. Rick was very thorough and always set our minds at ease. During our ceremony, his quartet played us up the aisle with a romantic song and down the aisle with ''Fireworks'' which set the mood for the festive evening to begin. The cocktail hour began immediately following the ceremony and Rick''s band did not miss a beat....the little big band entertained guests while they mingled and got a bite to eat. When the wedding party was ready to be announced, Rick took the microphone as we were all introduced. After the speeches were out of the way, Rick and the band let loose! With a full band and two singers, a male and a female, we partied for the next four hours! The guests were dancing, singing, and truly having a great time as did we! The band definitely made the night! The songs were exactly what we requested and the sound quality was superb. I would gladly book Rick and his band for another occasion as well as recommend them. Thanks again Rick! Erin and Mike Victor, New York"

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"You guys were brilliant – your playlist was perfect! The sound was fantastic and everyone loved your set. Thank you!"

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"The broad repertoire his groups encompass and the care with which he deals with musical details are a welcome exception in this age of super specialization and an obsession with quick results at the expense of real quality. Bill Dobbins, Eastman School of Music"

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"“We booked The Ambrassadors for our end-of-year corporate celebration in our offices. They performed two lively sets, and the audience loved their vibe! The lads were good fun, easy to work with and had a great repertoire.” "

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"WOW! WOW! WOW! Bravo! This band was amazing! We hired them to perform at a venue in Geneva, Switzerland called 'Uptown Geneva' (a great venue I would recommend too!) Everyone at our event had a great time dancing and singing along. Mara's voice is astonishing and she is such a lovely person to talk with! 10/10 would hire again! Very easy to work with, very professional and accommodating. Their music catalogue is full of fun, popular songs everyone will know. If you are looking for a talented, fun group of musicians for your event - look no further - Mara and the Brass Cats is your band! Trust me :-) "

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"Big City Dixieland was a HUGE hit in our City Parade! Audiences from all ages were singing along, clapping and even dancing in the grass! Big City Dixieland sounded great! From what we (the organizers) could hear, they played a good variety of lively, well-known Dixieland Music, including a patriotic song. It was very easy to work with Maureen and Michael, their band arrived early, and everyone was very professional. We will definitely be hiring Big City Dixieland band for our next event in 2025! "

Reply by Big City Dixieland Band
Big City Dixieland appreciates this feedback. We're glad to hear you were so pleased, and appreciate you for choosing us to provide New Orleans Dixieland music to the parade!

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"Really made our night having such great live music during the meal. Great ambience and vibe! "

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"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"

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"What an incredible group! Deep Down Brass played in the evening of our wedding day. They were a fantastic addition to the day and we can't recommend them highly enough. They played a wide variety of music and styles, from folk to modern pop songs with their own twist. Any requests we had in advance were handled superbly. The group had everyone up and dancing and the day wouldn't have been the same without them. Not only are they fantastic musicians, they're also a lovely group of people. If you're considering booking Deep Down Brass - what are you waiting for?!"

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"Quality music by quality musicians. What more could one ask for?"

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"I can honestly say that it was fabulous entertainment. In all the years of the awards the dance floor has never been so full and for so long!! You made our Awards just a fabulous experience and everyone I have seen since has raved about you all! Thank you so much for an unforgettable night!!"

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"Dan was amazing from start to finish, We asked Dan the special request of playing our First Dance for us and he literally made me cry at the start of the Dance, I sent him the song we wanted and he played it exactly like we wanted, All of our Guests were blown away with Dan and he filled the dancefloor everytime he came on. Thankyou again Dan for such an amazing night, you definitely made the night for us "

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"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"

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"Dan played at our wedding and it was absolutely perfect, I highly recommend him! He played background jazz saxophone in the venue courtyard while our guests were having reception drinks and canapes. Our guests loved it. We chatted to Dan about the kind of music and atmosphere we wanted to create for our rustic wedding and he did the rest and came up with the most perfect set. My husband is very musical so it meant a lot to him that Dan created such an excellent atmosphere"

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review: