Review Centre: Wedding Bands

"Wonderful band and incredible performances — we hosted our wedding celebration in Lake Como in June 2023 and had the SoulMates play for us. What can I say but magnificent! They created such beautiful ambience from day to night — all our guests had an amazing time and I can only thank the SoulMates for their creating the magic 🙂 Grazie mille Francesco for organising and for suggesting certain jazz songs that we would have otherwise forgotten. We are so happy to have you play for our big day and we cannot recommend you more! Best of luck xx all our love "

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"Sonido Costeño’s interactive approach doesn’t allow you to just sit back and watch the show. If you’re there on Salsa night, then you should be prepared to DANCE!"

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"All of this is an admittedly roundabout way of confessing that I wasn't prepared to be as delighted as I am with Go Tell It on the Mountain (Silkheart), an album of traditional hymns and originals with heaven-gazing titles by Booker T. Williams Jr., a New York-based tenor saxophonist originally from Seattle who performs as Booker T. The obsessive soul-searching implicit in the programming suggests an affinity with John Coltrane. But unlike too many of the saxophonists who aim for Coltrane's spiritual elevation, Booker T has a devilish sense of humor best illustrated by his "Say amen, Gracie" drollery on "What a Friend We Have in Jesus," a homey little melody he elongates and fragments with the comic élan of a Sonny Rollins. In fact, the classic album that Go Tell It on the Mountain most recalls is Way Out West, Rollins's 1958 album of cowboy tunes--and not just because Booker T, like Rollins before him, finds inspiration in unlikely places. It's also because Booker T's interaction with the bassist Saheb Sarbib and the drummer Andrew Cyrille is as carefree and almost as electrifying as Rollins's with Ray Brown and Shelly Manne thirty years ago (or better yet, with Wilbur Ware and Elvin Jones on A Night at the Village Vanguard, from around the same time). Despite the sarcasm implicit in Booker T's low-register bleats, his performances of "What a Friend We Have in Jesus" and "Jesus Loves Me" exude sincerity, much the way Rollins's interpretations of oddball pop tunes do. For Booker T, as for Rollins, satire is a sign of respect, not condescension. Booker T is ecumenical: one of the album's most infectious cuts is "Halle Kalle Mazeltov," a hora whose modality he cagily exploits. The Spartan trio format means that Sarbib and Cyrille have to function as soloists as well as rhythm stalwarts, and both men shoulder the added burden gracefully, maintaining melodic continuity in a manner that bassists and drummers seldom do when they solo. Despite the length of some of the tracks (the title tune, which is just over sixteen minutes, is a Booker T original, not the folk song of the same name), Booker T's solos never deteriorate into self-indulgent braying. His sense of thematic exposition is too well developed for that-another cue he takes from Rollins. (And as if to underscore his lineage, the CD-only bonus track is Rollins's calypso "St. Thomas.") He switches to alto on his own "When Mama Cries I Cry," and his phrasing is impressively speechlike on this lighter horn. "

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"All of our guests absolutely loved your performance and you brought exactly the vibe we were looking for on the day, as well as being lovely people."

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"Alex Sandra performed at my birthday party and everyone loved her. She was also very responsive both via the app and text. I really appreciated that she provided any equipment she needed and a great pop song list. I would hire her again in a heart beat!"

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"A soulful, high-energy fusion of world-class musicians creating a vibrant, inclusive community. An unmissable, immersive experience!"

Reply by Taproots
Thank you for allowing us to perform and spread a little of the Taproots experience! We look forward coming back!

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"Stellar, professional, & swingin!!! We booked this trio for one of our larger institutional events that we host twice a semester. They were phenomenal! I cannot sing their praises enough. They added just enough ambience, swing, and mood to the dinner setting for our guests. We will definitely be booking the Simon Burke Trio again and again!"

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"Roger Terrell's show is a blast he's a true performer, telling jokes and singing love songs, and one that gave me chills. It was a night for me and my bride to remember."

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"Wedding October 14 2023 - University Club - Chicago, IL Hi Ron, I've been meaning to shoot you an email. Thank you guys so much, we had such a wonderful time and were so happy and impressed with the music. With everything going on, there were 2 things about the wedding that made it stand out: the food and the band. Our guests loved the music and it was everything that we could have ever wanted and more. I really meant what I said about how cool it is that you all play this music and hopefully more people my age appreciate the work that you all do. Please let me know if there is anything I can do for you. We visit Chicago pretty often so we'll keep tabs on when you play and will come say hello sometime soon. Hope you have a happy Thanksgiving! -Ryan & Angela"

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"What a dream team!! We absolutely love this bands vibe! They played at our wedding and were so fun, professional and talented! We even got a sax solo for our reception entrance. Would recommend them to anyone! Lauren & Michael"

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"Thank you & Tuxedo Junction for a wonderful evening Saturday night. Our friends and guests raved about the band. You absolutely made the evening so special! ‘Such an amazing band and so professional. I will recommend you very highly. We appreciate all you did!"

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"Our corporate event was missing that final touch, and Make Music Memories delivered perfectly with their elegant and fun music!"

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"I am really looking forward to seeing Dark and Stormy again at The Settle Inn.They were absolutely fantastic at The Southport Together music festival in the summer.They play the music I love to dance to!"

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"The band did a brilliant job at my wedding. They really got the crowd going and played a great selection of songs. In amongst all the stress of organising a wedding, the band was one thing I didn't need to worry about. Ben was really responsive to my questions and to the last minute requests that I had. Thanks so much. "

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"I chose the choir packs at the church and band at Dona Ofélia's farm, and after watching and listening to many bands/choirs, these were the ones I liked the most right away because of the care they took in choosing songs and the friendliness they showed. They always made us feel at ease and any questions that arose (the kind you have when the date is really approaching) were immediately resolved with complete professionalism. All the guests praised the choir in the church, as they were simply divine with all the melodies, and at the farm, the band got everyone excited and dancing, providing a moment of fun and live music that was exactly what we were looking for on our day! Without a doubt, Dona Ofélia was another great choice for the long-awaited day ☺️"

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review: