Review Centre: Musical Acts

"We booked John for the reception of our wedding . He was aboustely amazing, really got the party started, very lively and can play to suit the crowd. Our crowd surely loved John, we were so happy that we picked John I would highly recommend John he is gifted can play to suit many events."

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"Emilia was apart of our special day on Saturday just gone, she was absolutely amazing all our guests were raving about her beautiful voice! Nothing to much trouble, she was just wow. We just want to thank you for being apart of it and making it that extra 🥰 Love Mr & Mrs Cheke! Xx"

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"The Sociables Classic Rock where sensational. Night On The Hill Festival. Panton Hill Victoria. Australia. "

Rating: 9 / 10 Share this review:

" Jenny and Tony were fantastic. Our party guests loved every minute of every set. We highly recommend these guys. Thank you Jenny and Tony for being the icing on the cake to our birthday party. "

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"There have been many jazz musicians – saxophonists John Coltrane and George Brooks to name a couple – who have been intrigued by the melodic and rhythmic complexities of Hindustani classical music. Saxophonist Rainer Pusch, how!ever, belongs to the rare breed of Western musicians who have been influenced by Carnatic music. The Carnatic connection came later, but jazz caught Pusch’s interest at an early age. As a 12-year-old learning the tenor sax, a “very bad teacher” scared him into quitting lessons and starting to jam with friends. “At the age of 14 I got into jazz,” he told us. “I heard the first album by [American free jazz saxophonist] Pharaoh Sanders and this album [Pharaoh’s First] kicked me in.” Pusch got completely hooked after his brother smuggled him into The Cave, a jazz club in Heidelberg. “They had jam sessions every Tuesday,” he said. “It was 1968, the time of free jazz, underground music and the hippie era. Heidelberg was the headquarters of the US army in Europe, and there were a lot of army clubs, where I found my first steady work.” Playing for Americans every Friday and Saturday was an ideal start. It was a stroke of luck that Pusch met his “first jazz guru”, saxophonist Pony Poindexter. “Pony Poindexter’s wife worked for the army and they were living in Mannheim at the time,” Pusch said. “Pony had already subbed for Charlie Parker in Billy Eckstine’s big band, recorded with [guitarist] Wes Montgomery, the vocal trio Lambert, Hendricks and Ross, and many others.” Pusch started taking lessons from Poindexter and, after a while, they started performing together. Poindexter was instrumental, in helping Pusch further his jazz education by introducing him to other American musicians. “He knew everybody,” Pusch recalled. “Through him, I met Dexter Gordon. Art Blakey sat in with us when we played an outdoor gig.” Later, in 1977, Pusch stayed with Poindexter in New York, where he met the cream of the city’s jazz scene. “He invited Philly Joe Jones to stay for two weeks in our Lower East Side loft; I met Eddie Jefferson, Bob Berg, Junior Cook,” Pusch said. He also took lessons from George Coleman, who had briefly been part of Miles Davis’s band in the early ’60s. On his return to Germany, Pusch released his first album as leader of his own outfit. However, his connection to America persisted; he would return to earn a degree in jazz composition and arrangement from the Berklee College of Music in Boston, in 1983. Pusch’s first album Journey Agent, released in 1981, was an assimilation of the styles typical of hard bop and post-bop American musicians he had met during the past decade. On the album, his quartet, which included piano, double bass and drums, performed originals and a cover of “Mixing Pot” by Brazilian musician Hermeto Pascoal. Mostly mid-tempo numbers, the tunes ranged from the ballad-like “Scientific” and earthy “B-flat Blues” to funky, Latin-inflected “Mixing”. “I’m influenced by all the players I like to listen to,” Pusch said. “That’s the secret about jazz. It isn’t only music; it’s a philosophy of personal self-development built on tolerance and the art of living in the moment.” He has performed in a variety of formats: duo, trio, quartet and big bands. Pusch is also a composer and arranger who has scored symphonic pieces for films. Pusch’s first major Indian encounter was in the late-’90s, when he performed at the Avignon Theatre Festival in France. “It had a focus on India, and members of the Kalakshetra College of Dance and Music were performing,” he said. “I got in touch with them and decided to go to Chennai to study.” Pusch received a scholarship from ICCR and moved with his family to Chennai in 1996. He would remain there for more than two years, studying Carnatic vocal from S Rajaram and rhythms from V Selvaganesh. “I got into the movie business and performed for many music directors, inclu!ding AR Rahman,” he said. There have been Carnatic saxo!phonists, like Kadri Gopalnath, before him, but Pusch is probably the first Westerner to perform the traditional south Indian style on the sax. He has also arranged compositions by Thyagaraja, Mysore Vasudeva and others, using a rhythm section comprised of guitar, bass and drums. “We respect the raga, but put it in a harmonic frame,” he said. “It’s not the style, but the attitude of the musician that counts. The future of music, art and culture lies in a respectful, well-understood and lived fusion. Not in a commercial, fast food con-fusion.”"

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"Louise Golbey’s sublime voice and talented accompaniment provided the perfect acoustic backdrop for our event. We wouldn’t hesitate in booking her again in the future."

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"Carmen and the guys in orange ties played at my 50th birthday party and went down a storm! They had everyone up dancing from start to finish with a super set list with something for all ages. They also clearly love what they do! Very professional and easy to liaise with - cannot recommend highly enough!"

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"Thank you the band was fantastic! "

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"Ashwin understood the value of the event and gave us the best. He engaged the crowd and we are delighted through his work . Perfect person for the job."

Reply by Ashwin Chandran
Thank you so much for giving me the opportunity to work with you and your family. I had a really good time performing at the venue. Really appreciate the support :) Rgds, Ashwin Chandran

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"Kazz has performed at my pub on a number of occasions now and he always gives 110%, the crowd love him and always leave having had a great night. He has an amazing voice and I always look forward to his next gig. Will always be welcome at my pub."

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"we invited the incredible "Dupa Trio" to play at our new year's eve party for our lawyer firm, "GRO" the music that they played was perfect for the event, the crowd loved them. Have to say, that compared to the amazing value that they bring as a band, their fee is really fair and reasonable! looking forward to book them again in 2023 Erik"

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"Wow wow wow absolutely loved Dave as our wedding DJ! He definitely knows how to keep people on the dance floor. I can’t thank him enough for such an amazing service! I literally just want to throw parties for no reason just to have him back."

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"Great music at dinner! We enjoyed the song selection. "

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"Stephan was wonderful. About a month before the wedding my family member(who was to play guitar) became ill and was not able to attend the wedding. I found Stephan on this site and he was perfect! So accommodating and professional. Thank you Stephan for a great job and wedding music was beautiful!!"

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"Exit 93 played a large private Birthday party for us….. they went above and beyond to make it a great night …..EVERYONE is still talking about how good the band was. Great group of very talented musicians!"

Reply by Exit 93
Thank you we appreciate you guys!

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review: