Review Centre: 1920s Era Musicians & Bands

"Came on time, dressed appropriately, cooperated with last-minute instructions, excellent set list, exceeded expectations."

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"Absolutely the best!! All the guests at the reception commented on the band. I asked them to add a horn section, so we had an eight piece band and their soundman. The soundman went the extra mile and provided sound for the outdoor wedding ceremony also, and during the cocktail hour, some of the band members provided an acoustical set before the reception officially began. My daughter wanted a lot of the Sinatra sound and they delivered. She and her father danced to Sinatra's "Fly Me To The Moon" (George is a corporate pilot) and I will never forget the sight they made as they danced. A memory to hold forever in my heart and the memory definitely has the sound!! You can not go wrong with this band, whatever sound you want. And I think that they actually gave me more than I paid for. Truly marvelous and professional musicians!! My daughter's "do not play" list was basically "nothing cheesy". They were perfect and worth every penny."

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"Great Set, Great Guys, Great Time! says it all. Alan and the band were very professional and accommodating for our event in Sheffield. The variety and style of music was perfect putting a smile on everyones face. Thank you LA Jazz Band. (10 / 10) "

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:

"These ladies sparkled both visually and audibly. All our guests were talking about them. They created a wonderful atmosphere for our drinks reception."

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"Well, where can I start! From initially stumbling upon Dr Jazz and realising that there was something rather special about their approach and unique sound, to the very first email and phone calls to discuss our plans for the day, all the way through to our Wedding day itself – Dr Jazz and company were brilliant. Helpful, friendly, and wonderfully entertaining, we could not have asked for anything more. The set itself was fantastic – we were blown away with how much of an impact they made, not only in terms of everyone feeling the urge to get up to dance (which was a slight worry for us before the day!), but also with their spot on interaction with the guests, and overall management and ownership of the evening. We really knew we’d made the right decision as soon as the first note was played – talk about creating a spectacle!! In terms of a front man Matthew is absolutely superb, and his supporting crew of brilliantly talented musicians helped make our day one to remember for both us and our guests. Thank you all so very much for everything. We know what it’s like trying to find the ‘right band’, ourselves having trawled through many hundreds of sample tracks from other people and groups, and the worries that come with it regarding whether people will like it, whether it’ll be well received etc. The best advice I can honestly give is that if you are sitting there reading this review, and you have enjoyed the sample tracks you’ve listened to, then please don’t hesitate to book these guys. You will not regret it, and you and your guests will certainly never forget it. They were nothing short of marvellous. Once again we wanted to say thank you very much for everything – we really had a fantastic time, as did everyone else in attendance, and it is all thanks to you and your crew. You certainly made the evening, if not the day for us, and we are so pleased and lucky to have been able to book you to play for us. You were nothing short of brilliant, and we can’t stop talking or thinking about how amazing you were (and nor can anyone else!) It was so lovely to meet you all in person. All the best for the future, and please rest assured that we’ll be singing your praises for the years to come!"

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"Ottimi musicisti professionali e disponibili. Un gruppo capace di intrattenere in qualsiasi momento della situazione. grazie mille"

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"What can I say? Thanks so much for making everything so easy. You showed up on time, unlike us, you looked great and the music was exactly what I wanted! Brilliant!"

Reply by Tritone
Oh thanks so much! I’m glad you enjoyed it. You know where to find us if you need an anniversary band

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"Great band, great music, perfect for our NYE party"

Reply by Flash Mob Jazz
Thanks for the review. We loved performing at your incredible hotel for your NYE party

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"Rick Holland’s music is certainly not radical or innovative, but is some of the best group playing in it’s genre of Jazz Bop. Robert D. Rusch, President of Cadence Records"

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"The Swing Empire have performed at several key events for us recently including the Cornwall Tourism Awards, our wedding open day and our New Years Eve celebration and they were amazing on each occasion! We had so many positive guest comments and feedback that we just had to book them again for this New Years. With a great variety of songs, interaction with the crowd and very smartly dressed what more could you want! Excellent musicians and certainly a band that we will be recommending for future events that The Headland organise and also for our clients weddings and corporate events."

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"Great addition to our Easter Sunday dinner at home. Thank you for a lovely performance!"

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"Kathleen’s voice lifted the service up so many levels. Her voice is amazing and she sung so well. I can’t thank her enough for making the service so special. I would highly recommend her."

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"Very good mix of songs.The audience goes wild.The band were very patient "

Reply by Sven Erik Granholm Jazz Quartet
Thank you very much for the review Sven Erik the band

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"I just want to say a huge thank you for singing at our wedding recently, you were fantastic and I thought it suited our ceremony perfectly."

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review: