Review Centre: Singing Pianists

"As a music journalist, I am someone well used to hearing performances covering the whole spectrum of ability, from very talented, to no talent whatsoever; mainly on the working circuit, encountering much from the bottom end of the scale, the flaws of which seemingly pass by, or go over the heads of the audience, mediocre musical acts often gaining acceptance despite (or because of) their lack of any talent whatsoever. So, when on a random whim, I booked MAYHEM into The Old Crown, Hayes, I was pleasantly surprised to come across that jewel one constantly seeks: a light hidden in the bushel, an act of great quality. Don’t get me wrong, on the surface, MAYHEM are basically just another covers band, with certainly not much more to offer in terms of choice of material than others treading the same circuit. The difference though, is in the depth of thought in the vocal arrangements, and the attention to detail in the performance of the songs. Someone in the band has true musical knowledge. The way the vocals are arranged and used is no accident, and the music has a depth and surety that is pure class. Carol’s voice is unique, and at many points conveys rare emotion for those who can hear. The two voices are a happy accident of coincidence; Carol’s rather treble voice, Billy’s gruff baritone, both interesting voices taken in isolation, but together producing a sound that is perhaps greater than the sum of its parts. The quality of both singers shows itself also in the faultlessly correct intonation, the thrilling blend and invention of the harmonies, the search for expression in the vocals, the subtle use of the arrangements to produce expression. Most of these subtleties are of course lost on the general public, but the band still have enough battle-hardened experience and know-how to ride out any waves of indifference, and overcome the hardest heart with a friendly approach to their clientele, patiently trying out various styles and eras, constantly striving to reach their listeners, despite a kind of yearning in the music for serious recognition. Personally, I found it somewhat sad that a talented band like this has to resort to some popular (and bland) material, but one must bow to reality, and work is work. Still, the musicians didn’t just accept the status quo of this material; they always had a few surprises in store in the way they approached any song, however scraped from the bottom of the barrel. Carol’s voice sounded at its best on songs like “SUMMER OF ’69” and “I DON’T WANT TO TALK ABOUT IT”, but she shone through on harder songs too, like “LIVING ON A PRAYER” and “DON’T BRING ME DOWN”. Billy didn’t sing quite as many lead lines, but when he did, it was with a power and confidence that knew just how best to carry the melody, and the strength of harmony singing was in a different league from the average one would expect to hear in a situation like this. On “Living La Vida Loca” the dual vocals were outstanding, perhaps the most equal blend of the day, with other such highlights for me being “Don’t Stop me Now” and “I Wanna Know what Love is”. The locals however enjoyed some of the lighter material more, such as “Rockabilly Rebel”, square dancing their way through the afternoon with great whoops and hollers, playing their part in a very pleasant day in a very pleasant pub. There was a humorous moment when the lads at the bar joined in with “You’ve Lost That Lovin’ Feelin’” all pointing and dancing in the manner of Tom Cruise in “Top Gun”! A vivid sight to behold, for sure! The day ended with a raucous rendition of “Rockin’ All Over The World”, the two singers showing that they could rock it with the best of them when the chips are down. Can’t wait to see this band again. (10 / 10) Andrew Staines "

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"Lovely to have Jahangir as a house musician for a dinner we hosted recently. The choice of music was perfect for a calm evening and since we had a piano, he even played some tunes from Abba for us which everyone enjoyed! "

Rating: 9 / 10 Share this review:

"Andrea what a talented man you are. Andrea treated the 12 of us to his beautiful voice, guitar playing and violin and it was the most wonderful evening. What a talented man he is. Andrea would be a wonderful addition to any party and I could not recommend him enough. "

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"We couldn't have asked for better. She knew exactly how to set the mood, from heartfelt ballads during the ceremony to upbeat hits that had everyone dancing. Not only does Carol have a beautiful voice, she is also professional, friendly and truly went above and beyond to make our special day unforgettable. Highly recommend"

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"We had a small gathering for close friends and family a few days before our wedding, and were looking for a musician to play some classic songs which everyone could sing along to. Jahangir had an excellent music choice and really made the evening eventful and fun! We had a great time!"

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"Kirwan-Baez’s charm comes from an ability to engage with her audience with vivacity, a slow waving of the arms or a thumbs-up cheekily pepping things up. "

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"Jahangir's performance gave us an unforgettable experience. He responded to our wishes with his songs and the communication with him was perfect. We were all very impressed!"

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"On the 15th of March 2022 Jahangir played at our wedding in Hamburg, Germany. He was very nice and asked us in advance if we had any particular songs that he could learn for us. We were very happy with his performance! "

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"I've watch Matt over a couple of events and his enthusiasm is electric. Always gets the crowd going and joining in. Hightly recommended having Matt perform at your event."

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"Andre was absolutely phenomenal. From the moment he began playing, his music didn’t just set the tone - it transformed the entire evening into something truly extraordinary. He brought such warmth and kindness, and his talent created a magical atmosphere that elevated the first night dinner at the villa beyond anything we could have imagined. He was also a true professional - so easy to work with, incredibly prompt in his replies (especially impressive given the time difference), and very accommodating to our needs. We couldn’t have asked for a better start to our time in Tuscany!"

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"Thank you to you and Scott for making our evening party so enjoyable. We loved the music and we have had lots of people commenting on how good you were. "

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"Robert, we wanted to thank you so much for performing at our Wedding. We had a lot of trouble finding someone so late on in the day, and your availability is so impressive. We both loved your voice, you are so talented and you made our day that bit more special, we are so grateful you could make it at such short notice! We will be recommending you to our friends and family, because you are a step above the rest! Mark & June Allen. (10 / 10)"

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"We loved Sugar Sweet Duo at our wedding so much we hired them again for our joint birthday party! For the wedding, they did two 45 minute sets but because the time just flew by so quickly we asked them to do two 60 minute sets for the party. Many guests commented on how good they were and the DJ playlist after the set was great, again. Melissa and Joe are so friendly and enthusiastic, we can't recommend them enough. We need to think of another excuse for a party!"

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"We hosted a party after our wedding for close friends in our home. Jahangir was very professional with his performance and everyone really enjoyed his music choices. We did not have much time to give him much list of songs, however he managed to easily determine the vibe and play the right songs for the right moments. Sucess! "

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"Oh my goodness, where do I even start? Makeda has an absolutely breathtaking voice that completely blew everyone away! We hired her for a private gathering, and she brought such beautiful, warm energy to the whole evening. She has this incredible, natural way of connecting with the crowd—she had all our guests smiling, engaged, and just having the absolute best time. Everyone kept coming up to me all night asking where I found such an amazing singer! Thank you so much, Makeda, for making our event truly unforgettable and so incredibly delightful. We could not have asked for a better performance, and we absolutely cannot wait to have you back again soon!"

Reply by Makeda Rose
Thank you SO much for having me! It was my pleasure to sing for your special event! Looking forward to our next big event together! -Makeda Rose 🌹

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review: