Review Centre: Musical Acts

"Thank you so much for everything you guys were amazing!"

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" 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:

"Hi Dave, just wanted to express our biggest THANK YOU to you for being part of our special day on Saturday! Having you play for us really added the wow factor to the day & I honestly cannot thank you enough. I know from the feedback that you went down a storm with all of our guests & I think you have made a friend for life in our DJ too!"

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"Emil was very professional. Arrived to the venue well ahead of event starting time to set-up everything and do sound check. Entertainment provided was exactly what we had requested and provided pleasant background music. Lovely Spanish autistic music :) "

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"Hi Shane, I just wanted to thank you and the rest of the band for last night. The music was fantastic and people have been saying how great you were. You were so professional and easy to deal with. Thanks for your advice too - it was like you said, it was one big party. Expect more bookings from our friends and family."

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"Mark was very professional and talented at our wedding outside of Granada. His song list is extensive and he also is willing to learn any special requests for songs. My husband and I both highly recommend his talents for any special event needing acoustic guitar!! "

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"...wanted to say thank you again for helping us out today, you were great! "

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"My wife and I recently had The Cheers perform at our wedding where they smashed out banger after banger to ensure all the guests had sore feet and smiles on their faces at the end of the night. Ben’s communication from the very beginning was excellent ensuring our set list was personalised, they even learned our first dance which we greatly appreciated. Between sets they played our created playlist on Spotify which was super helpful. Their set up was swift and the brass accompaniment really took it to the next level. If you are looking a function band for a wedding or party look no further, The Cheers are the one for you! Thanks Conor & Rebecca"

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"Super music!!! Very good!!! It was a pleasure listening your music! We really enjoyed it!"

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"Camille sang for my daughters baby shower. She looked beautiful and appropriately attired. She sang well and a good selection of songs. She arrived with plenty of time to set up, she sang for the right amount of time and packed down quietly. i would highly recommend this talented songbird "

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"I play music with my friends, I'm not a professional but I know how to distinguish between a trained band and an untrained one. These guys are professional musicians, it's incredible to think of finding these artists for a wedding, they deserve a big stage and a huge audience. I met kind and helpful people. Emanuele the band leader helped us before the wedding with very useful and reassuring video calls, he was kind and professional. Excellent choice of very famous songs that we all knew. They also played very beautiful Italian songs. Best wishes to these guys and GRAZIE:-)!"

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"We were unsure how to liven up the cocktail hour at our wedding… and choosing Molly Music was a brilliant decision that I would repeat a thousand times over. It wasn't just one guest, but many who asked, "Who are they? I want them for my wedding!" Their unique voices, pleasant demeanor, friendly approach, and charm, and they adapted to everything we dreamed of. 10/10."

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"One of the best classical acts I have seen. Highly recommended."

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"They made the cocktail party a truly unique experience; everyone danced and had a fantastic time. I congratulate them on their excellent service and kindness. I would definitely hire them again. You guys are wonderful! 👏"

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"Victoria did a fantastic job during our wedding! She is super reliable, has a great voice and we and all our guests enjoyed her singing during the ceremony and reception. We highly recommend her! "

Reply by VICTORIA singer
Thank you so much! 🥹☺️☺️

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