" 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"
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"I can't believe you can step into a pub and see this high calibre of music."
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"Gator and the guys are amazing with their music. The talent shines through and their dedication to their craft is inspiring. Gator, keep doing what you love and know that your music is making an impact. --Macklin Stern (CBS - NY Entertainment Journalist)"
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"Went to see a friends band play at the Emergenza band competition in Helsinki a few months ago. My buddies did well and made it to the finals. There was one band there though that didn't make it through but that really got under my skin and that was the Pretty Marc. Hadn't heard of them before but these guys were original and had something special to offer. I really enjoyed their show and hope they try out again next year in the same competition. All the best!"
Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:
"From the very first song, they created an atmosphere that was warm, emotional, and absolutely unforgettable. Justinas’ voice carried so much sincerity that even our guests who don’t usually cry at weddings were moved to tears. The band perfectly blended romantic acoustic moments with uplifting dance numbers — it felt like the music was flowing naturally with the emotions of the evening. They were also incredibly professional and easy to work with. The communication before the event was smooth, they adapted the program to our wishes, and even learned one of our favorite songs for the first dance. During the celebration, they read the crowd perfectly — when it was time to dance, the energy was through the roof; when it was time to slow down, it was pure magic. I can honestly say that their performance made our wedding feel like a movie. Every guest mentioned how amazing the band was. If you want music that truly touches hearts and creates lasting memories, Justinas Stanislovaitis and his band are the ones to call."
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"Better than we could have ever hoped for! The Trends from start to finish were the ultimate professionals, everything was executed perfectly, from the organising & planning to the big night. I couldn't recommend anyone more!"
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"Chloe's Wedding in Pentland Hills, Nov 2024 Andrew was incredible. We hired him for both my dad's 60th and then my wedding a few weeks later and both times he blew us away. All of our guests were commenting on how good he was. We just let him do his thing and he gauged the audience and played the perfect music. We not only love his style and voice but him as a person, he was an absolute delight to have on our special days. "
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"Vam contractar el grup d’en Kaku (el cantant) per al nostre casament l’any passat. Va venir amb una altra cantant, però sembla que aquest nou projecte pinta molt bé. Ens va escriure fa uns dies per demanar-nos que deixéssim una ressenya en aquesta pàgina per ajudar-los a créixer, així que aquí va. Els desitgem el millor! "
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"Una experiencia inovidable.. volveremos a contratar a Son del Aire seguro... disfrutamos cada minuto con ellos... majisimos, encantadores y divertidos"
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"On the night Pete Billigton set the right atmosphere with his piano, leading up to a superb gig with Fleur Stevenson singing, accompanied by Pete and Raph Mizraki on the double bass. Fleur's voice is remarkable and the choice of pieces was most fitting. I was complimented by many friends about the music - some jazz players themselves."
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"Can't recommend this band enough! We booked hifidriveby for our fundraising dinner dance and we had an amazing night. They turned up on time, setup quickly and played so many of my favourite songs that my feet hurt from dancing. they even held a dance off. Obviously the girls won. Will definitely be booking them for our Christmas party. "
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"Saturday night and the Firebeats had the club on the dance floor from start to finish. (A couple even dancing to the sound check) Great 5 piece band with fantastic female vocalist. "
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"Amazing singer & entertainer with nice musicians. They played for us in Krasnapolsky Hotel in Amsterdam NL, will book them again for our German events."
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"Wow loved last night you guys were good see you all next time."
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"I can't say enough great things about Raquel Riot! They performed at our veterinary hospital's 70th Anniversary Celebration and Fundraiser, and they completely exceeded every expectation. From the first song to the last, they had the room full of energy. People were singing along, dancing, and having an amazing time. You can truly see how much they love what they do. Their talent, professionalism, and ability to connect with the crowd made our event feel so special. We've had so many people tell us how incredible the band was and how much they enjoyed the music. Thank you, Raquel Riot, for helping us celebrate such an important milestone and making the night one we'll never forget. If you're looking for a band that will keep your guests entertained and create unforgettable memories, look no further. I would recommend them to anyone without hesitation!"
Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:
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