Review Centre: One Man Bands

"Thank you so much for performing for my mom's 90th Birthday at Buh Rein Retirement Village So professional and all the guests thoroughly enjoyed your songs I am really thankful that you were available"

Reply by Gordon Rocker
It's a pleasure, Richard. It was really an honor. - Gordon Rocker

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"Jeff was nothing short of amazing. He was there on time. Communicated well. Played the room and everyone loved the music. I would recommend him to anyone for a wedding or special event. Thanks Jeff for making our wedding day special! "

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"I had the pleasure of having Petar perform at our event at Toplik Resort in Sarajevo, and I cannot recommend him highly enough. His voice is absolutely mesmerizing – a perfect blend of warmth, soul, and power. Every song he performed touched our guests deeply, creating a magical and unforgettable atmosphere. Petar was not only incredibly talented but also professional, punctual, and very easy to work with. His choice of songs and the way he connected with the audience made the evening truly special. If you're looking for a musician who will elevate your event and leave everyone talking about it, Petar is the one. We would be honored to have him perform for us again!"

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"John was incredible! An absolute legend! He was kind, talented, lively, and a pleasure to work with. Highly recommend for any gig, show, event."

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"Hired Kev for my grandsons 18th,and he and his friends loved it.Did an hour set so adjusted the price for us.puts all his effort into it and sings a wide variety of different songs and that voice of his just grabs you-amazing.book him you won't be disappointed"

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"Extremely good singer. The sound was really good. Our guests loved it."

Reply by Jalo & Sounds
New Venues, always challenging. But your Venue attracted such a great crowd, weather helped and I had a great great time!

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"Brilliant night at the Brewery Tap. (Long may it survive). And long may Harmonica Lewinsky and his musical colleagues survive. Chas and Dave's Margate had the whole pub rockin' and almost rollin, The mixture of Cockney and Elvis (Costello and Presley) went down a treat. A great night was had by all."

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"Roland was great very easy going guy good singer, birthday girl was totally surprised and Roland accommodated our requests and a great time was had Would recommend"

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"My fiancé and I hired Hampton Pipes & Drums for our wedding this past weekend. Victor was incredible!!! He came and played at the church while guests entered and as everyone was leaving - it was raining a bit, but you would never know, Victor did a tremendous job! He then came to the venue with a gentlemen by the name of Tom who played the snare drum. They played for a bit during our cocktail hour and were so terrific, everyone loved them and they added the perfect touch to our day!! I would recommend Victor to friends and family and will keep him in mind for any future event!"

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"Dear Petra, Your violin play was fabulous. We were so glad with you. You did a very good job, which was appreciated by everyone. Once again we thank for your excellent violin performance. Marie-José "

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"Absolutely wonderful range of songs were fantastic I had asked for a wow factor and got it . People involved loved it very much would recommend him awesome guitarist 😀😀😀"

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"Andrew didn’t just provide the music for our wedding ceremony, he turned it into a real highlight. The preparations were super straightforward and just really lovely. Andrew was so open to our song requests and performed them absolutely beautifully. Heads were tilted in wonder, hearts were lifted, and tears were shed. What more could you want on your wedding day? We were asked by at least every other guest where on earth we’d ‘found’ this brilliant musician. And now, months later, some people are still asking us the same question. Andrew, we thank you from the bottom of our hearts – it was so lovely! If we ever get married again, we’ll be in touch with you!"

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"All of this is an admittedly roundabout way of confessing that I wasn't prepared to be as delighted as I am with Go Tell It on the Mountain (Silkheart), an album of traditional hymns and originals with heaven-gazing titles by Booker T. Williams Jr., a New York-based tenor saxophonist originally from Seattle who performs as Booker T. The obsessive soul-searching implicit in the programming suggests an affinity with John Coltrane. But unlike too many of the saxophonists who aim for Coltrane's spiritual elevation, Booker T has a devilish sense of humor best illustrated by his "Say amen, Gracie" drollery on "What a Friend We Have in Jesus," a homey little melody he elongates and fragments with the comic élan of a Sonny Rollins. In fact, the classic album that Go Tell It on the Mountain most recalls is Way Out West, Rollins's 1958 album of cowboy tunes--and not just because Booker T, like Rollins before him, finds inspiration in unlikely places. It's also because Booker T's interaction with the bassist Saheb Sarbib and the drummer Andrew Cyrille is as carefree and almost as electrifying as Rollins's with Ray Brown and Shelly Manne thirty years ago (or better yet, with Wilbur Ware and Elvin Jones on A Night at the Village Vanguard, from around the same time). Despite the sarcasm implicit in Booker T's low-register bleats, his performances of "What a Friend We Have in Jesus" and "Jesus Loves Me" exude sincerity, much the way Rollins's interpretations of oddball pop tunes do. For Booker T, as for Rollins, satire is a sign of respect, not condescension. Booker T is ecumenical: one of the album's most infectious cuts is "Halle Kalle Mazeltov," a hora whose modality he cagily exploits. The Spartan trio format means that Sarbib and Cyrille have to function as soloists as well as rhythm stalwarts, and both men shoulder the added burden gracefully, maintaining melodic continuity in a manner that bassists and drummers seldom do when they solo. Despite the length of some of the tracks (the title tune, which is just over sixteen minutes, is a Booker T original, not the folk song of the same name), Booker T's solos never deteriorate into self-indulgent braying. His sense of thematic exposition is too well developed for that-another cue he takes from Rollins. (And as if to underscore his lineage, the CD-only bonus track is Rollins's calypso "St. Thomas.") He switches to alto on his own "When Mama Cries I Cry," and his phrasing is impressively speechlike on this lighter horn. To the best of my knowledge, Booker T's only other recording has been as a sideman on Cold Sweat, a recent album of James Brown tunes (also featuring Craig Harris and David Murray) that illustrates the sloppiness jazz musicians are capable of when trying to show they can be Regular Guys. But Go Tell It on the Mountain is stunning enough to make me a believer in Booker T's potential. "

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"I've heard Vic play many times. He is one of the best guitarists in North County San Diego. I've heard him in his band, as a soloist and preform karaoke. Great all around musician"

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"I loved The VK Duo" i think they're different from the rest. Koi with the guitar is totally amazing. The vibe is totally for a party."

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review: