Review Centre: One Man Bands

"Heard these guys at an event last week. Great performance and selection of material. Never a dull moment."

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"I always like sharing new discoveries with everyone especially when they work for any of our destinations. Specifically, Chris Arpad, a one-man steel drummer is incredible for just about any event. But his talents are not just limited to the steel drum rather a plethora of music genres. We have used Chris now for several events and has been a great hit each time and works well especially when a client wants a large band with a small budget."

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"I must be honest I had never been involved in finding and/or booking a band for an event, so this was a first for me - and it was my dad's 60th so I really wanted something special. Joubert and his wife (who seemed to be in charge of the Sound Engineering side of things) were very accommodating and there were little-no issues. The sound quality was great - his voice is great - and no request seemed too much to ask (they did everything with a smile on their faces). We tried to give as many song requests to them at least a week before the time as possible - and they seemed very appreciative of that. They did go the extra mile in the sense that the party actually only seemed to kick off when they were supposed to wind things up - but they volunteered to stay for longer just before my dad asked me if they could, and so they did. The event turned out to be a big success and I wanted to thank Joubert and Juanita for the vibe they injected into a special day for us as a family. Dankie julle"

Rating: 9 / 10 Share this review:

"Extremely talented! Very much enjoyed his music; he's a talented guitarist with a beautiful voice. He also has a brilliant song selection!"

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"Matt is an exceptional musician- his aptitude for engaging an audience is quite unique. Having attended a number of his events over the past few years, it still surprises me how he can get a whole room singing along in harmony! If you’re looking for a charismatic performer with an extensive & really fun collection of songs, I would say ‘look no further!’"

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. "

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"Dear Mr Maverick Let me extend gratitude for what you have done for me. You delivered on my special day with distinction! You created a beautiful musical atmosphere worth remembering "

Reply by Maverick Entertainer
Thank you Portia. Great party!

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"Damien surprised my wife at her birthday 🥳 garden party. He was fantastic and along with his supportive dad really became part of our day with a great playlist which we arranged in the days leading up to the party. The atmosphere was great and all our friends and family thoroughly enjoyed the music Would definitely recommend Damien Fantastic value and a lovely lad"

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"Salomé sang whilst I proposed to my wife and it was magical. Thank you so much for making the moment so special for the both of us. Good luck for the future as the talented artist that you are! "

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"Hi ND, thank you again for a wonderful evening. Everyone enjoyed your music. Best wishes Ned"

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"Damien was fantastic, it’s the second time we’ve had him perform at a party and it won’t be the last"

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"He was awesome and very friendly, would definitely hire him again!!!!"

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"Was so sweet and helpful every step of the way. She was a joy to have on my day, and also very easy to talk to. I loved her set up which looked so cute with my ceremony and she has the voice of an angel, so sweet and delicate would recommend a 100% and will be looking to work with her again in the future when I need any live music ?"

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"Amazing! Pleasure to work with! I'll hire again! I hired Ayden for a 2 day, 4 show Halloween-themed event. Before I even heard him perform, just speaking to him and his enthusiasm to deliver the experience I wanted for my show, he had my confidence. He went out of his way to meet with me and work with my show team to make it the best performance possible. He played wonderfully and was very engaging with my guests. I was extremely pleased with Ayden and will absolutely be booking him again."

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"Saw him yesterday at the Breakroom in Foud du lac. Highly recommend him as a great performer. Had the crowd going was a pleasure."

Rating: 9 / 10 Share this review: