Review Centre: Swing Bands

"I wanted a swing/jazz band for my wedding, and oh boy, did they deliver! They were swinging, and lively; their repertoire was quite expansive. They reached out to ask if I had any specific songs and then added additional pieces that suited the style I wanted. We contracted them for both the ceremony and the reception, we had a 3 piece band for the ceremony (piano, bass, and sax) They showed up early and set up with no extra help needed, played some gentle jazz music until the ceremony began, and even added in a drummer for no extra charge. I flip-flopped on the song I wanted to walk down the aisle to until almost the very last moment, and they were incredibly understanding and flexible. For the ceremony, we requested a 7 piece band so it could be boisterous and fun. There was almost no time that the dance floor was empty from the moment they began playing, even though the music they played was a sort of old-school jazz that few people know how to properly dance to. They played so well and brought such an element of joy and fun, that all our guests felt comfortable enough to dance all night. We learned how to swing dance for our first dance (Louis Armstrong, 'Bout Time), and the band played it to perfection (even if we didn't dance it perfectly LOL). This moment is one I will treasure forever, it was exactly as I had wanted it to be. For the rest of the night, they played off a setlist of a few songs I gave them and filled in the rest with their own recommendations. The singer has the most beautiful voice, all the band members play perfectly, I felt like I was in a 1920s jazz bar which was exactly what I had wanted. We had guests approach us all throughout the night, and even now to ask who the band was and to congratulate us on such a fun event. If you want a band that can swing, rock, and any other musical verb you like, this is the band you want. They were so communicative, helpful, and perfectly able to understand my vision. To the Orignal Moonlighters: thank you for making my wedding as special as it was."

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"As soon as the band started, just about every wedding guest was on the dance floor for the rest of the night. Their great music and charm brought so much energy to the party and made for an unforgettable night of dancing. The "Original" Moonlighters were wonderful to work with: very professional, personable and flexible during COVID-19. I cannot recommend them enough - they truly made our wedding night and people are still asking about "the amazing band" we had!"

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"I also wanted to thank you for putting on such a great event. We had some of the best feedback in years. Everyone loved y’all and they were still buzzing about it this week. Truly just a fantastic evening. 🙂"

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"Tom is great singer and saxophone player. Playing American classics with a twist to contemporary songs. He has been here for 3 years and still pulls in the crowds"

Reply by Singer, Dj saxophone
Thanks Sandra.

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"When we got married, I was looking for live music with an elegant and unique touch. When I heard them play, they transported me to another era; I loved it and knew straight away that I wanted them to be part of our special day."

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"Your show was the best ever done in this theater so far! Director of the Houdini Theater"

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"You might expect an album with edgy, teal-lit cover art and the title of The Isolation Blues, by the Mike Goudreau Band, to be either dark and brooding or a real barroom stomper, showcasing the loudest guitar you’ve heard since Jimi Hendrix’s. Instead, from the first notes, you’ll find it’s a peppy ensemble extravaganza with horns galore. More’s the better, too – the Winter Solstice is coming up, and we need an eye-opening blast of sunshine in the middle of it. Smooth, jazzy-influenced, and boasting crystal-clear vocals, it’s a must-play on New Year’s Eve. Born in 1965 in Newport, Vermont, into a musical family with an English mother and a French-Canadian father, Mike Goudreau picked up his first guitar at age 14 and hasn’t stopped playing since. His early influences included the Beatles, Chuck Berry, Rolling Stones, Johnny Cash, Nat King Cole, Louis Armstrong, Frank Sinatra, and later, Albert King, Freddie King, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Powder Blues and Downchild – to name a few. Such diverse interests help to explain why Mike is comfortable in so many musical genres, especially jazz and blues. Since 2007, Mike’s songs have been heard on hundreds of network TV shows and films, such as the TV movie The Happiest Season (Hulu), Dynasty (CBS), the Universal Pictures film Dark Waters, the Hollywood film The Banker, starring Samuel Jackson (2020), The Neighborhood (CBS), NCIS Los Angeles (CBS), and Chicago PD (NBC), among several others. Joining Mr. Goudreau (vocals, guitars, bass and hand claps) are Jean-Francois Begin (think Menachem Begin, not “begin”) on drums and percussion, Dany Roy on tenor sax and trumpet, Ira Friedman on organ and piano, and Pascal Veilette on harmonica. You know all the shows and films mentioned earlier? Together, they spell diamond-level QUALITY. That’s what’s been poured into each of the fourteen original tracks on this CD. Every note, every musical phrase, glimmers like the light off one of that gem’s many facets. This is real-deal blues, whether in swing/jump form (as on the opener “Let’s Go Down to the River”), the angsty, harmonica-infused title track, the guitar and piano boogie known as “The Mooch,” or the laid-back instrumental “Sea Breeze Blues.” Any band can crank out an album in their garage or basement and deem it good enough, but not Goudreau and his posse. They care about their offerings like Michelangelo cared about David, or Da Vinci the Mona Lisa. That’s because they’re not just musicians. Not just craftsmen. They’re artists, and don’t you forget it. Got The Isolation Blues? Here’s the cure, or at least the vaccine! "

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"Thank you for playing for us last night – we loved the music you played and felt it really set our night off perfectly! Everyone has been saying how brilliant the band was last night and the photos today show that people really had a great time!! Your outfits were also perfectly fitting with our Roaring 20s theme and we literally couldn’t have asked for more! Thank you so much once again and we would not hesitate to book you for events in the future!"

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"Great Trio! I hired the Simon Burke Trio through Gig Salad for a business cocktail party. It was easy. Everything went off without a hitch. Great Trio. Great People."

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"‘I just wanted to contact you to thank you for your performance on the evening, it really was first class. I have had nothing but positive feedback all week from many people who attended, and many of them from the younger set!’ "

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"The perfect soundtrack for our wedding, gorgeous work, well done!"

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"I was nervous about booking a band because there are so many options out there, but I wish I had never spent any time worrying. Gatsby Cats are EXCELLENT. They surpassed any possible expectation I had, and everyone at the wedding loved them. Their set list was perfect and the musicians were genuinely nice professionals. Thank you so much."

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"Beautiful, talented and impeccable vocals. Thank you so much Ainhoa, you made my 40th birthday unforgettable!"

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"Ho avuto il piacere di ascoltare i ragazzi suonare e sono stati al di sopra delle aspettative. Bravissimi e professionali, hanno entusiasmato tutti gli ospiti. Assolutamente consigliatissimi!!"

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"Beautiful voice that will take you on a best of Jazz tour. "

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