Review Centre: Ukulele Players

"Denis Cook is the perfect pub and bar-room entertainer: genial, charming and chatty with a charismatic personality, so it's not surprising that the sumptuous Haven Wine Bar & Restaurant in Whetstone booked Denis for several gigs, since he's the ideal 'mine host' for this exclusive venue, encouraging the guests to join in and have a fun time. With many strings to his bow, in addition to singing Denis plays guitar, mandolin, ukulele, harmonica and kazoo, but his greatest claim to fame is that he taught his nephew Norman Cook, alias Fatboy Slim, to DJ! (Denis has been 'spinning discs' since 1969 and the young Norman was soon hooked on music too!) Though perhaps not the greatest instrumentalist to perform on stage, Denis more than makes up for this with his highly tuneful singing voice, careful selection of material and infectious personality. Skill and experience gained through years of DJing shines through in Denis's easy command of banter between numbers, putting many other pub acts to shame, and his sheer dedication to entertaining others certainly evidenced in this three-hour gig undertaken with hardly a break. Starting with the Eagles' country ditty "Peaceful Easy Feeling" and a stripped-down version of the Foundations' "Baby Now That I've Found You" guests knew they were in for something special, loving the laid-back, peaceful easy listening style and the fact that the music was at a very reasonable volume: no blasting speakers here! Then, after just three songs, self-accompanied by guitar, Denis popped out his mandolin for a very enjoyable rendition of the Kinks' "Tired Of Waiting For You" and Steve Earle's Irish classic "Galway Girl" before switching to the ukulele for a charming interpretation of McFly's wistful "Love Is Easy" but, in addition, you'll find plenty of variety in Denis's act, ranging from party numbers like the Mavericks' "Dance The Night Away" and Roxy Music's "Let's Stick Together" to country classics such as Glen Campbell's "Rhinestone Cowboy" and John Denver's "Take Me Home Country Roads" to up-to-date material like George Ezra's catchy "Budapest" as well as some good old rock 'n roll. And - how many performers would be brave enough to attempt Rupert Holmes' excellent "Escape" (The Pina Colada Song); the late Ronnie Lane's rocking "Ooh La La" or Billy Ray Cyrus' witty comedy number "Where Am I Gonna Live?!" Mr Cook will be returning to the Haven soon and my advice is that you might want to reserve a table, since the place is likely to be well be packed in anticipation of this great entertainer. Colin Fenn Lemonrock reviewer,"

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"We had Eric at a family party for my brother who was 60, his children and grandchildren attended so it was a mixed age group, Eric was very friendly and explained which instruments he was playing on, which he did very well. He has a varied list of songs and kept us entertained while he was there, some people carried on talking but later they said it was good to have some background entertainment, I would certainly recommend Eric to liven up any party, thank you so much for attending ours."

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"The Distance played at our companies 10th anniversary event. We absolutely loved them and have had comments from both staff and clients since the event. They really made our night unique. They were professional, kept in contact (we even booked them at really short notice and they were so SO helpful!), and honestly just made the night special. Fantastic at their craft, the loveliest and most down to earth people, worked around speeches etc. Highly recommend! Thanks Soph and Mat! "

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"I remember that during the reception of our wedding, my mother was moved by listening to Akira Manera. I can never thank them enough for making my wedding unforgettable."

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"Excellent Performer and Businessman We had Vince performer at our festival, and he is an excellent performer and businessman. The crowd loved his performance, and his setup was so quick and easy. Would recommend to anyone needing a performer for their event!"

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"Five star rating for Ukulele player Bruddah Vince Bruddah played at my mother's memorial service the other day and he was absolutely superb. Besides arriving an hour before the start, he was willing to make some additions to songs to play the night before. But most importantly, the playing was superb, clear, and with his amplifier equipment was highly professional. His playing and singing of the Over the Rainbow / What a Wonderful World medley along with others such as Beautiful Kauai, Aloha 'Oe and other traditional Hawaiian songs was top notch. I cannot recommend anyone more highly as Bruddah to play at an event!"

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"Kirsty was absolutely amazing. She travelled to our private party in Villena and personalised her set to suit our group. The whole family had a fantastic evening and danced the night away. I would highly recommend her and would definitely book again. Thank you Kirsty for making the party extra special."

Reply by Kirsty Dewar Singer Guitarist Saxophonist
Hi Emily thank you so much :D It was a pleasure playing for you and your family

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"Book these guys BUT ONLY IF YOU WANT AN UNBELIVABLE RIP ROARING GOOD TIME! HIGHLY HUGELY RECOMNMENDED. Fabulous sound, Incredible Repertoire, Marvelous Personalities! The KNOW how to get your party rockin!"

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"Hosting Salomé for an acoustic gig was an absolute delight! Her soulful voice captivated our patrons, creating a magical atmosphere. Can't wait to have her back for another unforgettable night of music!"

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"Eddie did such a fabulous job playing the ukulele and singing. He arrived early, set up and started performing on time. He brought a great vibe to the party and everyone loved him. I would definitely hire him again!!"

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"Highly recommend! We had them uke boys for our wedding reception and I am still tired 3 days later. They know how to start a party and keep a party going! Our guests had nothing but amazing things to say about them! If you are looking to do something different for your wedding hire THEM UKE BOYS!"

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"Fantastic entertainer! Vince was great at keeping the music going and engaging with the audience. Even played with a battery powered amp when the electricity unexpectedly went out!"

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"We hired Bruddah Vince for a backyard luau graduation celebration. He was very professional, easy to communicate with, and his music/voice/talent was above and beyond what we expected. All of our guests were really impressed and made several comments about how good he sounded. He started earlier than expected and played longer than expected. Very, very happy with his performance. Thank you Bruddah Vince!! "

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"Very professional, blended in well, and did good music like Buffet, James Taylor, Van Morrison, etc. Did a great job!"

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ An unforgettable and deeply moving experience / thank you, Kirsty! Right from the start, Kirsty’s communication and organisation were excellent. She was warm, professional, and incredibly accommodating. She not only helped us choose the perfect setlist, but also included songs that held a special meaning for us and even took the time to learn a song by a Polish artist especially for the occasion. That kind of dedication truly reflects her talent and professionalism. We couldn’t have been happier with the evening. Kirsty’s voice, her presence, and the emotion she brought to each performance created an atmosphere that was simply magical. It was a truly special moment for us, her music moved us to tears and brought back beautiful memories from our younger years. Thank you again, Kirsty. We’re so grateful and we hope this won’t be the last of our unforgettable evenings together!"

Reply by Kirsty Dewar Singer Guitarist Saxophonist
Wow thank you so much for this lovely review! It really was a pleasure to meet you both and to play for you on your special event! I hope to meet again one day soon :D

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review: