Review Centre: Crooners

"Beyond expectation I read all of Ed's wonderful reviews and was expecting him to be great, but he somehow exceeded that expectation. I wish we could have Ed at every party. He was a wonderful performer and engaged an otherwise shy crowd. I would absolutely hire again and recommend highly! "

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"Amazing delivery of our favourite song that had so much personal meaning. Had our guests in tears. Thank you so much Sarah."

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"Where do I start? Amazing! Your sets went down so well. And I loved seeing you chatting with guests when you weren't performing. Little details like this put smiles on faces. Thank you. "

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"Ryan gave us one of his cds for our charity raffle for make a wish foundation, his voice is amazing."

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"Luke performed at our Open Evening Event, and he was absolutely incredible! His perfect blend of professionalism and warmth made the evening truly special. With his amazing voice and friendly, welcoming nature, he created the perfect atmosphere for our guests. We highly recommend Luke!"

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"Big thanks to Robert for making our day so very special. From the bottom of our hearts we want to say thank you for choosing such lovely songs and for the surprise Christina Perri song for our first dance. We'll have you back when we renew our vows and maybe even for a birthday party. Julie x"

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"St. Francis Hospital Fourth Annual Survivors Day Event John Canella, better known as Johnny the Oldies Singer recently performed at our fourth annual Survivors Day event at St. Francis Hospital. As a performer and singer John is the best, it’s his other talents and professionalism that really sets him apart from the many other performers in the market. He is able to connect with the audiences which make his performance personalized and special. He made our patient feel like he knew them a life time and this made their experience great. John arrived on the day of the event promptly, setup his equipment (which is state-of-the-art Bose), went over the agenda and made room for special requests. There wasn’t anything he was not prepared to deliver. At the end of the program our guests, physicians and staff left grateful for a great program. Thanks John, we’ll see you again soon."

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

" Jennifer F. • November 22, 2016 Great Sinatra BirthdayPresent For Mom Johnny entertained at our mom's 80th birthday surprise party singing songs of Frank Sinatra who mom absolutely adores..He also sang dad's favorites of Tony Bennett & Elvis and did many guest requests. Johnny sang an absolutely beautiful rendition of mom & dad's wedding song called "Because of You" to which they danced again. FANTASTIC !! Johnny is a super sweet guy with a great sense of humor and had mom and our guests laughing with his jokes and audience participation stuff. He turned a restaurant cocktails and dinner gathering into a festive party event. Mom was blown away and we all had a terrific time. Johnny made mom's B'day super special and one that we'll always remember. Mom says you brought back wonderful Sinatra memories and she keeps referring to you as Frankie often saying " that Frankie was really great" ..And so I guess she really bought your Sinatra impression. Special Thanks from All..Jennifer PS My uncle says he wants to buy your Elvis wig to keep his head warm this winter lol"

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"George was one of the few prepared to accept a booking from Australia. Thanks, well prepared arrived in plenty of time, little too loud for my 90 yr old deaf mum to begin with but toned it down for her until people were ready to dance and then was loved by all. He made my mums party special, one which she will never forget, he made her feel special too"

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"Gordon Rocker never fails to make our crowd happy. The reads the room impeccably and gets everyone up and dancing. "

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"Thanks very much Matthew. What a class act! The whole top hat, white tie and tails look was fantastic. It just added that extra special something to a very special event. "

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"Fantastic singer. Great communication and personalised the song list to suit our taste. Really entertained everyone at our wedding. Would definitely recommend. (10 / 10) Eleanor Parton"

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"A big mahalo to Bruddah Vince for performing at our restaurant on a busy Saturday. Not only does he have a large repertoire of songs and a soothing voice that everyone appreciates and enjoys, he has the true aloha spirit. No matter how many people recognize him, he doesn’t act like a big shot and remains approachable to all which is key for us. Can’t wait to have him perform for us again! Mahalo plenty!"

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

" 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"

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"The best music for our wedding. Nick and Roberto were amazing. Classy and fun music."

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review: