Review Centre: Duos / Small Groups

"I have thoroughly enjoyed seeing you perform on several occasions in the Alps, so I was beyond excited to have you at my 21st. My mates were shocked when you appeared and couldn’t believe it! One friend had spotted you in the boat beforehand - but was told he was nuts by others and forgot about it! Thanks for being such a great sport, hiding at the venue and playing along with the surprise reveal. As always, your set was incredible, and letting me play your guitar was a particularly memorable moment despite me being somewhat inebriated... It was the perfect end to an unforgettable night. Thank you so much!"

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"All great thanks Graham. Event was amazing and the band were exactly what I was looking for…..they even got an encore in!! Hope they enjoyed the evening too."

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"Just seen these very talented guys at St Ives. Brilliant excellent and often unusual arrangements of a wide variety of genres performed with energy and feeling. Very highly recommended! Loved it!! Where can we see you again?? "

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"Adam helped to create the perfect atmosphere for our January wedding. Adam starting playing from our guests arrival, aisle walk and through our drinks reception. We were so happy with Adam’s performance and had so many compliments from our guests. The kids were very happy when he played ‘Let it go’ for them!"

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"Paddy K played during the ceremony and after party at my wedding in Budapest and throughout the whole process, from start to finish, was absolutely brilliant. Paddy K made himself available to speak in advance of the day and was extremely accommodating in our song requests, even learning one for the ceremony! He is an unbelievably talented singer and can cover a huge range of different songs. He really really got the party going after the ceremony and all the guests commented on how great he was. I would unreservedly recommend Paddy K. Above all else, he is also a brilliantly friendly guy. Thanks so much Paddy K - Ali."

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"The whole day was amazing. Jean produced many tears of joy when the ceremony began with the choice of music and the transition of the harp from the ceremony room to the reception room was so well done that nobody noticed! Please pass our special thanks on to Jean. We would highly recommend all involved."

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"One of the pleasures of writing for Jazz Views is having the opportunity to follow the progress of an artist with each new release. It has been my very great pleasure to follow Lush Jazz Band's progress over the last few years. Having reviewed Lauren’s debut album, in 2016 and the follow-up, five years later, it was with great interest that I listened to her third album. If you’re looking for continued growth and artistic development in a musician, then Lauren has certainly delivered. Earlier today, prior to writing this review, I listened again to all three albums back-to-back and was amazed at what I was hearing. Listening in such a concentrated way, I was struck by how consistent each of the albums is and how the vocalist’s progress is not taking place with gargantuan leaps but steadily, as we can see here, in a paced and sustainable development. One huge advantage for Lauren is retaining the services of pianist Liam Dunachie, who arranges much of the music, and the two have built a solid rapport that has resulted in a formidable partnership. With “Tide Rises,” Lauren Bush has found a perfect balance between the old and the new, with a couple of strong original compositions, a handful of standards, and some contemporary works that she has done a wonderful job of adapting to her voice. The album gets off to a stunning start with a brisk and swinging “Joy Spring.” The tricky lyrics are handled with great aplomb by Bush, and after a lovely solo from Dunachie, she gets in a nice scat chorus of her own. This is followed by the title track, one of two original compositions, in which Lauren has drawn inspiration for the lyrics from the poet Henry Wadsworth Longfellow. Played over an ethereal opening from Rhodes and guitar (and the only song to feature electric bass), the music evolves over a gentle tempo with an empowering delivery from Lauren. The other original, “Easy Does It,” has a relaxed, almost lazy tempo, and Lauren has written lyrics that add to the gospel flavor of the music. Versatility and variety being the name of the game, we are treated to a beautiful bossa nova written by Earl Okin titled “Madrugada,” and Joni Mitchell’s “Circle Game” is given a delightful treatment, with some exquisite playing from all. The music flows in a beguiling manner, and Mitchell’s lyrics are given a sensitive reading by the vocalist. Standards have been a constant inspiration for Lauren, and with the depth of maturity that she has gained in the last few years, I have witnessed her raise her game significantly. It is difficult to pick one over another. Her treatment of “Oh What A Beautiful Morning” is flawless and joyous, with a lovely scat solo too, and “Nobody Else But Me” has a charm all of its own. If proof is needed of Bush’s stature as a jazz vocalist, then take a listen to the ballad performance on “This Is Always.” A duet for voice and piano, this is a pure delight and even, dare I say it, surpasses the duo’s reading of “Spring Can Really Hang You Up The Most,” which was such a highlight of her last album, “Dream Away.” Closing with another contemporary tune, this time from the pop duo Yazoo, Lauren and Liam Dunachie cleverly recast Vince Clarke’s song, with Lauren giving the excellent Alison Moyet a run for her money. Another step forward for Lauren in a hugely enjoyable set that sees her setting the bar increasingly higher."

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"Thank you so very much for playing so beautifully at our wedding at Rosedew Farm. Everyone has commented on how amazing you were and your version of Halo as I walked down the aisle will stay in my heart forever! You will be recommended to everyone and I really hope I can see you guys again soon at your next gig."

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"We really wanted to thank you for coming and playing at our wedding in Hereford in August. You were fantastic and we were really impressed with how smoothly you managed to arrive and set up and also how great your playlist was! Everyone commented on how good you were. You were a recommendation to us and we will definitely recommend you to others."

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"I wanted to drop a message to say a massive thank you for all your support for both act that performed at our wedding. Dirty dancing were amazing and we had the best day. Everyone who went said they had an amazing time and said it was the best wedding they went too and the act really helped us to get this so this is amazing. Both were so professional, friendly and really engaging to the guests that were there. I would highly recommend them."

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"We hired this band to play background music at my sons Christening after party. They were amazing!!! They welcomed the guests, played relaxing jazz music and even dedicated a song specially for my son which was so special - (Wonderful World, Louis Armstrong). Thank you so much - we will be hiring you for our next babies Christening for sure!"

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"We are still recovering from Saturday’s wedding but I wanted to thank you for all you did. The service was both happy and moving, the trio was brilliant and the secret performance is still being talked of. It was a truly wonderful day for us. "

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"As an event production company we often work with Olly and the band and they have never failed to give us and our clients a fantastic performance, whatever the occasion. They are our "go-to" artistes for every enquiry and never disappoint with their musical expertise, great performances and positive and flexible approach to every challenge. "

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"We booked the string quartet for our wedding and they were absolutely brilliant. They were reliable, professional and approachable throughout the booking process and were perfect for the wedding day. They covered a list of songs we asked for and even moved outside of the church so that we could hear them during the photos. It made a special day even more special - thank you. 10/10 and highly recommend to everyone!"

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"Laura and her band were great entertainment on a Friday night and kept all the guests up on the dancefloor! "

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review: