Review Centre: Wedding Musicians

"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:

"Michael was absolutely amazing - couldn’t knock him one bit. made our wedding day even better than it already was. Will definitely use him again. thank you, David & Jodie"

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"Mark was fantastic! He was easy to communicate with on WhatsApp, and his set was phenomenal. He really understood what vibe we were going for during the drinks reception at our wedding. I have had so many compliments since our special day. Thank you Mark, we will always highly recommend you!"

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"Absolutely outstanding! Brought the party to life! Honestly can't thank you enough. Mr & Mrs Paterson "

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"Luigi really helped to make the party. His music was great and all the guests loved it. He kept in contact I. The lead up to the night and arrived in good time to set up. I highly recommend Luigi. Thank you 👍😎"

Reply by Mediterranean Voyage
Simon, thank you! I’m delighted to hear the party landed so well. Your guests were fantastic and made everything flow easily. Thanks again for having me and for the lovely feedback — I truly appreciate it.

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"Thank you so much for the brilliant job you did with our wedding music. It was fantastic! Will be recommending you!"

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"Tom is an incredible bagpiper. He was so professional and played the bagpipe perfectly. He was an amazing addition to our wedding and so lovely to speak with, he fitted in so well and really made the day special."

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"Hi Talisha, Just wanted to say a huge thank you for Saturday night! You and Glen were absolutely incredible and just made the party! So many people came up to me and said how amazing you both were. Please pass on my thanks to Glen. Just sad it's all over!"

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"What an absolute pleasure and incredible experience Noa gave us. Not only was her communication as crisp as her sound, her personal elegance really created the classical persona we hoped for! Noa could not do enough for us and went above and beyond in every sense of the statement. The R&B set list she provided was like no other! and I know all of our guests appreciated her talents throughout her stay. HIGHLY RECOMMEND."

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"Bob was great to deal with and understood what we were looking for. Very much recommended. Many thanks Bob!"

Reply by Bob - Highland Piper
Thanks for your kind words, Lesley. Best wishes, Bob

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"A truly beautiful performance from a stunning musician. Thank you for making the day extra special, and for be so accommodating to our needs. I would recommend Allegra for any event, her diverse and faultless playing will add sparkle to any event. "

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"Duncan was an absolute pleasure to deal with before, during and after the event. He was responsive in the build-up and had arrived and set up in plenty of time. He made a huge effort to take on our requests and even helped me with a surprise for my wife to be! All of our guests not only commented on how good Duncan was, but also how happy and smiley he is which makes a real difference! Thank you very much Duncan!"

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"Alice gave an outstanding performance, working hard throughout the night to entertain us. Her harp music gave just the right amount of atmosphere to our St Andrew’s Day dinner in the Great Hall, without drowning out the guests’ conversation. The music choice was also very well thought out. "

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"Peter Duncan is a professional and highly experienced guitarist. A performance has you spellbound as gorgeous sounds arise to the deft and sinuous movement of his hands. In a set he moves from classics to current chart hits and he puts the deserved energy into rock n’ roll, ballads, blues, reggae and jazz.  Peter’s base is a relaxed, easy-listening style in which you sense his own delight especially as he makes a natural playful contact with his audience. The style reflects his passionate influence from The Beatles - with their own arresting melody, lyrical poetry and versatility. Ultimately Peter is an amiable, easy going and accomodating performer who can touch sweetly or invigorate spiritedly every listener. Jen Smith "

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"Michael played an excellent selection of music during our small outdoor wedding celebration. His playing was quality and contributed significantly to the joyfulness of the occasion. Michael responded to all communications quickly and set himself up with minimum fuss. I would like to thank him for making our occasion so special."

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review: