Review Centre: Bands & Ensembles

"Harding country music ....he was absolutely brilliant really lovly guy and his dad would definitely have him again and recommend him to any one who loves country music he performed brilliant he has such a good voice."

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"After the singer / acoustic guitar player dropped out on the morning of my friend’s wedding, I made an enquiry with Alan who responded within minutes! They were able to arrange a cover of the specific song my friend wanted to walk down the aisle to during the course of the morning(!), turned up on time, and performed beautifully during the ceremony and the drinks reception at Oxleaze barn. Super professional, friendly and high-quality performers who quite frankly performed a miracle - thank you! "

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"The string quartet, played at my wedding sept 2021 and we’re fantastic. Since the day we booked them, Sean was very helpful and good with replying. They have a good selection of songs to choose from, from modern to classic. They were able to play my desired song choice for walking down the aisle and played it so beautifully and so well. Our guests enjoyed listening to them play. "

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:

"Wow , what can we say! Our sax player absolutely made the night at our wedding. From the moment he started playing, he had everyone up on their feet ;creating the perfect atmosphere with a mix of wedding classics and Ibiza-style party tunes that kept the energy sky-high all evening. He brought such an amazing vibe, fun, cool, and full of life and his performance really took our celebration to the next level. So many of our guests have commented on how unforgettable the music was and how much they loved the sax! Thank you for getting the party started and keeping it going right until the end. You were the soundtrack to some of our favourite memories and truly made the night one to remember. – Mr & Mrs Grant"

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"Micheal was fantastic, from the start communication was great and he let me pick the set list for sax. On the night he was incredible and made the night amazing, ensuring everyone was on the dance floor all night. All my guest loved when he came out with the sax too! Highly recommend MJ Sax for any party. "

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"Just wanted to say a massive thanks to you guys for the music at the party. It was amazing! I had sooo many positve comments about you guys! You sounded awesome. Its always a bit of a worry when you book someone without seeing them but I couldn't be happier. So glad we went for the acoustic set outside as well. I think it made the day."

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"Thank you so much for playing for my party yesterday and helping to make it such an enjoyable day. I'm very sorry I didn't get a chance to say thank you to you properly before you left but I wanted you to know how much we enjoyed the music which really created just the right happy relaxed mood for the occasion. Everyone was very complimentary about your playing, thank you very much for contributing to such a successful event! "

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"Can you please pass my thanks to Always Sax. The music last night was superb and I received some fantastic comments from clients and partners"

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"An excellent duo - Talisha and Chris are accommodating, helpful and also very talented! They created a happy and lively atmosphere and all our guests really enjoyed the range of music. We would happily recommend them to anyone looking for brilliant entertainment. Thank you again for all your hard work & for being so helpful."

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"Such pro’s! Sounded even better live! Thank you. "

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"Thank you so much for playing at our wedding at Bordesley Park on Friday. Our guests were so impressed with how well you played. You made our day magical and we can't thank you enough, love Anna and Liam xxx"

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

" Dahlia Music delivered an exquisite performance at our wedding. They enthralled our guests and made our ceremony extra special with their music. I would recommend them to anyone in need of a quartet for their wedding."

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"They were really good and performed for longer than any other band."

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"Wraggle Taggle were fantastic for my birthday party at Alexandra Park School. Mick was a great communicator leading up to the event and made me feel reassured that everything was well-planned. The music was excellent and the caller made sure that we all had a great time joining in although most of us were unfamiliar with the dances beforehand. Some of the comments I received from friends were "it made me feel young again!" and "I haven't had so much fun for a long time!" Thank you to Mick and the band for a wonderful evening! "

Reply by Wraggle Taggle Ceilidh Band
Dear Sarah, Thank you for your e-mail and your kind comments about the band. I am delighted that you enjoyed our performance. Thank you for a lovely party. Please bear us in mind for any future dates. Best Wishes Mick Bailey (Bandleader)

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review: