Dan was absolutely fantastic! We hired him to play sax at a winery event, and he was a huge hit. He roamed throughout the event while playing, interacted naturally with the crowd, and brought so much energy to the atmosphere. Everyone loved him, and we heard tons of great feedback from guests. He was also wonderful to work with and made everything easy on our end. I'd absolutely recommend Dan and look forward to working with him again! read more

My husband and I hired Nova Jazz as a quartet for our wedding in spring of 2026 and they were wonderful to work with! Easy to communicate and plan with and their performance really elevated our reception. We let them know what kind of vibe and tempo we liked ahead of time and they did the rest choosing songs to play for the reception to keep things upbeat without being overpowering. Daniel checked in with us at various points throughout the night to ensure the vibes were right and if we needed any adjustments. Nova Jazz also was able to play a special request song outside of their listed repertoire for our first dance which we really appreciated and was very special for us. We'd recommend them for weddings and any other special events when you want extra pizzazz! read more

Daniel is a true professional. His sax playing and improvisation will elevate any pre-ceremony, ceremony or wedding cocktail party. I have worked with a lot of musicians over my 38 years of DJing and I have to say that Daniel is one of the best! read more

Doesn't get better than this! Great rates, communication, service, music, and very friendly musicians! read more

Working with Daniel and his band was all around an amazing experience! After reading all the reviews and listening to a few of their videos online, I knew I wanted Nova Jazz Band to play at my company's 30th Anniversary celebration I was planning. TLDR; they exceeded every expectation from start to finish, and Daniel made everything completely stress-free. From our very first correspondence, Daniel was very friendly, quick to respond, knowledgeable, and incredibly professional. The music was phenomenal - very classy and perfect for our occasion. The band totally nailed the vibe. Daniel's attention to detail was next-level. He thought of all the little things that usually fall through the cracks - from what songs should play during the band's breaks, to how the sound system was set up, to which speakers the recorded music should come from. He even coordinated with the venue director to make sure there wouldn't be a single hiccup. Basically, he handled every possible thing before I could even think to worry about it. Everything ran like clockwork and I couldn't have asked for a better experience. Daniel and his team went above and beyond in every way. I can't wait to hire them for a future event! Highly, highly recommend! read more

Daniel and the fella's were pro's from start to finish. I highly recomend them for any event large or small. They made my grandmother's 100th birthday beyond special. read more

We have used this jazz band twice. Once for a wedding and once for a corporate even and they were fantastic both times. Professional, responsive, and very easy to communicate with. The music was excellent and created the perfect atmosphere for our guests. Overall, a wonderful experience, and we would highly recommend them for any event. Thank you read more

Daniel and the Nova Jazz Band were amazing. We asked them to perform two sets for my birthday and the music was fantastic. More than that, the people were wonderful. Every musician was kind, professional, and just great to be around. If you want good people playing high quality music, this is the band. Everyone had such a great time and we truly loved it. They elevated the whole spirit of the birthday and made it unforgettable. Thank you so much. read more

We hired Daniel and the Nova Jazz Band for a restaurant event and we couldn't be more happy that we did. From the beginning, Daniel was very communicative and put us at ease for our big event. They arrived early, played perfectly to the room and were a delight to be around. read more

Thank you, Daniel, for adding a special feeling to our event. We hired Nova Jazz Bands quartet for our company's 30th Anniversay Celebration at Dominico Winery. The entire process from start to event was handled with complete professionalism. From my inital contact with Daniel to the night of our event, Daniel was very responsive and made the entire process easy for me. Daniel arrived ready to go and played wonderful music for our party. Daniel showed up on time, checked in to see if we had any special instructions and was ready to go! They performed for 3 hours to our guests pleasure, everyone enjoyed the music. You and your band performed beyond our expectations as you set the perfect ambiance for our cocktail party. I highly recommend the Daniel and Nova Jazz for both corporate and private parties! Paula read more

We hired Daniel and his band for our holiday party and they absolutely nailed it! Our guests are still raving about the music. We asked Daniel to stick around for the afterparty and improvise along with dance music - his talent is incredible and the vibe was awesome. Amazing communication and very professional. Highly recommend these guys. read more

Nova Jazz is the best of the best. Simple as that. Coordinating with them was probably one of the easiest and most laid back vendors of my entire wedding. I told them they had full permission to play whatever songs and genre music and they absolutely killed it. When people were standing outside of the event tent they thought that the music was prerecorded because of how amazing it sound. When they walked in and saw it was live, it completely mesmerized everyone. Can't wait to work with them again. If you want a group of professional and crazy talented artists look no further than Nova Jazz. Thank you guys again! read more

Nova Jazz band was exactly the type of entertainment that we needed for our wedding reception. Daniel was very responsive to all of our requests and always responds very quickly. The band catered the set lists to our needs for the different parts of the reception and Daniel even did a custom arrangement of the song that we picked for our first dance. They really helped in making our wedding night one that we'll remember forever. read more

We hired Nova Jazz to play at the cocktail reception at our wedding and they couldn't have done a better job. Our guests loved them and they did a great job accommodating our many requests, including having them play our recessional song for a seamless transition from the ceremony to the cocktail reception outside. At the end of the cocktail hour after all the guests had headed to dinner, Nova Jazz played I Left My Heart in San Francisco just for my wife and I to dance to in a private moment. It was a nice touch. We'd definitely recommend them. read more

Fantastic! They sounded SO GREAT at my big party at The Battery! Absolutely recommend them!! :)

Nova Jazz was a superb addition to our wedding. In addition to being extremely talented, they're a pleasure to work with. Daniel was responsive, professional, and just fun to talk jazz with. He and his trio nailed the mood we wanted for our ceremony and reception, and we'd work with them again in a second. read more

A year ago my friends and I were walking in Golden Gate Park when beautiful jazz music floated out from under a tunnel. We followed the sound, sat down, and listened for the next 20 minutes. Since then I've made sure to stay in touch and recently invited them to play at a private home event; they were incredible and the crowd kept asking for a repeat. Would definitely recommend!!! read more

We had Nova Jazz Band play for 3 hours at our corporate event. They are professional, friendly and punctual. We really enjoyed the beautiful music they performed that day. I would definitely recommend them to anyone who loves Jazz music. read more

Daniel and Nova Jazz Band were amazing! They did a great performance for my wedding ceremony and reception. Not only performance but also organize the performing list. He suggested and recommended to me before I requested so I could make the performing list easy and great. Highly recommended!! read more

I hired the Nova Jazz Band for two separate events. The first was for a small intimate wedding where they played the cocktail hour and evening entertainment. I was impressed with the professionalism and courtesy provided to guests as well as the volume of the music. Not too loud! :) I also was impressed with their repertoire and music selection. I also hired them for a larger corporate event which was about 200 people. They were on time, prepared and equally professional. They had people dancing, and were played a great variety of tunes appropriate for this event. I would hire them again in a minute because they are reliable, easy to deal with and able to adjust their music according to the type of event. Their rates are also very reasonable! read more

What a great and contemporary band! Very friendly, easy set up and very professional. As a vendor coordinator we have booked them for our member holiday party. Their music was fabulous and our members enjoyed it! Highly recommend for you next function, wedding or holiday party! Daniel is amazing to work with! read more

We had Nova Jazz Band in our private events space this past weekend.. Man.. were we blown away! They really know how to feel out a crowd and keep the vibe up! I couldn't believe that they were playing live as the sound and synchronicity were so on point throughout the whole set. This is a very fun, yet, sophisticated choice for any occasion and we look forward to having them in our space again very soon. Thanks guys! read more

Truly world-class performers. Daniel and his crew received countless compliments on their music, and they were also lovely humans! Meticulously detailed and they make sure all your needs are accommodated. Our wedding wouldn't have been the same without them. They should absolutely be your first choice! Thanks again to Nova Jazz. read more

Daniel and the Nova Jazz Band are about as good as it gets. I'm a former professional jazz musician lucky enough to have played with Natalie Cole, Huey Lewis, Tower of Power, Artie Shaw, Wynton Marsalis and others, so when I planned the entertainment for my recent wedding in Napa, it was really important that I had the very best in live music. The talented Nova Jazz Band was all that and more. Daniel was a treat to work with- professional and very accommodating, even when our start time had to shift a few days before the wedding. Choosing them to be a part of our wedding was one of the best decisions we made- I can't imagine a better group to work with. read more

We hired Daniel and the Nova Jazz Band to perform at my parents' 80th birthday party. They were fantastic. The music was exceptional, and at least a dozen guests mentioned to me how good they were. Daniel was also a total professional in terms of his responsiveness, communication, planning, clarity, etc. Highly recommend. Look no further. read more

We had Nova Jazz Band for a client's holiday party this past December. They were wonderful, the music was beautiful and the musicians were extremely professional. I look forward to working with Daniel and the team again soon. I would highly recommend them for your next event! - AG. MatrixFillmore Event Manager read more

I hired Nova Jazz Band's quartet to play at my husband's 50th birthday celebration. They were punctual, friendly, un-imposing and set the best ambience with their music. They played dinner and dancing sets and Daniel responded quickly and politely to any planning inquiry I had. I am overjoyed that I hired them for our event. read more

My wife and I hired Daniel in May 2023 to play solo saxophone at our intimate wedding event in Lafayette. He played for 2 hours during our cocktail hour and the first half of our dinner and he was incredible! I received compliments from several guests afterwards about how great his performance was and how it was much better for the mood to have the sweet sounds of his live instrument instead of a traditional DJ. Daniel was actually one of our few vendors who did not have any sort of hiccup or surprise that we had to address on the day of. This alone would deserve an 'A' rating from us, but what secures an 'A+' is that we texted him the morning of our event with a last-minute song request for our entrance which I felt a little reluctant to ask given that it was a somewhat obscure song and there would be very little prep time. Not only did Daniel deliver this song for us but he did it beautifully. I would definitely recommend his service for any event that you want quality and professional saxophone playing for. read more

I work for an events management company and we hired Nova Jazz for a last minute project. I would highly recommend Nova Jazz without any hesitations. Daniel (musical director) was very responsive throughout the entire process from initial discovery and scoping to prep/logistics all the way through final invoicing. He even checked-in mid event to make sure all expectations were being met. It was super easy to work with them. The paperwork/contract was a breeze as was the deposit/final payment process. They provided an outline of what to expect, showed up when they said they would, and demonstrated that they are seasoned professionals. And then the actual music...exactly what we were looking for. Great variety and character. Thanks so much and we look forward to working with you again. read more

As a professional wedding and event planner, I work with many bands. Some sound great but are tough to work with, some are responsive but not well-rehearsed, and you hope for the best. On occasion, a band stands out as polished musicians and professionals, and then they become the band to keep at the top of the recommendation list. Nova Jazz is that band. Daniel and Nova Jazz were a delight to have at a recent wedding. They were punctual, professional, and easy to work with. They had no problem with pausing their set for an impromptu toast, and were easygoing and appreciative about meal breaks. They adapted to the outdoor reception setting easily, and I felt absolutely comfortable leaving them to play. They did not need a long explanation about what to do, or have a list of surprise requirements. Rather, they arrived prepared, played beautifully for the reception, and did not need any hand holding. Their sound is tight and harmonious, and the jazz they played was classy, fun, recognizable, mellifluous, unobtrusive, and exactly what the couple wanted. If you are looking for a great combo for your next event, I highly recommend that you contact Nova Jazz Band! read more

Daniel was amazing! Daniel played for my wedding and he was beyond spectacular. Everyone complemented on how good he was. He even learned 2 songs for us. Daniel was also so easy to work with. Communication is so easy. By far the easiest vendor to work with during our wedding. We will hire Daniel at a heart beat. read more

I was recently photographing a wedding in Berkley and to my delight I meet the Nova Jazz Band. These guys were great! Super professional, prompt, great personalities and wonderful to work with. One quality that really stood out to me about the band was what a great job they did of reading what the crowd wanted. They were very polished and kept the volume of the music at the perfect level. I will definitely recommend these talented folks to anyone looking for a live band with a timeless feel. They kept the mood perfect. I hope we work together again soon. read more

Nova performed during the cocktail hour of our wedding and were amazing! Super easy to work with from the start. We received many compliments on how nice the music and band was. Highly recommend them for any major event. read more

Daniel and his team were absolutely amazing from their presentation to their music. My clients enjoyed having them at our corporate event. Daniel was very responsive and quick to answer any questions I had. Will definitely use Nova Jazz band for future events! read more

Daniel from the Nova Jazz Band is awesome! He came all the way to my mother in laws surprise 70th birthday at Hotel Valencia in San Jose. She swoons at the sound of a saxophone, so we knew we had to find somebody to come play for her Birthday. We were a smaller group of 25 people on an outside terrace with another party adjacent to us and Daniel was able to play at a nice, lower volume for us which was great, so we could still have conversation amongst each other and made for beautiful background music for the evening. I was very impressed with his level of professionalism and how accommodating he was with our requests. I would recommend him to anybody interested in a top-notch Saxophone player. read more

Daniel came to perform at a conference that we held at SFJazz. We asked him to play recognizable songs that would go along with a brunch theme (it was a morning event). He was amazing! He really helped to transform the space and give the event the feeling we were hoping for. He was also very easy to work and communicate with! read more

We hired Daniel and the Nova Jazz Band to play our cocktail hour at the beautiful deYoung Museum - Hamon Tower for our Wedding on 8/18/18. Daniel (the owner) is extremely responsive, detailed and accommodating- a true professional. The repertoire he and his band played was exactly what we wanted and we would hire them again in a heartbeat! Thank you Nova Jazz Band for bringing our vision to life and for playing for our guests. They loved you! read more

Nova Jazz performed at our wedding at it was amazing!! Daniel was nice enough to meet with us several times before at the venue to make sure we had what was needed to ensure the evening went smoothly. He also was very helpful with coordinating the fine details and answering our many questions prior to. The band itself has such a great sound! We received so many compliments form our guests on how classy the music was and how talented the musicians were. Without hesitation, I would definitely recommend them for any event and will use them again if I have the chance. I was very impressed with their professionalism, talent, and they were reasonably priced as well! They really took the time to make our event special and cannot thank them enough. read more

I worked with Daniel on a corporate event. He was very communicative and responsive via email. The band itself played a great selection of Bossa Nova. Would highly recommend to anyone looking to add a classy ambiance to any event! read more

We hired Nova Jazz Band for a corporate event in November 2018 and I am so pleased with our decision to do so. They enhanced the vibe at our reception, are extremely talented and were a joy to work with. Thank you, Daniel, for your responsiveness throughout the planning process. Hope to work with you again! read more