I do not recommend the musicians hired for my friend's private event this past Saturday…read more Prior to booking, I reviewed feedback from others and noticed a recurring concern regarding poor communication. Unfortunately, that was exactly the experience we encountered. After receiving payment, the musicians left the venue without any communication or explanation. The venue has a strict noise ordinance, which required additional coordination, setup adjustments, and effort in order to proceed with the performance. Despite being aware of these circumstances and after having already been paid, they chose to leave rather than communicate or work through the situation. Their lack of professionalism and communication created unnecessary stress and disappointment for my friend on what was supposed to be a special and memorable day. Clear communication, especially when unexpected challenges arise, is essential when providing services for important events. Based on this experience, I cannot recommend their services. I truly hope they listen to everyone's feedback and do better, no one deserves to be ghosted during any special event, and we do not wish to hinder people who love to work and love what they do. Please do better !! My friends and I support local businesses.

My friend got married on June 6, 2026, and unfortunately this mariachi completely let her down on…read moreone of the most important days of her life. They were hired to provide live music and arrived at the venue, but couldn't use their speakers because the venue wouldn't allow them and instead offered alternative equipment. Everyone agreed to the change, and they were paid in cash at the moment. Shortly afterward, they left without performing and stopped responding to calls and messages. Although my friend eventually received a refund, the stress, confusion, and last-minute disappointment they caused on her wedding day were completely unacceptable and completely ruined what should have been one of the happiest days of her life. No bride should have to deal with this kind of experience, especially on such a special occasion. We are extremely disappointed with the lack of professionalism and communication and would not recommend this vendor to anyone.

This review is long overdue. My husband and I went back and forth multiple times about whether or…read morenot to post a review, but we ultimately decided that we wish we had known what our experience would be like prior to booking Jessica as our DJ. We got married in the summer of 2023 and below is an account of the things we noticed. When we reached out to Jessica following the wedding and reception, we initially received a response which included a rebuttal to each of our observations, but when we followed up with two more emails about how we were open to rectifying the situation, there was no response. 1. The incorrect song was played for the bridal processional. We are willing to take partial credit for this mistake, as Jessica has a clause in her contract which states that all music must be available on iTunes. While we mistakenly assumed that the version of our song was on iTunes, we don't understand why Jessica didn't tell us beforehand that she had trouble finding the version. We would have sent an mp3 to her right away. Instead, she played a different version of the song and as a result, the part that we told her to fade into did not line up with our version and the fade in was awkward. The mishap started things off differently than we had expected. It impacted me (bride) on a personal level because of the emotional aspect of finding the "perfect" processional song. 2. Our first dance song was cut in half unexpectedly. We double checked that the questionnaire we filled out for her indicated that we wanted it to fade out at 1:52. Instead, the song faded about a minute in. We were very confused (as guests could see on our faces) and were disappointed because we had practiced a lot for our dance. She responded by stating that we gave her a "look" to express that we had stage fright and she faded out early. Neither I nor my husband looked at her during our dance. We also never discussed a "look" with Jessica, so we were even more perplexed when she brought that up. We were smiling, looking at one another, and having a great time until the confusion came. 3. Much of the music from our playlist(s) was not played. As in, almost none of the music played was from our playlist(s). We indicated specific "vibes" that we wanted in our music and that wasn't followed. We don't remember hearing most of the music we indicated for cocktail hour or dinner and neither did our guests. We think we heard a couple of songs for open dancing, but just a few. She responded by stating that we might be surprised about songs we simply missed because we were away at photos and whatnot. We asked her to send us a list or screenshot of the playlist to confirm, but did not receive a response. 4. We spoke with her over the phone about her playing the role of "emcee" in addition to DJing. We hoped that meant she would take initiative to check in with us about making announcements, hyping the crowd, etc. From our perspective, she did not present with the energy level we were hoping to see. This may have been a personal preference on our part, but her presence as a DJ was more on the passive side as compared to every other wedding we have attended. Ultimately, we would have gone in a different direction if we could go back. We are not the type to leave a less than stellar review for a service, but we feel that it's important to have the things that we regretted laid out as objectively as possible.

Lively, tasteful entertainment. Our wedding reception was bustling and cheerful thanks to the…read moretalented DJing of Jessica. Her selection of songs perfectly matched our wishes. She ably emceed during the speeches and provided us with high-tech, wireless microphones. Her inspired performance after dinner kept the dance floor thundering throughout the night. Thanks so much for all the fun!

This review is entirely overdue, but much deserved for Zebuel, Lindsey, and the amazing and…read moreextremely talented team behind Sounds Elevated. Zebuel is not only an amazing musician and DJ, but also the curator of event excellence. He brought to life with his team a NOLA influenced second-line to keep our wedding celebrations alive post ceremony, heading into the reception with instruments and all the bells & whistles. Not only was this an epic highlight for our guests, but something my husband and I only thought could happen in our dreams! He truly listened to our wants/needs with flawless execution, but above all else, went above & beyond to ensure this was the best day/night of our lives. From lighting, a DJ/live instrument fusion, and photography from So Good Photobooth, we could not recommend this Team more for your next special event ~ whether corporate or personal! Because of this Team, we had an unforgettable and picture-perfect event filled with our favorite people and the musical experience of our lifetime. Thank you Sounds Elevated for rockin us forward into marriage & beyond!

Zeb and his team exceeded every expectation at our August 2nd, 2025 wedding in Monterey. For…read morestarters, he brings a great blend of laid-back willingness to meet any idea or request, with a sharp music acumen and event expertise. He worked with us during each step of the planning process, never pressing, to amplify our vision. A special shout out for a meaningful family/bridal party/etc. song. Playing a particular remix of a song we like. Nailing down particular subgenres during each stage of the night. Attentive to our song dislikes and "no plays". But at the same time, adding his expert feel and live touch for what the crowd was wanting. Zeb and his team built standout moments - our crowd even started a room-wide conga line (who does that anymore?). And a shout-a-long of Bohemian Rhapsody as our closer for the night. And the live sax fusion... everyone kept commenting about that being their favorite part of the night. At the same time, he simplified all of our anxieties in what can be a whale of a planning process. He got our mindset/vision immediately and was the perfect amount of helpful in steering us to the best party ever.

Beyond Compare - Musical Heart Strings Made Our Wedding Truly Magical!…read more Working with Gretchen and Kerry of Musical Heart Strings was one of the best decisions we made for our Tiburon wedding. We immediately wanted to work with them after seeing their website and content, and their live performance did not disappoint. They are truly phenomenal musicians! From our very first outreach, they were full of excitement and so happy to workshop unique ideas with us to make our day as special as possible. They brought two massive highlights to our wedding that our guests are still talking about. First, they were totally open to leading our recessional, playing their instruments while walking as we exited the ceremony, which gave the entire moment a beautifully joyful and light feeling. Second, they collaborated flawlessly with our DJ for a super unique grand entrance to our reception. They played live violin and cello right along with the DJ playing Glenn Miller's "In the Mood" in the background--it was incredibly fun and really got the crowd going! Gretchen and Kerry are consummate professionals whose musical abilities are beyond compare. They set the perfect ambiance and made our day unforgettable.

The most beautiful live music we could have imagined! We hired Musical Heart Strings for our…read morewedding in Sonoma, and they were absolutely incredible. We first heard them play a few years ago at our friends' wedding and were completely blown away, so booking them for our own was a no-brainer. Their music brought such warmth and elegance to our ceremony and cocktail hour, and they struck the perfect balance between timeless classics and modern favorites. On top of being incredibly talented, Gretchen and her team were also so kind, professional, and easy to work with. If you're looking to add something truly magical to your wedding day, this is it!

I would definitely recommend Garden Strings to anyone looking for professional musicians at their…read moreevent. We hired them to play at our SF City Hall wedding, and they did a wonderful job! All of our guests had nothing but wonderful things to say about how well they played, how beautiful the songs were, and how they added such a nice ambience to the event. They were great about communication, organized, and answered any questions I had. Really great experience with them, overall!

We hired Garden Strings to play music for our wedding processional/recessional and during cocktail…read morehour. They were very prompt and professional, and played beautifully. They worked with me to make a custom arrangement for our wedding processional that turned out great. Their rates were super reasonable and they were great to work with. One thing I will note is that sometimes communication would take a little while; sometimes it would take a couple months to hear back from them via email, but the questions weren't urgent and I'm sure they are busy. Just something to note!

My husband and I hired Nova Jazz as a quartet for our wedding in spring of 2026 and they were…read morewonderful 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!

Daniel is a true professional. His sax playing and improvisation will elevate any pre-ceremony,…read moreceremony 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!

Went today; noonish, walked in and there was a gentleman sitting on a stool by the counter and…read moredoor. He was on playing on his cell phone. He nodded to me as I walked in; I said Hi, and he returned to his phone. I stood at the counter; he continued on his phone and ignored me. I left after a minute or so.... Took my business to a music shop in a close by town.

This place offers both great service and a wonderful selection of toys, games, instruments,…read morepuzzles, educational activities, and unique gifts. We tried some of the musical instruments on display. And enjoyed deciding what puzzle to purchase, as they had a lot of colorful and quirky options. Ended up getting a playful 1000-piece Ravensburger (with bunnies in the art), though we took some time exploring the many other interesting items in the store too, as they have multiple rooms as you go further into the back, including a music room. Awesome shop for both kids and adults alike.

These guys are very good! We had a large family gathering and they played for two hours. Everyone…read moreloved the music! The gentlemen were very nice, arrived on time and took requests. I highly recommend Rigo and his band.

Estimados Marcos y equipo,…read more Quiero expresar mi más sincero agradecimiento por su excelente participación en el evento que organizamos con motivo del cumpleaños de mi querida suegra. A pesar del corto aviso, su disposición para acomodar nuestro horario fue realmente apreciada. La serenata que ofrecieron fue hermosa y cautivó a todos los presentes. Cada una de las canciones resonó de manera especial, y los invitados no dejaron de comentar lo mucho que disfrutaron de su música. Estoy sumamente agradecido por haber contado con su talento en un día tan importante para nuestra familia. Sin duda, no dudaré en recomendarlos y espero poder contar nuevamente con su grupo en futuras ocasiones. Muchas gracias nuevamente. Que sigan cosechando éxitos y que reciban muchas bendiciones. Atentamente, Francisco

Joel is great to work with and he really shines as an MC. He has so much experience with leading…read moreparties for adolescents and that is likely not a skill you find around every corner! He made my daughter's party so fun and meaningful back in 2023, and we are hiring him and his team again to do the party for my son this summer!

When I was asked by Joel Nelson himself how were the DJs he dispatched to my son's Bar Mitzvah, I…read moretold him, in one word...fantastic! From start to finish, Joe and Jovan were easy to work with, helpful, fun, and whatever I asked them to do, they did it without flinching. Joe did a wonderful job of leading the Jewish traditional dancing while Javon was great with the kids, leading the games. His break dancing was off the hook! Best of all, their pacing of the evening was spot on. I would definitely use them again!

Thank you Gold Standard for making our wedding a spectacular event. From start to finish you hit…read moreall the right notes. Amazing band, fantastic singers and great song choices. You had everyone on the dance floor all night long. Incredible evening!

Rob Bennion is incredibly talented and a joy to work with. We hired Rob for our event to play sax…read moreand DJ. The vibe was amazing and our guests loved the music. Thank you Rob!