My wife and I have been taking lessons with Danielle for a little over a year. It's difficult to…read moreoverestimate the level of impact she has had on both our musicianship as well as our love for music. I've struggled with singing my whole life, and have tried a handful of teachers. Danielle is the first teacher who I felt was, even after just our first lesson, able to express the issues I'm dealing with as well as the solutions (almost always vowels, enunciation, and breathing) She's also gentle in her feedback and doesn't make me feel bad about not being perfect. I was worried about continuing our vocal instruction after COVID hit, but Danielle has gone above and beyond with going digital, upgrading her setup so we can hear her more clearly and recording tracks that we can both practice along with and sing along with during lessons (to avoid Zoom lag). Lastly, I feel like Danielle cares about us as people. She is always great about checking in about things we've talked about outside of music. Just an altogether good person and a pleasure to be around. I can't recommend her enough!

My daughter has been seeing Danielle for about 6 months now. Although we haven't been able to go at…read moreregular intervals, her progress has been amazing. She's now 12 and we've noticed such an improvement in her dictation, pronunciation, volume and clarity. She really has become a much better singer. As a parent what I like about Danielle is her positive vibe and constant positivity. I couldn't imagine a more positive influence on my daughters growth as a singer. Consequently it's not all about signing either. She's beginning to recognize changes to her normal speech which will benefit her whether she continues to sing or not. All in all, I can't imagine taking my daughter anywhere else where she'd benefit as much as she is with Danielle. I highly recommend anyone interested in singing or public speaking lessons give Danielle a call and set up a lesson!

Where do I begin with a review for this guy?…read more Not going with Chris is a mistake. Chris isn't here to do the bare minimum. Chris is here because he loves doing his job. What I see in Chris is a person who not only love his chosen field but is obsessed with quality and constantly bettering himself for both himself and his customers. He is extremely kind, likeable, and constantly surprising in such a good way. But lets discuss details! I met Chris after seeing his advertisements - I chose him within moments. Fortunate for us, he chose us back. Chris brings a wonderful combination of fingerstyle guitar talent as well as DJ skills. The guitar work was incredible and the videos don't do it justice. My guests loved every moment of it. On a personal level, Chris connected with me and my [wife] immediately. He invested personally, even going so far as to learn multiple songs from scratch (some without existing tabs), specifically for our wedding. He did so even when told it was not expected at all. In terms of DJ skills - I would not have ever guessed he was new. Chris immerses in the individual taste of the customer and delivers a seamless experience for the party. He even deviated when needed (after checking with us for permission) to give what he felt was the best touch to his set lists. It was a deeply personal set list and he honored that thoroughly. He managed to get a large crew of introverts on the dance floor in a way I feared was not possible. We didn't have a wedding planner. Chris let us lean on him heavily - talking with us about ceremony management, reception management, and even acted as our MC for the evening. He came with equipment and set ups for multiple locations and was clearly beyond prepared. Again. It's a mistake not going for Chris. Getting him for less than $10,000 is a steal. Chris delivered in a way I just was not expecting - and I cannot recommend him more.

Trust me, just hire Chris!!…read more My husband and I worked with Chris to play at our wedding ceremony. He is very easy going and it is a delight working with him! He has a vast list of songs that he knows by heart, and it was great to see a variety of music genres/artists we can select from. We had 2 calls with him: 1 during our initial booking, and then another a few weeks prior to finalize event details and timeline. In terms of equipment, he does provide a lapel microphone and wireless microphone - this was a huge plus as we were able to seamlessly work with him on providing the audio system for our ceremony. Many of our wedding guests RAVED about him afterwards, and truly thankful to have Nick at our morning ceremony to help create the fairytale vibe. He is a valuable vendor to have, and something about live music just adds to the vibe for every event. Thank you so much, Chris!! I highly recommend booking him for your wedding or other events!!

DJ ET is to blame for my wedding reception NOT going as planned…read more You see, in our planning, I had said, listen Ivy Hill, we are thrilled to be working with you as part of our event at Sand Rock Farm. We were excited to have a cellist playing as our guests got to mix and mingle. And yes, we were really looking forward to music being played as we ate and enjoyed our LONG awaited wedding reception (that had been postponed cuz...ya know...Covid.) But we said it repeatedly...There really was NOT going to be ANY dancing. There was dancing. Lots of it. And it is all DJ ET's fault. THANK GOODNESS!!!! Honestly, working with the entire team at Ivy Hill was a dream. Their selection of musical genres and musicians is nothing short of impressive. I will warn you now...that questionnaire is exhaustive...like it gets INTO the songs you like. But it is TOTALLY worth it. Matt reached out right before our reception just to check if we were good and to get us in touch with DJ ET. The cellist was AMAZING. And before you ask...YES...he can and WILL play a Game of Thrones medley. It was AMAZING. He also learned the music to my father's favorite hymn. When I heard him start to play it, I just started to cry because thanks to him, my father, who passed some time ago, was there...in that song...and in that cello. I can't recommend Ivy Hill Entertainment enough. They clearly have put in the work of bringing on the best of the best when it comes to musicians, performers and DJs. They take the headache and worry out of the planning and logistics. True pros in every sense. And my special nod to DJ ET who proved that the Mills Brothers and Blacksheep really DO belong on the same playlist.

Highly Recommended, Quality Entertainment: Wow - what a fantastic experience! Ivy Hill…read moreEntertainment truly is your "one stop music and entertainment shop." From working in events, I understand that heartfelt, professional, seamless entertainment is a key component to creating a memorable celebration. It brings people together, inspires guests, and sets the tone of your party. I've worked with some pretty cool musicians, but Ivy Hill Entertainment definitely stands out as the BEST. When it came time to plan the ultimate personal event - our wedding - we wanted a music-based celebration that stood apart from "typical wedding music". The idea was a multi-musical-styled evening showcasing classical music, New Orleans Big Band, a roaming violinist at dinner (Ivy Hill's gal, MJ, even played pop hits like Stayin' Alive and had everyone singing!), an intimate pub sing-along, and finally a rockin' reception. This was certainly an ambitious repertoire! I began researching bands/musicians and initially fell into a short panic. Most bands didn't seem to have the magical vibe, musical diversity, network, and professionalism (Can we count on the to show up for gods sake...) for me to book. In fact, none of the musicians resonated with our event's style.... and then I found Ivy Hill Entertainment. WOW. Game changer. From the moment of contact to the actual execution we had an amazing experience that was fun, stress free, collaborative, easy, and QUALITY. Ivy Hill has many options on how to book talent - actually super talent. You can hire anyone from a dope DJ to solo musician to the 9-musician "build-a-band" act we employed. My initial contact was Brian Bergeron who not only understood our vision, but encouraged us to make it happen. What an awesome guy. He was just as excited as we were! In fact, that's what stands out about Ivy Hill - their passion for music and events. They truly love what they do and understand the honor of being part of your event. Ivy Hill also offers such quality musicians! I couldn't believe we had all these cool people playing our wedding! It was great to see their musical backgrounds and sound samples from the website and resources. For our wedding, they supplied everything from the sound technician, musical equipment, speakers, musicians, and even an amazing Bandleader extraordinaire: Jon Devoto. Man, this guy was incredible! In addition to coordinating the musicians, he was also the lead singer, MC... and as a special request, include some mind-blowing tap dancing. Everyone loved him! I wish I could go through each of the musicians (Debbie Ilana, the New Classics, MJs Brass Boppers) because they brought so much flavor & style. It was like a mini-musical festival. The best part is that whatever you decide to book - whether it be an intimate musical vibe, dope DJ, or full-blown band - they deliver a memorable performance and professional experience. This team is full of talent and heart. They also have a big network of musicians and DJs so you don't need to worry about flaky musicians or no-shows. God forbid someone gets sick, they have the resources to ensure you are set. I trust them implicitly. I knew that I had nothing to worry about when booking them. The communication was clear and timely. We were in-line every step of the way. In fact, they are the only company I will use for future events. If you seek a top-notch service, this is the place for you. As you can see form their website, Ivy Hill Entertainment has a lot to offer. They exceeded our already high expectations. It is my pleasure to write this review and spread the word.

When I decided to study the bass guitar I had the incredible good luck of stumbling across Dave…read more.. I can't imagine finding a better teacher! He is rock solid on technique and skills but also has a wealth of knowledge about music theory and styles, and also the history of bass guitar and the bass players who have contributed to the field. I love our diversions into different bass players and the ways that they've changed musical history. I tend to learn music a bit differently than most people and Dave has been incredibly good at listening to me about what works for me and what doesn't, and adapting his teaching accordingly. It's been fun for me to broaden his horizons about musical theatre, and he's cheerfully rolled with all of the weird stuff that I've thrown at him. Dave has my highest recommendation.

Here are some of the reasons why you should consider Small Steps Music for your guitar lessons:…read more* the teachers: Dave and Rodney are both consummate professionals, but they are also fun and caring individuals whose love for music and guitar playing is infectious. * the flexibility: They bend over backward to accommodate your time constraints. My son kept having to switch his soccer days each season and I hesitated to go back to request another time slot for guitar lessons, but Dave, who masterminds the schedule, just made it work. We are so grateful. * the lessons: We were lucky enough to have both Dave and Rodney teach my son. He picked up on different aspects of the craft from each of them. The lesson content is tailored to the student's current needs. My son started at Small Steps while in Kindergarten and he quickly learned enough chords to play songs appropriate to his age. He still needs to be reminded that practice makes perfect and Dave does a great job of a) reminding him to do short, regular practices to keep the skills up and b) keeping the assignments manageable so that if he works at it, he can return the next week with new skills to apply to new songs. And did I mention that free choice plays a big part in what they practice? Students at Small Steps are encouraged to come with ideas for new and popular songs to learn, while Dave and Rodney will make sure that they are well-versed in some of the classic rock/folk/pop that inspired their current favorites (and inspired their parents and grandparents!). *the concerts. The annual concert (or "jam session" as they call it) is truly a highlight. Students of all ages and genders perform in a club-like setting with amps, speakers, etc, and it's inspiring for them to get a sense of how far they personally have come and how far they can go as they rock along to the other performers' songs. Summary: If you've been tempted to learn guitar, you can't go wrong with Small Steps Music. The supportive, experienced teachers, low-key environment, and challenging but doable lessons have kept my finicky son coming back for 6+ years and given him the confidence to play and sing at family events, both public and private.

They were great at the beginning, and to their credit were beyond patient during a period when we…read morewere struggling with the bill. But we've been on top of it for a while now and recently they just kept canceling lessons and then getting defensive and gaslighting when I complained about it. It was really discouraging for my son, and super unprofessional how they handled it. Though teacher was patient and supportive at the beginning, my sons ongoing experience with the lessons was actually not all that great. Other music schools and my experience offer positive feedback and support performance even for the very beginning players. Here he just kept practicing and practicing over and over again with nothing to work toward. We had been thinking about leaving anyway and then this happened.

We can't recommend Seth enough! He is a wonderful, patient, and skilled violin instructor. Seth…read moremakes the violin lessons fun, and my 7 year-old always enjoys them!

They were the life of the party, high quality musicians, very kind, very talented. Fair price and…read morethey showed up on time as promised. Great job thank you

Mariachi San Carlos is absolutely fantastic! Their vocals are amazing, and they performed all the…read moreclassic favorites with incredible energy. I highly recommend booking them for any special occasion!

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!

Working with Daniel and his band was all around an amazing experience! After reading all the…read morereviews 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!

Great little music store with an amazing selection of cool guitars, keyboards, drums, pedals…read more Super-helpful staff. I needed strings for an oud, and they had them, in more than one gauge, even. Ended up buying lots more stuff than I had intended to, and I will definitely be going back there soon. Support local small businesses--before they're all gone! These folks are definitely worth supporting.

Store appears to be downsizing. About half the floor…read moreshowroom that it used to be. Makes you wonder what's up. Haven't been there since Covid,so things have changed for the worse.

Our son has participated in both SJW year round (Giant Steps and Miles Ahead) and the summer…read moreprogram and both are great. The staff is excellent - they work well with kids, are strong music teachers and make the experience positive and rewarding. Our son started with SJW when he was a beginner musician and the program has help him develop into a strong musician. Thanks to the support and teaching at SJW he has made California All State Honor Jazz band multiple times and he still feels challenged by the SJW program and continues to grow as a musician thanks to them. I would highly recommend this program to any young musician - whether they have never tried jazz, are serious about jazz or are just interested in taking their music to the next level. Like any program though you get out what you put in, so be prepared to practice.

In contrast to some of the other reviews, our son had a fantastic experience in the Miles Ahead Big…read moreBand program that ran during the 2018/19 school year. They rehearsed once a week at the College of San Mateo (great facility and campus) and he left each session drained yet excited as they rehearsed non stop, requiring all his focus and playing the best he could. This "conglomerate" band was a perfect opportunity to play with liked minded student musicians, at a higher level than he could get in his high school program. Our son looked up to music director Mike Galisatus, who worked closely with the students, provided great feedback, and seemed to truly care about the band and program. We look forward to auditioning again and hope that we can continue with the program while our son finishes high school.

I had a great and excellent experience with Los viejones y su viento norteño. Gregorio got the…read morearrangements made fast and efficient. The grupo sounded great and they were 45 minutes early. Best customer service. I would hire them again. El grupo fue muy excelente y su servicio rapido. Gregorio me explico el contrato y como todo iba a funcionar. Mi familia le encanto y seran contratados muy pronto otra ves. Gracias por su gran trabajo.

Wow! This group performed at my parents 50th anniversary party and blew everyone away. They were on…read moretime, nicely-dressed, and so professional. They played everything we asked them to and were very interactive with the crowd. MC and band all in one. Not everyone at our party spoke Spanish, but that didn't even matter. Everyone enjoyed it. They accompanied my 13-year old niece singing "El Rey" as well as my cousin who sang some Selena songs. We danced so much that a few days later we are still trying to recover. Some bands are a hit or miss, but this one was definitely a hit! I will certainly be hiring them for future events. They were so much fun and I highly recommend them. You will not be disappointed. My only regret is that I didn't take any pictures with them. Next time I won't forget.