We had a fabulous experience having the Cool Rulers play our wedding at Liberty Warehouse this past May!! They brought down the house and had the entire wedding party (more than 200 people) up on the floor dancing the entire evening. There were so many people on the floor that we almost ran out of room! They coordinated a few custom songs that we requested and played during our ceremony, cocktail hour and reception. Throughout the planning process Charles was always there to answer questions and offer suggestions. We have heard so many rave reviews from our friends and family that it was an unforgettable band with the best music. We could not have asked for a more perfect band to play our wedding and will be recommending the Cool Rulers to all of our friends! Thank you Cool Rulers from making the evening so special and allowing the two of us to dance the night away as we celebrated the first night of marriage! read more

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To you recently-engageds looking for your wedding band: your search is over. Just hire The Cool Rulers. From our first phone call, when Charles explained the band's background and we discovered a mutual love of Hailu Mergia, I knew this band would get what we were after: a great time, with a little something special and unusual. The band invited us and several couples to attend a practice set, which they absolutely blew through, and we hired them shortly afterwards. Working with the band was straightforward: Charles took point on communication, asking what we liked, helping us pick the right number of band members (we chose 8, which was perfect for our venue), and sending us a song list to mark our must-plays and don't-plays. He also suggested an Afrobeat cocktail hour, a special talent of this band, which was so fun -- we highly recommend this option! My wife and I wrote our own ceremony, including several weird music cues that the band nailed perfectly, even learning a song for our processional. Charles attended our venue walkthrough and rehearsal to practice these cues, even though the band had another gig that evening. And the band provided sound equipment for the ceremony itself, which worked flawlessly -- unlike many weddings I have attended, in our ceremony, there were no microphone issues. When it was time to dance, the band absolutely destroyed their two sets. Many, many of our guests commented that this was the best band they'd ever heard, not just at a wedding but at any event, and asked for details to hire them. They also sounded fantastic, with great levels and control -- they were never overpowering or too loud to hold a conversation, but they were energetic enough to keep everyone moving. In fact, one of my favorite memories of the whole day was being on the dance floor, looking to the dinner tables, and realizing that every single seat was empty. The Cool Rulers had every single guest on the floor, almost two hours into their performance! I've never seen this at a wedding, and I was so proud to have it happen at ours. The Cool Rulers live up to their name: they are very cool, and they do rule. Stop looking now, and hire this band. read more

The Cool Rulers were an AMAZING wedding band and one of the highlights of our wedding. Could not recommend more highly!

We booked the Cool Rulers for our August wedding, and my husband and I can't stop smiling when we think about the wonderful experience we had working with them! We hired TCR to play a set of Afrobeat and other music during our cocktail hour and then to go to town during our party and dancing. Throughout the planning process, Charles was pleasant, solutions-oriented, and offered excellent suggestions. He made the process simple, clear, and fun. He even joined us twice at the venue to scout the location and to make certain that all would be in place the day-of. Our few special requests, including a few additions to the traditional Jewish hora, were put together wonderfully. And the DANCING! Oh, the dancing. Since I am a dancer, and my husband is a musician, it was important to us to have fabulous music to dance to, and we were really eager to see our guests on the floor. The Cool Rulers bring the party. Seriously, just trust them to bring it. We have gotten calls, texts, and exclamations from our guests complimenting the band. The Cool Rulers were hands-down the best decision we made as we planned our wedding. Please, please book them. You'll be so happy you did. read more

My wife and I had the good luck to hire the Cool Rulers for our wedding last June. We met a few months in advance of the event with Charles, the band's friendly and thoughtful leader. He gave us the option to request a couple songs that the band could learn, and quizzed us on the particulars of our event. We chose songs for the traditional first dance and father-daughter dances, and also made some suggestions from their long, eclectic, and Motown-centric list. I like Charles' attitude towards input: we had a hand in the set list while allowing the experienced musicians to steer the ship. Handing over our evening to The Cool Rulers was the best wedding decision we made---besides agreeing to get married in the first place! We took advantage of the relatively affordable option to have 3 members of the band play jazz during cocktail hour, and they were great. For the reception, the 8-piece band (they go up to 10) covered every song skillfully--- several members play together in other bands and it shows---and with an infectious joy for the source material. What more can you ask for than to have 4 generations mobbing the dance floor for 3 hours of music? Our guests were a diverse bunch, but nearly everyone was thrilled to be dancing non-stop. If you think your guests want to dance, the Rulers are it. Apologies to the salads and entrees several guests forgot to consume! Weddings can be a logistical headache and an intimidating expense, and I would never criticize anyone for wanting to pull back and simplify the event however they see fit. What I will say is that hiring this talented group to play hours of music for my wife and I and our friends and family was a crazy indulgence that we will never regret! read more

Fun, entertaining and lively band. Worth it for your event! The Cool Rulers are a very talented group. We got rave reviews from plenty of our wedding guests. Charles F., is very professional, quick with responses, and very easy to work with. Pricing was very fair. I'd definitely recommend. read more

The Cool Rulers did an absolutely amazing job at our October wedding! My husband is a musician, so he knew that they were a quality band, and we were both so happy with how they played. From the moment they started playing, the entire room was on the dancefloor, and it continued that way for the entire party. There was never a moment where people left the dancefloor, because each song was better than the last. Our guests were raving during the wedding and have not stopped raving since. Every time we see our friends and family, the first thing they mention about the wedding is how great the music was, and how much fun they had on the dancefloor. Aaron also did some emceeing for us and he did a great job keeping things on schedule and managing the flow of the evening. Everyone in the band was kind and energetic and they were a great presence in the room all night. Communications leading up to the wedding were smooth and the band was very organized about playing our entrance/first dance music and our special dance songs at the appointed times. We would not hesitate to recommend the Cool Rulers to anyone who wants to have a rocking dancefloor at their party! read more

The Cool Rulers - SHOUT! Photo by Erik Ekroth. - Performing Arts Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

The Cool Rulers were amazing. We fell in love with them at a friend's wedding and they made ours incredibly special. The music was fantastic but they were also incredibly communicative, flexible and fun to work with. Couldn't recommend any more highly. read more

The Cool Rulers are the best wedding band ever! This was not just our opinion as bride and groom, but that of many of our guests who could not stop talking about how great the band was. Charlie was incredibly responsive, professional, and easy to work with. The entire band was helpful the day of the wedding, setting up and checking in with us to make sure we were happy. Would highly recommend them to anyone looking for a stellar wedding band! read more

The Cool Rulers performed at our wedding in October of 2016 - they were AWESOME. Cannot say enough about how professional Charles and Aaron were throughout the whole planning process and at the wedding itself. The music was on point, the band interacted with our guests and made it a ton of fun, our guests still talk about how great the music was and how everything they played, people enjoyed. I highly highly recommend The Cool Rulers!! read more

The Cool Rulers really made our wedding. The music was great, the band was super fun, and the selection of songs was perfect. They had the dance floor full the entire reception and our guests are still raving about how good they were. Charles (the drummer/manager) is the best. He was super easy to coordinate with and provided great suggestions for the ceremony, cocktail hour, and reception. I will be recommending them to anyone looking for a band for any event in the future. read more

There aren't enough words to describe how thankful we are that we found The Cool Rulers. My now husband and I got married in the Catskills at a tiny inn called, Foxfire Mountain House. We knew we always wanted a large instrumental band, but were disappointed in what we had seen online. The general manager at our venue recommended The Cool Rulers. They had played there a few times prior, and the GM could NOT stop boasting about how fantastic they were. Thankfully, the moment we checked out their website we knew we had found our band! First off...Charles, the manager is just the sweetest! He's extremely thorough and timely in his correspondence. During a time that can feel overwhelming chaotic, I knew I could remain calm knowing I was in good hands. The day of the wedding the band showed up early and got right to work setting up. Without a doubt, they were the highlight the entire evening. From the ceremony solo guitar, 3 piece jazz cocktail hour, to the 10 piece band reception...boy did they NOT disappoint! Even when there was technical difficulty with the venue's circuits, the band did not miss a beat! They simply MacGyver'ed what they had to, and got right back to it. Their timing and execution with the event staff was flawless. Their rendition of our first dance to Neil Young's - "Harvest Moon" was unforgettable. The interaction they had with our guests was indescribable! Everyone was letting go on the dance floor, even my 92 year old Grandmother! They even took the time to throw in little surprises throughout. Like re-doing the song I walked down the aisle to, and an insane cover of the Talking Heads - "This Must Be the Place," I had asked for, and wasn't sure they could fit into the set with timing (I had asked for a few extra songs). My husband and I nearly lost it when we started hearing them perform it! One of my favorite memory's of the night, but too many to name. So to say that we were pleased with The Cool Rulers is an understatement. We knew we were the lucky ones in finding them. If you have the opportunity to experience them at one of your events, DO NOT HESITATE because that's what it is...an experience. They're smooth, and fun, and real, and chill, and everything you dream about when you dream about your wedding band. Just good juju. We will remember them fondly and we hope they feel the same. read more

If you want a band that will absolutely bring the party, hire The Cool Rulers. I'm a musician myself, and I had very high expectations for my wedding band. They met and exceeded them to such an extent that I barely got off the dance floor the whole night. I have honestly never danced that hard, nor had that much fun, with any other wedding band. The musicians are all serious players who know each other from other groups, and it shows. They establish a tight groove and good vibes from the get go, and they don't let up. Plus, they were willing to learn three new songs at no extra cost; our guests' minds were blown when the band launched into "Ignition (Remix)." Charles, who was my point of contact (and the drummer), is exceptionally professional, courteous, and easy to work with. You should have zero hesitation about hiring The Cool Rulers, especially if you want your wedding to kick ass. read more

The Cool Rulers were one of the top 3 highlights of our entire wedding. They have such a tight sound and brought the energy. Our dance floor was crowded all night! We knew we wanted a band that could play the best of Motown, and they agreed to drive up from Brooklyn to our outdoor wedding on a small lake in northern PA. They totally transformed the space and created the party we were looking for. To keep our costs in check we were only able to hire one of their vocalists, but man did she deliver! She has a powerful, gorgeous voice that perfectly complements the awe-inspiring horn section. The band is chock-full of incredible musicians. They were able to learn three songs for our first dance and father/daughter and parent dances. They were also relaxed enough to let a few family members and friends play our own instruments during the breaks. Highly, highly recommended for anyone who wants to keep their friends dancing to some of the best music around! read more

The Cool Rulers were so, so phenomenal!! Our wedding was on an island in Maine and despite having to navigate issues like getting all the equipment to the island on a boat, set up, travel from NYC, they were kind, professional, and did a huge amount of the problem solving for us, calling the venue and ferry services themselves and letting us know what they had worked out. They always presented us with choices when going over what services we could opt into for the ceremony, reception, etc, and priced them out, so we knew exactly what we could get and what our choices were. All of this on top of the fact that they are the best musicians around and put on a spectacular show. We actually had folks stop us as we left the wedding venue who lived nearby say they had eaten dinner on their porch just so they could overhear the great music and inquired about the amazing band. We could not have asked for a better experience leading up to the wedding day, a more seamless actual wedding day in terms of set up and professionalism, and then a more phenomenal wedding music set. It was perfect!! We love the Cool Rulers!! Our friends have been uploading video after blurry video of the amazing music and dancing. read more

We were married this August, 2016 in a backyard ceremony at our family's home. We were originally connected to the Cool Rulers after inquiring about Zongo Junction's availability through their agent. We were even able to incorporate a Fela Kuti set into the mix. Charles Ferguson the drummer and band lead is courteous, kind, and responsive. Our guests couldn't believe how brilliant the music was. The vocals, Abena Koomsom and Xavier Smith were truly incredible. Our guests kept shouting one more song at the end of the night and we didn't want the dancing to end. We couldn't stop smiling through their hora medley and we concluded the night with Ginuwine's Pony. Don't think twice about booking this group. They aren't a typical "wedding band" are clearly extremely talented musicians (our guests kept asking how we knew about them) and you won't regret it for a second. Guests of all ages danced the entire night. Hire a videographer because you'll want to keep listening to their music for a long time to come. Thanks you guys! read more