We have these guys play for our conference last year and I can't believe I haven't written in a…read morereview for them yet. The music was a lot of fun and they got everybody dancing. They had a great spirit. We're gonna try to hire them again this year.

VERY DISAPPOINTING EXPERIENCE with Jose Hernandez, per the contract their 'band leader', on a event…read moreheld of just last night. Booked them last December for a 70th BD party to be held May 2. Paid the deposit at the same time. Communicating with Jose the week prior I requested the trio set up an hour before the event started so no last minute sound checks etc. and the evening could start on time and go smooth. Needed a live mike so BD speeches could be made prior to their start time. He said not a problem. The BD started at 5 PM, still no trio. Dinner started at 6:15 PM, still no trio. Booked to play from 7 to 9 PM. Were they even going to show up ? No communication with either myself or the venue. Band showed up at 6:45ish to set up after the evening was in full swing. No apology yet (from Jose who I had negotiated the event with) and was told by Luis, the evenings lead, was all they knew they were hired to play from 7 to 9. TOTAL lack of professionalism in running your business and communicating with your client. Will NEVER recommend your business to any potential future clients. I would NEVER want my friends to go thru the same stress and anxiety we experienced last night.

Quick summary: extremely knowledgable, flexible, tailored to my specific needs, reasonable and…read moreaffordable pricing... a music teacher who really cares I feel super fortunate to have found Devin as my piano teacher. I was classically trained growing up but in recent years have been craving to learn jazz piano, especially wanting to improvise. It felt like a far-off dream, but through my few lessons with Devin I have been pleasantly surprised at my own ability, which he has helped me unlock. He truly is so knowledgable and delivers that knowledge skillfully -- as in, he doesn't overload you with irrelevant information, and only relays what is relevant to the current subject we are working on. Devine is encouraging but does not give empty praise -- he is very transparent with his feedback and this feels very effective. He keeps me super engaged -- there is a great balance of theory and explanation / allowing me to apply the theory through playing and answering questions on the spot. There have been moments, especially at the beginning, when I felt intimidated and nervous to improvise on the spot (as this is something I'd never really done before). Devin was understanding of these emotions and created a safe space for me to go out of my comfort zone. These moments of being challenged are super invaluable to me and his method of doing so really suits me. The lessons are paced well for me and feel very tailored to my needs. Devin always prioritizes my questions for each lesson, and based on those, creates a lesson plan on the spot to address them all. I really enjoy the fact that I can ask super specific questions and we can go on tangents about music theory and history. Speaking of music history, I also appreciate that Devin is so acknowledging of the fact that we are playing in the realm of Western music, which is only a small fraction of all the musical cultures that exist. As a person of color, this foundation of thinking is really important to me. I searched for a long time to find an in-person teacher because that was what I was used to, and I believed it would work best for me. However, I realized that the online lessons work perfectly well and I can't see any downsides of them. I think this is partially because I have enough background in technique, so I don't need him to be adjusting my hands / seeing my fingering and all the other physical stuff associated with piano. This being said, perhaps if you are a complete beginner, try to start with in-person lessons with Devin to make sure you have all the basic techniques locked in as this will affect your playing later on. I am used to more structure and rigidity -- my classical lessons always centered around learning a piece and playing it during lessons, with very clear homework. So it took some time to get used to the more flexible and free-form nature of learning jazz piano (and perhaps it is also his particular teaching style). I think it has been an excellent practice for me in self-discipline. However, if you benefit a lot from extreme structure, you can always ask Devin to provide that. I am personally enjoying the challenge of improvisation as my homework! Devin has offered me many tools and frameworks for thinking about piano and improvisation, all of which have made piano feel way more approachable and inviting than it used to. I also marvel at his ability to be so enthusiastic, engaged and creative for each and every lesson. I've had many music teachers in my life and he is one of the best!

Devin is an amazing music teacher. He's easy to work with, very knowledgeable and professional. It…read morehas been a great pleasure to study piano with him since September 2020. I've had many musical breakthroughs since then. Devin is a patient musical guide. His technicality and training helped me to achieve my dream of singing popular songs with full piano accompaniment. I have a deep appreciation for music and my prior music teachers were rigid in their approach, which didn't enable me to grow musically. Devin's flexible, caring approach helped me to immediately tap into my abilities at the keyboard. It has helped immensely that Devin offers remote lessons via Zoom, which make it highly convenient for students living further away. I look forward to more musical breakthroughs with Devin as my guide. Highly recommended!

We hired Mariachi Trío Estrellas de Oro for my friend's wedding, and they were absolutely amazing…read morefrom start to finish! Rigo was my main contact, and he was so friendly, caring, and incredibly easy to communicate with. Our venue had very poor cell service, which made coordinating a surprise performance a bit tricky--but Rigo went above and beyond. He even called ahead of time to make sure he had the exact location and understood where he needed to be so everything would go smoothly. Despite the challenges, they showed up right on time, patiently waited for the perfect moment, and completely made the bride's day. It was such a special surprise, and they executed it flawlessly. On top of that, they played an extra song so the couple could have a first dance moment--which wasn't even planned--and it ended up being one of the most memorable parts of the night. We will absolutely be hiring Rigo and the group again in the future. Highly, highly recommend!

Wow. We are so grateful we hired this fabulous, talented and fun trio for my mom's 90th birthday…read morecelebration. Everyone LOVED them. We sang along to well loved songs and heard new ones. My husband was even able to play guitar with them for a song. They were on time. Communication was great. Great for any celebration calling for an entertaining and engaging band!!

They did a private party and were so much fun! we danced and sang until Midnight!!!read more

Joe and Kathy did a wonderful job of helping me celebrate my birthday during COVID! Through Zoom we…read moremet, sang, danced, chatted, played games, won prizes, laughed and had great fun! Multitalented Joe surprised us by beautifully singing "our song" so my husband and I could dance together as we did at our wedding years ago. Joe and Kathy were easy to work with and included everything I requested! I highly recommend them for your party - during COVID or after! THANKS Again, Party Pros!

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.

My son has been having great piano lessons with Kevin! I love that he paces his lessons with each…read moreindividual child. Although my son enjoys the piano he also loves to talk and run around. Kevin has been great at keeping my son focused while not discouraging his playfulness, instead using that energy to keep piano fun. That was my biggest concern when starting piano lessons so young for him -- that he may lose interest early on if he gets discouraged -- but Kevin intuitively understands this and is great at keeping the balance between a productive lesson and a fun lesson. My son is 6 and has had no musical training prior to starting lessons but now after 4 months can read notes on the scale, and play some short songs while sight reading. We're doing lessons 1x a week, ~25mins per lesson. Highly recommend piano lessons with Kevin!

This is long due! My boys have been taking Piano with Kevin for over two years now. They had some…read morepiano lessons with a different teacher before, but when they started with Kevin, the immediate improvement was noticeable. He worked on techniques, posture and most important, reading music. Before that, all they played and knew was based on repetition and playing with the keys. I love Kevin's methods, his patience and precision are also great qualities when working with kids. I highly recommend him. He also does recitals, and it's great to see all the kids and the improvements made from one year to the other. His studio is in a great location and during this new time of C-19, he has continue to teach over FaceTime! My kids have not missed one class! Always punctual and enthusiastic. Very professional!

We hired Lenny to perform for us to help celebrate my husband's birthday. You select songs you…read morewant him to perform from a playlist. He played and sang to us for 45 minutes (about 12 songs). He even sang a special request of Over the Rainbow too - a classic on the ukelele. He encourages everyone to sing along as well so it was fun that we were able to do that. We were able to surprise my husbad when he showed up at the house and I told my husband there was a special delivery for him. My husband enjoyed it so much that he was almost in tears (of joy and happiness). There's something about the sound of the ukelele that's very soothing and peaceful. My husband said he couldn't ask for anything more. It made his birthday extra special.

Ukulenny is available 24/7? Does this guy ever sleep? What does his family think of him being…read moreavailable 24 hours a day, 7 days a week? Ukulenny is the MAN! He is Bay Area American Idol! The guy is traveling around the Bay Area. He is either solo, with the Bob and Lenny Show or with Cynthia Lin. Hula Hoops in South San Francisco, Oakland Museum of California, anywhere in the Bay Area Ukulenny is performing. He is a YouTube sensation and on Spotify! I will confess that I don't have his album but I have check out his performance across the Bay Area. He even teaches ukulele courses. Take his classes and you will learn a lot. What can't Ukuelenny do? He can do about EVERYTHING! Anyone who does not give Ukulenny 5 stars review should have a big ego. 5 star rating Ukulenny.

We hired Eclecta Quartet to entertain a few hundred guests at a high-profile, Rock of Ages-themed…read morefundraiser. Working with them was a dream come true: From booking the group to selecting music, talking through wardrobe options, and their onstage performance, they were continually professional, prepared, and FUN to work with. Our guests couldn't stop talking about them...we can't wait to work with Eclecta Quartet again! - CB, Bay Area Events Planner

I have seen this group perform more than once and they are ridiculously talented, with a highly…read morediverse repertoire to boot. I've heard from friends who have hired them that they are extremely professional in every way, and easy to work with. What more could you ask for? Love this group!

Amazing service! Just bought a new guitar from this place, was helped by Chuck. Super cool guy,…read morefunny as hell. Thanks Chuck for adjusting my new guitar and installing new strings. I will be definitely coming back for an adjustment on my other telecaster.

Genuinely a horrible store to buy anything related to instruments. They tell you something is…read moreavailable over call and tell you when you get there that it was sold out last week . This store is actually pathetic, I genuinely don't understand how this establishment is still here. Waste of time don't come here.

Hella Fitzgerald was a huge hit at our son's Bar Mitzvah. We wanted live music as opposed to a DJ…read moreand we couldn't have been happier with their performance! Every musician in the band was outstanding. They accommodated all of our requests, including an extra long hora. :) All of our guests loved them and it was so refreshing to have 'real' music at our daytime event. Their price was extremely reasonable to boot! We highly recommend Hella Fitzgerald - they were fantastic!

A musician's dream!…read more Per the recommendation of our wedding planner, we worked with Hella Fitzgerald for our wedding in Big Sur, CA in August 2023. One of the best decisions we made for our wedding. I am a musician myself and had a lot of specifications for what I wanted throughout our ceremony, first dance, and dancing portions of the evening. And I mean a LOT of specifications! Music is something I am very particular about. Lilan worked closely with me on everything from which 2nd singer to hire to match the feel we wanted (the band works with various singers) to learning new songs that we had requested to adjusting songs to specific BPMs!!! She never seemed to lose her patience with me and would text me randomly with ideas or singer leads. One time she even texted me a couple vocal riffs she sang into her phone to see what I would prefer. We wanted a fun, sexy, big band feel and a talented group of musicians who could perform soul, Latin, swing, R&B, and everything in between. That is exactly what we got. We never left the dance floor. Thank you HF!