A local resident hired Derek to play in our newly opened pocket park on Saturday. The response has…read morebeen amazing. Those that attended love it, and those that found out about it too late are begging to be told the next time he'll be in the park. We look forward to working with him in the future.

Really enjoyed the sounds of steel drums for a surprise birthday party. Not overwhelming or too…read moreloud. The live music really added something special.

I highly recommend Berkeley String Quartet. I hired…read moreBerkeley String Quartet for my mother's memorial service, held in our backyard the first weekend of April. Barbara Sue White was very easy to work with. Her musicians dressed formally, were professional and came on time. They were also absolutely lovely human beings whose exquisite playing made the event a true Celebration of Mom's life. I would not hesitate to hire them again.

Incredible people, incredible music, incredible rates. I worked closely with Barabara-Sue who went…read moreout her way to ensure the music for my daughter's wedding was exactly how she wanted. The Berkeley String Quartet worked hand in hand with us to learn and play some very unique music not in their repertoire. The effort they made was above and beyond what I would have expected. I highly recommend this quartet.

I signed up for Ilana with duet musician services for my SF City Hall (1Hr) Wedding and It was…read moreAmazing!! Through the entire process she was very responsive, and I was able to make payment easily thru her suggested methods - we also used Google docs for the agreement. For my wedding she worked with Lewis P a cellist as I really wanted to hear both instruments. Btw, She is on the approved musician list for SF City Hall- so if you are in need of a violinist for the SF City Hall, she's the one! Her website includes a variety of of songs from R&B, classics, oldies and pop. We had two custom songs done for an added fee in addition to the hour service. We got many compliments and we were happy with our modern selections being changed into such wonderful instrumental violin and cello sounds that our guests were able to recognize in amazement. We were so happy with her professionalism and both their talents. Fabulous- and I would totally sign up again!

Ilana is truly amazing and truly made our wedding magical! Everyone loved her music! She made the…read moreprocess to pick out music extremely easy since she has a huge selection on her repertoire. Thank you for being a part of our day and making it so special!

If you are a musician with a recording project that means ALOT to you, look no further, Oscar Autie…read moreand El Cerrito Recording Studio is the place for you. I have known Oscar from teh Cuban music scene for years now, I began recording and working with him back in 2000, we have built a professional yet family like relationship. I would not go anywhere else! The studio is state of the art, and it is like home at the same time. So much warmth eludes from both Oscar and his adorable wife, Kenya who also doubles as the Business Manager.....this woman knows her stuff, and she is elegant and professional yet warm and caring. I am in the middle of recording and ending my projects but I am sure that our relationship will continue with the time. I will still keep returning for projects, and I will be in touch! Check out their studio and evaluate their portfolio, you will see why I say this place is the Cream of the Crop! Cheers!

El Cerrito Studio was the ideal recording experience, and I look forward to returning many times in…read morethe future. As a harpist, many studios are flummoxed by how hard it is to capture the real sound of my instrument - Oscar dialed it in right away. The studio itself is brand new with 2 recording booths and a clear line of vision for isolation work. One booth is medium sized and would fit up to an instrumental trio I would say, the other very large with a grand Yamaha fitting up to 8 performers approximately - just guesses. All the equipment looked brand new and the sound, the most important thing, I was thrilled with. Both the neighborhood and all the soundproofing allow total silence, which has previously been a difficulty in other studios. Not an issue at El Cerrito Studio, where we could work fast and keep all the magic. Kenya is a true host, putting me instantly at ease with her charming and welcoming personality. There's a resting area with beverages and snacks, plus their garden out back is wonderful to re-energize in. Parking is easy. In total, Kenya and Oscar work as a perfect team in setting the stage for a great recording plus delivering on the final result.

Victoria is an incredible harp teacher that I would recommend for adults and children alike. I have…read morehad several music instructors over the years, and Victoria stands out as being so generous, so skilled, and just a delight to learn from. Due to work and other personal demands, I was not always as diligent in my practicing as I would've liked, and Victoria gave me so much grace, and always had thoughtful lessons and music to offer. She pairs her mastery of the instrument with openness to following her students' interests, which led to her crafting some Beatles arrangements for me, which was so fun. I also witnessed her being so compassionate with a younger student who had some stage fright during a group recital, and the student was able to finish proud and strong, supported by her wonderful teacher. Highly recommend!! Thank you, Victoria!

I started taking harp lessons from Victoria over the pandemic…read more Though I still identify as a pianist (I taught piano for several years) but I really fall in love with the harp thanks to Victoria's instructions. Victoria worked with me on my technique that I really appreciated and she looked for repertoire for me that was engaging. Victoria is a very patient, very skilled teacher whom as a fellow musician can highly recommend for people of all ages. Thanks to Victoria playing my harps is part of my life. I play every day.

Absolutely Amazing DJ - Highly Recommend !…read more We had the pleasure of working with Spencer for our wedding on September 19, 2025, and we truly couldn't have asked for a better experience! We were honestly so stressed about choosing a Dj, but after one phone call with Spencer, the stress was relieved. He made us feel completely at ease, and we knew right away we were in good hands. Spencer was incredibly helpful, professional, and detail oriented. As first-time wedding planners, we appreciated how easy he made the entire process, offering helpful suggestions from all perspectives, playlists and multiple music options, and a detailed planning method which made the planning process simple and enjoyable, not overwhelming. On our wedding day, Spencer read the crowd perfectly, and kept the energy up all night. Everyone had an amazing time, and we received so many compliments on the music and fun atmosphere. We also had the Photo Booth included in our package, and it was a total hit! It was easy to use, and our guests had a blast with all the fun props and filters. We loved that everyone got their photos right away, and Spencer even emailed us all the photos and boomerangs everyone took - Such a fun way to relive the memories and see everyone enjoying themselves. Even with a few last-minute changes, Spencer was on top of every detail, making sure everything was exactly how we wanted it. His dedication to making everything perfect truly showed throughout our entire wedding. If you're looking for a DJ who's fun, professional, organized, and genuinely invested in making your event unforgettable, we 100% recommend Spencer & his team. He was a huge part of what made our wedding so special, and we're beyond grateful we chose him!

We selected Sutherland Entertainment from MANY of the reviews, as well as a direct referral from…read moreour caterer, as one of our vendors for our corporate holiday event. The organization, ease of planning, constant communication, and amazing "extra's" to choose from - made our event one of the best our teams have ever had. We selected outdoor games, photo booth, extra lighting (which really made a difference), DJ (who Spencer himself mc'd) as well as the most AMAZING entrance with a live guitarist as guests entered the space. Truly top notch and highly recommend for ANY event.

I studied flute as a boy and took it up a couple times again as an adult. Encouraged by a concert…read moreflutist friend this year, I took up the instrument again. Buying a better instrument helped a lot, but I soon hit a wall with my amateur technique, and I discovered that Sujatha was teaching nearby in Berkeley. What an extraordinary stroke of luck that was, as Sujatha is by far the best music teacher I've ever had. My flute playing is now growing in leaps and bounds. I am now learning quickly (and unlearning bad habits), and am inspired to practice a half-hour to hour every day. Sujatha's lessons are joyful, enthusiastic, fast-paced, and targeted to just what I need. Despite my amateur abilities, she treats my musical aspirations with deep respect, and challenges me right to the edge of what I'm capable of each week, so that my playing abilities swiftly grow. I'm now able to sight read music--at least on a basic level--and am learning things I never learned from any music teacher before about the phrasing and expression of music (not just the basics of getting the notes and tempo correct). Sujatha herself is an extraordinarily skilled musician, conservatory-trained, who performs regularly in the Bay Area. She studies with her own master teacher, and passes on those insights to her students. I recommend Sujatha highly for anyone who wants to discover the joy of music, and to grow their musical abilities with a joyful, exuberant soul.

I found Sujatha after trying quite a bit to find someone that would teach adult lessons. She was…read morevery kind and warm from the very first conversation to all the lessons I have had over many months now. Most importantly she is very patient and encouraging through the struggles of learning something entirely new at a point in life when learning a new skill is not the easiest thing. In addition to learning from Sujatha I have also been at her performance and she is very skilled and a beautiful flute player herself. After some of my initial hesitations and self doubt of whether I'd be able to learn, whether I would enjoy it or whether I would have the energy to sustain my learning I discovered at the end of three months that I was really enjoying learning and decided to invest in buying a flute and returning my rental flute. She also very graciously helped take me to to a store and shop for my flute at a local store where she is very well known. For anyone looking to learn I can say for sure you are going to enjoy learning from Sujatha if you have the motivation to learn :)

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.

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!