I had the pleasure of hosting an event recently at Osmosis Day Spa Sanctuary (if you haven't been,…read moreyou need to go!). The Osmosis owners did a wonderful job of showcasing local talent at the party (Freestone Cheese and Fork Roadhouse Catering, to name a few). Everything was wonderful. But local musician Bruce Klein really stole the show! Bruce provided a lively, acoustic soundtrack for the evening. Much of it was original music. Some of it was recognizable (I think I may have heard a few Police tracks in the mix), but most of it was original stuff. Everything sounded great. It really helped set the mood for the party - without being overbearing. While the music wasn't the star of the show, it was certainly worthy of best supporting actor nod. I was so impressed with Bruce's guitar jams that I had to ask for his business card. I am totally going to book him for future events. You would be wise to do so as well.

Bruce played at my wedding last weekend at Timber Cove Resort and he was amazing!!! He is so…read moreinsanely talented, most of our guests got videos of him playing!! Communication with him was a breeze, and that is saying something since he nor anyone out there had power the week before the wedding. Thank you so much Bruce for making our wedding sound just as magical as we felt!

Highly recommended. Hired for a private party of about 40 people. Professional musicians and great…read moreentertainment. They can provide background music or take center stage. Raj did a great job reading the audience and adjusting music to match the party vibe. Could not ask for more.

Absolutely, fantastic. They were incredible in range…read more And sophistication. I would hire them again in a minute.

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.

Alec played guitar at our wedding ceremony and cocktail hour at the Fairmont in Sonoma. His great…read moremusic and easy-going attitude really fit in well with our ceremony, and we heard many compliments from our guests. He came recommended by the live band we hired to play our reception, and we couldn't have been happier. We highly recommend Alec if you are looking for a live guitarist for your special day.

Alec is an excellent musician and a wonderful entertainer. He helps make any event he performs at…read morememorable. Whether he's performing or teaching he is totally professional and excellent.

I've been a fan of the guitar since a childhood so long passed I can scarcely remember it. The…read morefirst Guitar Player magazine I ever purchased read "Who is Eric Johnson and why is he on our cover?" because Ah Via Musicom had not even come out yet. Thousands of players and trillions of notes later I thought I had seen just about everything that there in this wide-necked world but I've never seen anything like Nate Lopez. We're going to have to break him down into pieces to even make sense of what's going on here: MUSICIAN You can tell that his roots are diverse and deep. The smell of smokey blues wafts from a towering house of jazz, and the backbeat of the funk can damage weak spines, but the ingredient that you can't quite identify is the time he spent studying at the Ali Akbar College of Music. Respect, dedication, knowledge, discipline. A musician's musician. I have seen him play with well-rehearsed ensembles and spur of the moment assemblages of one to eight other musicians with little more than a four count to get ready for an impromptu performance. He breathes through the instrument the way most people speak their native language. I've seen him do originals, pop tunes, classics, and covers that he has remade into something new altogether. (See "8 String Wizard" below). I've watched him get a room dancing and I've seen him melt into the background of a small event, completely out of consciousness. He has a gift for understanding the space, the role of the music, and reading the reaction of the audience. That's a special talent. 8 STRING WIZARD He has reportedly courted the drums, horns, and piano, but the stringed instruments own his heart. He loaned his upright bass to his mom, who gigs out with it often, but still plays the carbon fiber steel string he inherited from a beloved mentor with verve when he needs an instrument capable of standing up to inclement weather when he's playing an outdoor gig. He plays banjo, ukulele, banjolele, bass, guitar, an Indian slide guitar with sympathetic strings that I've never seen, and all varieties of bass and guitar, fretted and fretless. All this would be enough to merit applause but it is the 8 string guitar that sets him apart from anyone else I have ever witnessed. His earliest professional work reportedly was as a bassist. That role in the music suited him, but he found the range of the instrument limiting. His explorations on the six string opened up new vistas, but the loss of the bass clef was an acute injury. Like Jaco, Les, Eddie, and other innovators before him, he experimented with instruments that he modified himself, always tinkering, always trying, always searching. Then the hybrid guitar landed on him and everything changed. EAD bass strings over ADGBE guitar strings on the same neck give him sonic opportunities completely beyond possibility before. He virtually never plays with a pick, always finger style, so the hybrid guitar allows him to play both bass and guitar on one neck. The casual observer may or may not notice that there's just more music coming from the guitar player and drummer than can be explaned, but the musicians stop everything to stare in disbelief. TEACHER It can be very intimidating to approach someone so advanced. No one is born expert. Some are more talented than others, but everyone that's any good has years of dedicated study and practice behind them. I have seen, and have been, one of many who have come to Nate for guidance or lessons, in addition to all the pros who come to play with him as a peer, and I have never caught a whisper of the attitude that typically comes with this level of expertise. He delights in the achievement of everyone he plays with, on guitar, on other instruments, the most serious professional, and the kid who doesn't even know which way the neck goes yet. He just gets a quick read on where you are and what you want to achieve and he illuminates the path. That's something I've never heard of in any of the other greats before. Who am I? His most jealous fan. Thanks for the music and the lessons and the kindness, Nate. You make us all better players.

Walked into Heritage Public House about six months ago and discovered Nate and his 8 string guitar…read more So good! I have since caught him at a few venues across Santa Rosa and can highly recommend him.

Molly wrote string arrangements for the album Secret Wish by Puspa Aryani, and conducted the…read morestrings for our recording sessions. Molly is an excellent composer and musician.

As yoga teacher who wanted to improve the quality of her chanting and feel more at ease chanting in…read morefront of others, I contacted Molly for a coaching session. With Molly's support I have experienced a beautiful opening within myself, stepping more fully into my voice and delighting in play with sound and expression. Once self-conscious and unsure, I am now more confident and able. This growth continues to touch other aspects of my life and even inspired my husband to join me in a session with Molly as an alternative to a more typical date night. He, too, is impressed by Molly's technical and teaching expertise. Collaborating with Molly is a joy, and I encourage anyone with the slightest twinge of curiosity to give Molly a call. You'll be so grateful you took the leap.

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!!

As a native Texan living in California, it was such a treat to find such a wonderful western swing…read moreband! We hired Sugar Moon to play at a local event and they had all the ladies at the event tapping their feet and clapping their hands. A wonderfully engaging and entertaining group that always leaves me with a big smile on my face! Always a treat to hear them play!

Got a chance to see Sugar Moon performing at party when I was in Sonoma County this past weekend…read moreand really loved each of their sets. They have a great sound, entertaining us with a mix of Western swing and bluegrass tunes. Their style helped to create a fun, lively energy for a diverse group in an informal setting. They did a great job of reading the crowd and engaged young and old alike. Looking foward to hearing them again!