Julia and I have nothing but the best things to say about these guys. Let's start with Charles, the bandleader, who is simply the man. He couldn't be a cooler, nicer guy, and could not be easier to work with. He is extremely laid back and friendly while at the same time being super communicative, responsive, clear and professional. He instills a confidence (and a calmness) from the get-go that it's gonna be an absolute party, and delivers through to the last moments on wedding day. Our wedding was in a barn-type venue that tries to have certain restrictions on live bands, but when we booked The Cool Rulers, Charles did an excellent job of communicating with the venue and ensuring everything would run smoothly, quelling any concerns right off the bat. I am a trumpet player myself, with an observant/critical ear for music, and very personal experience in this type of music having played in a funk/party type of band. As the video content out there on the web is sparse for these guys, please take my word and the word of every other reviewer that these guys absolutely bring it and put on as good a party as anyone! This band is tight and hardworking as can be. All of the members are top notch Brooklyn/NYC musicians (BK being one of the true groove capitals!), with an innate yet extremely tasteful bent toward funky, groovy party music. And not only are they cream of the crop talent but they legitimately perform and rehearse together year round (and I know they work/have worked together in other projects), so their chemistry is genuinely palpable and you can really tell the difference this makes. The cover performances they deliver are nuanced and detailed and have that 'next level', tight feel to them. It's almost impossible not to be up dancing to these guys, at all moments they are playing, and this was most evidenced by the fact that our entire 200+ person wedding was up off their feet and the dance floor was absolutely packed throughout the night. And I am not exaggerating! The level and amount of dancing and just all around fun party vibe exceeded our already high expectations. Everybody we talked to had EXTREMELY high praise for The Cool Rulers, and the band was consistently the first thing people would bring up upon re-hashing the night. It's also worth mentioning that compared to other high quality bands we looked at, The Cool Rulers stood out as providing a very fair pricing structure. Wedding bands are not cheap of course, but some are truly exorbitant in what they charge and Charles, as is his MO, keeps that aspect very tasteful and reasonable. Plus, they will travel well outside the confines of NYC (our wedding was in Middletown, CT) and will specifically learn and rehearse 3-4 songs of your choosing. For a very sensible package they'll also provide top quality music through the three aspects of the wedding -- from a duo or trio for the quieter, more exposed ceremony, to a small, jazzy combo during cocktail hour, and ultimately to the 8 or 10 piece world-class band for the reception. We couldn't have chosen a more fun, quality band for our wedding and we couldn't be happier with our decision. read more

When we started planning our wedding, we decided on our priorities - what were the most important things for us? First we chose our venue... and then we needed a killer live band. We spent months reading reviews, watching videos, and asking for recommendations to make sure we found exactly what we wanted. After describing our vision to one bandleader, he suggested we check out The Cool Rulers. Oh man, he was so right. They were perfect!! We knew we had our band when talking to Charles from The Cool Rulers about our first dance. I asked him if he knew Charles Bradley - referring of course to Charles Bradley's music - and he responded "Oh yea, Charles is a great guy!". Turns out members of the Cool Rulers played in Charles Bradley's (RIP Charles) band and already knew our first dance song. As expected, the band was super professional and responsive in the run up to the wedding. Getting everything set up for the big day was a breeze, including coordinating travel arrangements due to their trek from Brooklyn to Vermont. The performance itself was beyond expectations! The dance floor was packed, everyone was out there having a blast, and the band kept the party rocking all night - including a truly epic second set. The Cool Rulers crushed the Motown standards, the Stones' cover we requested, and brought down the house with a few surprise sing-along anthems (who knew that Pony would open a portal into the ultimate party dimension?). In the days after the wedding, eight couples asked us for the band's name + info, and one of our friends said it was the best music performance she'd seen and heard in a long time, wedding band or not! Do not hesitate and book The Cool Rulers - music was one of the most important parts of our celebration, and they aced it. We only wish they played shows outside of weddings, so that we could see them again. Stop looking for a band, you found them! read more

If I could give these guys 6 stars, I would! Where to begin? Their great sounds? Their professionalism? All the fun we had at our wedding?! I don't know!!! I guess first and foremost is these guys know how to play. Soul, funk, motown, R&B, top 40, the hora. These guys can do everything. They have a standard repertoire which should be familiar to most people, but we did make a few special requests and they nailed all of them. (They make Daft Punk sound better than Daft Punk.) As I understand it, most of the band members are professional musicians who play in other bands, but they've come together for this awesome ensemble. This isn't a corporate sounding wedding band, but a group of fantastic musicians who happens to play at weddings. (If you don't know -- I didn't -- their name "Cool Rulers" comes from a Gregory Isaac's song... these guys love music.) One of the lead singers was in Fela! the musical. Most of the band members apparently met at music school in New York. They are also wonderfully professional, and we felt completely at ease with Charles, the band leader, running point with our wedding planner. We held our wedding in a venue that required multiple walk-throughs with the vendors and had onerous insurance requirements. Charles handled everything seamlessly. We did hear back from our wedding planner that they were one of the easiest bands to work with. As you can see from the photos I posted, we had fun. Too much fun. These guys had everyone of every age out on the dance floor. We have been to a lot of weddings over the last several years, and it's easy to tell when a band is going through the motions. Not the Cool Rulers. These guys love to play and love to party. I would not hesitate to hire them for your wedding. Get them now before they blow up and you can't book them! read more

Quite simply, the band you want for your wedding. The musicianship and sound, energy, along with professionalism and good communication every step of the way, made our experience with The Cool Rulers a 10 out of 10. Choosing a wedding band seemed like a big task at first, but after sitting in on a Cool Rulers rehearsal, we knew this group was the one for us. The band is a unique mix of musicians that don't only play weddings. They are a musical group of players with interests and abilities in different genres and spaces, making them experienced musicians, not just a typical seasoned wedding band that plays the same music every week. Leading up to the wedding, communication was great, and we felt confident in the group's preparation. On the day of our wedding, we couldn't have been happier. The ceremony music was perfect, and the party was truly memorable. We wanted high energy, recognizable tunes for all generations present, and a get-on-your-feet dancing situation. All of it happened. We chose the 10-piece band for a full sound and are super glad we did. The most common responses we got about the party after our weekend were "that was the best wedding band I've ever heard... actually one of the best groups period" and "what was the name of that band?" As one of us is a professional musician and we had a lot of musicians and artistic people at the wedding, our standards and expectations were high. Everything about The Cool Rulers exceeded our hopes. Hiring a 10-piece wedding band is a substantial expense, but when they are this great, it's worth every penny. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED. read more

It has been 3 months since our wedding and my wife and I still can't stop talking about how amazing the Cool Rulers are. The planning process was seamless and the big day was better than we could have dreamed. We were married on July 3rd, 2017 which was a Monday after a long holiday weekend and even after playing 2 other events that weekend the Cool Rulers still came through to tear down the house. At one point they had every single guest on the floor including my wife's 96 year old grandfather! We asked them to play one specific song at the end of the ceremony, and another for our first dance, then let them run with the rest of the set list and their choices were flawless. They showed up on time, prepared & professional. One of our favorite memories started when the band was setting up their gear and my wide-eyed nephew, Connor (7 years old) struck up a conversation with the keyboardist, he told him that he just started taking ukulele lessons and hopes to play in a band someday. The keyboardist (sorry, I'm terrible with names) was kind and encouraging and responded: "You should jam with us tonight!" A few hours later Connor was up there strumming along, grinning ear-to-ear. He still can't stop talking about that time he got to play with the band. If you're planning your wedding now, there's really no other choice. Stop looking and book the Cool Rulers. -Denny&Julie 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 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

I cannot imagine a better wedding band. Charlie Ferguson and The Cool Rulers made our wedding absolutely epic. People danced so hard that they went and changed into more comfortable clothes only to come back and dance some more. Also, many had to leave, jump into the lake and come back just to cool off. "Shout" was so insane that nearly our entire cast of wedding guests laid down on the floor. The band was able to learn songs we suggested, and allowed us to modify the playlist. The energy they brought into the room could only be matched by our guests enthusiasm. It was an epic feedback loop that left me happier that I could have ever expected on my wedding night. We had a storm come in that made us abandon our tent and take up the camp dining hall. The band rolled with it. We put flashlights in the rafters, ran extension cords, played without limited amplification and proceeded to have the most epic dance party of my life. My friends are still talking about it. The band themselves are also so lovely and giving. After the wedding we all sat down by the fire and sang any 90s song that came to mind. I was happy to share a memorable moment of my life with them. read more

I saw The Cool Rulers at my good friend's wedding (review below by Sam F) and they absolutely blew me away! We had just started planning our wedding, and agonizing over finding the right band for our party. These guys had a big room full of 250 people dancing, singing and sweating all night long. I knew almost immediately that we needed to book these guys. I reached out to Charles to get info, and heard back within 30 minutes that they were available. Good news! My now husband and I had our wedding at a non traditional wedding venue, so power was a bit of a complication. Charles and his crew handled it with ease (we got it worked out ahead of time) and everything went off without a hitch. These guys played 2 awesome sets for us and our guests, and it was even better than my memories of them from my friends wedding where I first saw them. While we didn't do much shopping for another band, their price also seemed very reasonable for a band of their size and caliber. When people talk to us about our wedding they always mention how amazing the band was! If you're thinking about a band for your wedding, look NO further than The Cool Rulers :) 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

The Cool Rulers were awesome at our wedding. In preparation, they were totally responsive and flexible, willing to work with us to put together a playlist that we were psyched on. In the days leading up to the wedding, when we were stressed, they were easy to get a hold of and willing to make last minute switches. They took care of our request to cut the first dance short and switch to an iPhone song for a family dance. At the wedding, everyone was floored with how awesome they were, and kept coming up to us saying "the band is amazing!" They made for a great party. We have actually been to two weddings with the Cool Rulers, and we noticed how flexible they were between the two weddings. They can do great Motown stuff that can please older generations, and then later in the night they can shift to our favorite 90's R&B. They throw in rap verses on "No Diggity" and get their voices as high as Prince's on songs like "Kiss." They were totally awesome and we highly recommend them. read more

This is THE band. My husband and I (and most of our guests) are musicians, so the music throughout the night was a very important part of our wedding. Not only have The Cool Rulers mastered the flow/energy of the party, but they're musically spot on. The instrumental solos and vocal chops are top-of-the-line. Bring a change of shoes, because you will be on the dance floor all night long. Charles was so easy to work with--even our coordinator and venue told us how much they loved working with him. The band can easily tailor its size to fit the room and your budget, and they provide great options for ceremony/cocktail hours if needed. Hire this band, and please invite us. read more

All I can say is - WOW! These guys are the real deal. My husband and I are both musicians, so we wanted an epic band for our wedding. The Cool Rulers are exactly that. Their talent and professionalism is through the roof. You seriously won't find a better wedding band than this crew. Also, their song repertoire is FULL of fan favorites, so get ready, because you'll have to drag your guests off the dance floor. Thanks for an amazing night. You made our wedding a dream come true! read more

The Cool Rulers are an amazing, soulful, and talented group of musicians. From the start, working with them was a breeze. They brought fun energy to our wedding, and all of our friends and family identified with the Motown and soul music repertoire. They also played a jazz/afrobeat style set for the cocktail hour that rocked. Many said they have never seen such a huge number of people dancing. I really can't say enough about this band, they brought the house down! read more

The Cool Rulers were absolutely spectacular! Our wedding was a while ago and people are still coming up and telling us how much they loved the band. Not only are they an amazing band, they are really sweet people who took the time to listen and ask us exactly what we wanted. They learned four specific songs for us and performed them perfectly. We would hire them again and again, and recommend to anyone looking to dance the night away, they were incredible! read more

My husband and I were lucky enough to have The Cool Rulers as our wedding band in August on 2017. I can not say enough good things about this band. They created the perfect set list that left our guests dancing to their hearts content and communicating with them prior to the event was pleasant and professional. Book them! read more