TESTIMONIALS
Celebrity, Media and Socialite
" I just rocked the house with theVIPs and if you want to rock, you have to hire this band, they are awesome!"Jimi Jamison—Former Singer of The Band, Survivor
"Thank you so much for doing such an incredible job at our wedding! It was everything we wanted and much more. You were amazing! The dance floor was packed the entire time. People keep telling me how much fun they had dancing. You played music for everyone from my grandparents to my friends. It was perfect! Thank you for helping make our wedding such a great celebration!"Jodi and Sean Pitts (Colin Cowie wedding / Town & Country Magazine)
"SoundConnection is truly a great band and I will hire them again."Donald Trump—CEO, Trump Enterprises and TV star of
"SoundNation is a world class band!"Avery Johnson—Coach of Dallas Mavericks
"Marquise's Shirleta is not only a great performer and singer, she gets it. It's about giving, not taking, and she gives everything she has to her audience. She's a true professional."John Cafferty—Beaver Brown Band / Eddie and The Cruisers
"Andy and his wonderful group, SoundConnection, performed during…The Wedding Planner for Movie and A Makeover with TBS. They did an amazing job for the show, the wedding party was so thrilled to have them performing. The entire group was so professional and has such positive energy; I will use them again for another television opportunity."Julie Bitton—Production Manager/ Producer, TBS Series
"Phenomenal band... Thanks for making our wedding so special in the Bahamas!"Andrew Farkas—President / CEO Insignia Financial Group (Colin Cowie wedding / InStyle Magazine)
"They were great!!"Colin Powell
"I could definitely understand why the band was called theVIPs... they demanded attention, and they deserved it!...They were great, and a lot of fun!"
Vanessa Schutz—Washingtonian.com & Washingtonian Bride & Groom
Corporate
"Andy Kushner was amazing to work with. His band SoundConnection was just the right fit for our all employee kick-off event in Orlando. Their energy and talent kept over 300 participants literally ‘dancing in the streets’ ALL night! Andy brings a unique combination of services which goes beyond the typical. I found that he works hard to customize his service to ensure that the band will ‘match’ the theme and the demographics. He made us look REALLY GOOD!"Liz Glover Wilson, CSEP—Vice President, Corporate Events-Star Financial
"Andy, I want to thank you and SoundConnection for the tremendous performances you gave for Coca Cola at the Winter Olympics. In my 14 years of producing corporate events, SoundConnection gave the most dynamic, energetic, and passionate performances I've ever experienced. The band raised the level of enthusiasm and enjoyment of the high-profile audience to new heights. [Y]our performers made the event.Coca Cola has received accolades weeks after. Given the prestige of the Olympics, this is a tremendous accomplishment."
Martin Dempsey—Production Director, CrossMedia
"The VIPs have made our event at ECMWorld the most talked about show for the past two years. From Orlando to Las Vegas, The VIPs were always professional, and provided a polished, high energy show that amazed guests."Mark Kennedy—Partner, Crown Partners
"Marquise was incredibly entertaining, at our convention in Las Vegas, and we had no choice but to have them perform overtime!"Sandra Khoury—Special Events Director, LIUNA
"I want to thank you for your wonderful performance at our Holiday Party. You truly impressed our entire staff, and we sincerely look forward to recommending you to all of our clients!"Robyn Strickland—Conference Services Manager, Mandarin Oriental
"I wanted to thank you and your band mates very much for the outstanding job you did during our convention...To be able to hire you two years in a row was a major plus! As usual, you performed fantastically, even letting some of us 'novice singers' sing with you on stage! We received very positive feedback from attendees—they had a great time!"Janie Prevost—Director Conference Services, The Phoenix Companies, Inc.
"Our employee party was a monumental success—primarily because of SoundNation. Word spread quickly that those who did not attend missed the best party ever! [T]he band was friendly, courteous, and professional. Guests loved the theme and enjoyed every tune. I announced to the band that all 350 guests were madly in love with them! ‘They blew the roof off!’ SoundNation was indeed a hit."Joan C. Waters—SMECO Human Resources Department
"SoundConnection did a great job headlining our New Years VIP party! They were talented, exciting, and high-energy..."Rudy Prieto—General Manager, Las Vegas Hilton
"SoundConnection added just the touch to our entire program making it a 'first class' event. You are a super and talented group…Our crowd really responded and had a great time! The following comments were received on our feedback survey concerning the band: 'best club in 30 years...first-class...band was great...not many bands can get our crowd up dancing, but they did! Hope you choose them again next time!"Judy Bond—Special Events Manager, Lexmark International
Wedding Reception
"Marquise at our gala wedding event was terrific. Shirleta and their music director should be commended for their professionalism and ability to meet our special needs..."Ellen Boer
"The VIPs were very professional to work with and their performance was so incredible—people are still talking about it. Working with them before our wedding really put my mind at ease that it was going to be perfect. We will use them again!"Angie Cordish
"Marquise did a great job at our daughter's wedding reception. They really turned the evening into a fabulous party, or as one guest wrote in a note afterward, 'a party to end all parties.' Shirleta and the male singers did a great job interacting with the crowd and keeping everyone on the dance floor. The whole band was fun to watch too. They are real entertainers and great musicians. They adapted to our schedule and kept the evening flowing. Everyone had such a good time and we couldn't have been more pleased. We wish we could do it all again!"Cathy and Harry Tunis
"Our intention was to get the best band to ensure that a great time would be had by all. [T]his is exactly what we did and exactly what happened. SoundConnection has a great sound, wonderful singers, very easy to work with and responsive and wonderful to interact with on the phone prior to the event. The band kept us dancing until 1:00 AM!"Harry Millman
"“Amazing” “Perfect” “Blown away” “Best Wedding Ever” “Band was off the hook.”
“These are quotes we heard repeatedly at our wedding and after—SoundConnection was a HUGE part of that. Taking time to get to know us and asking questions about the crowd showed they were driven to exceed expectations. At our reception, Andy chose perfect songs at perfect times and the crowd loved it. Hopefully they will be available for our 5 yr. anniversary!"Chris McGarrigal—Managing Principal, C. Mack Solutions, LLC
"What a night! Thank you for making our wedding so memorable! Our family and friends are still raving about how much fun they had and how great you all were! Many of them told us they haven't danced that much in years...Even the staff said it was one of the best wedding receptions they've had there... It will be a night that we will never forget!"Kris and Chris Bynum
"They exceeded our wildest dreams. The crowd said it all. They danced all night—the younger and more senior generations. The music was a wonderful mix and the young people barely sat down to eat. We had requested a large dance floor and every inch of it was used."Fred and Marjory Goldman
Entertainment Production
"Andy Kushner was the Entertainment Producer for the 2006 Event Solutions Spotlight Awards Gala in Denver. Kushner coordinated with the team to meet the challenges of providing entertainment for the entire evening, [held in separate venues]. His production seamlessly connected more than a dozen set changes, a variety of presentation techniques, videos and an elegant promenade from Opera House to Grand Ballroom for the formal dinner and after-party.
He provided a wide variety of entertainment perfect for every moment…, met many challenges, exceeded our expectations, and gave all guests an exceptional experience they will always remember."
Carolyn Baragona—Vice President/Owner, Event Solutions
"[Y]ou and…SoundConnection are fantastic and full of energy. Bellagio's New Years Eve Celebration was an incredible and outrageous night, and we were so happy to have you a part of it… Bellagio has never seen such an over-the-top display of entertainment!"
Hayley Sinderbrand—Special Events Director, Bellagio, Las Vegas [LINK]
"“It was original, it was big, it was historic. And the BRIDES Dream Team Wedding at Walt Disney World could not have happened without you!...Watching you and your fabulous musicians rock the Magic Kingdom from dawn until the end of the night was a thrill—such energy and excitement…[W]e were honored to have you share your expertise with the readers of BRIDES Magazine…"Millie Martini Bratten—Editor-in-Chief, BRIDES Magazine [LINK]
"Andy…did an amazing job, choosing and producing the entertainment for the (DC Ises) GALA. All of the emails and phone calls we have received say that it was the best Gala ever!... [All] of us are so appreciative of [Andy’s] hard work and efforts..."Susan B. Katz—President, Distinctive Designs by Susan B. Katz, Inc.
"Not only were you flexible, accommodating, creative and professional in pre-production, but also you gave us all more than we asked for. From the small ensemble accompanying our awards program to the full band entertaining during the dance party, the quality of music was superb. [U]sing your ensemble in two ways made for a very cost effective option. [Y]our in-ear monitors and creative flexibility allowed us to reveal the band in interesting ways and gave us a great amount of artistic license."Andrea Michaels—President, Extraordinary Events [LINK]
Bar/Bat Mitzvah
"Wow, what an incredible night! Marquise truly transformed the atmosphere of our daughter’s party into a wonderful celebration. Shirleta and the other singers had so much energy and did a great job in making Lauren and her friends feel involved. The entire band seemed to really enjoy themselves which I know was felt by the whole crowd. We highly recommend them!"Steve and Shelly Kessler
"Marquise performed magnificently for our daughter's Bat Mitzvah and had our guests on the dance floor all night. The kids had a particularly great time enjoying the music and participating on stage. After having ridden the Bar/Bat Mitzvah circuit for a few years, I unhesitatingly rank Marquise as number one in the Washington/Baltimore area."Judge Jeffrey Gulin
"SoundConnection performed for my daughter's Bat Mitzvah reception and did a wonderful job! Their energy and enthusiasm was contagious as they were able to please all ages in the crowd and kept them dancing until 1:00 AM. I would highly recommend them to anyone who wants to be assured of having a most successful party!"Stacy Smith
"Thanks to Sir Andrew, the reception was truly magical and spectacular!! All of our friends and family told us that this was the best party they had ever attended! We highly recommend Andrew Larris and Andy Kushner Entertainment, Inc. as premier entertainment for any celebration!"Lynn Newman
"You kept all of our guests on the dance floor with your great variety of music and we especially loved how you involved the kids up on stage. We received many rave reviews from our guests. Thanks again for contributing to a wonderful day for our family!"Debbie Frazer
"Amazing, Awesome, Incredible...I do not know how many other adjectives I can come up with. Thank you for making the whole evening come together. Our son, Jake, is still in shock…and thanking us."Judy and Mark Lerner
MC/DJ
"As event planners, it is important that vendors stick to the timeline, and Sir Andrew follows it to a tee. He even gives great suggestions for how to optimize the flow of the evening so that we are a bound to have a great party. Andrew is a true delight, and always shows up with a smile ready to put in 150% effort."Jackie Gang—Jodi Moraru & Associates
"Sir Andrew, the emcee [with SoundNation], was so warm and welcoming to Jeremy, me, and our guests—from adjusting the mic and encouraging me shortly before I sang a song to my new husband, to making sure the evening stayed upbeat, exciting, and happy with each part of the reception that rolled along."Rowena Santiago and Jeremy Kuris
"We saw Sir Andrew MC several mitzvahs during the last few years and he never fails to be the life of the party. We hired him for our daughter's bat mitzvah and again, he was the pulse of the night. He had kids and adults dancing and at the end, my entire party was out on the floor. He’s hip and fun while still professional. His show is age-appropriate but still hot, energetic, and exciting. My daughters' friends still comment that it was the best night ever… He was a huge perk to the night and a must have for any event!"Dawn Smith
Event Industry
Thank you for all of your hard work on ISES Eventworld 2010. We’re so grateful for your efforts, ideas and energy! The attendee evaluations have been overwhelmingly positive, and you had a major role in ensuring the success of this conference. Please take a minute to enjoy the success that is yours. Well deserved!!
Kevin R. Hacke, Executive Director of ISES/ International Special Events Society
"The educational sessions at this year’s Northeast Regional Education Conference (REC) were one of the best ever and Andy’s session was key to this success. We have incredibly positive feedback from REC attendees and your contribution was crucial to these accolades."Renee Stake—2007 REC Co-Chair-DC ISES
"[Andy Kushner’s] professionalism, creativity, and integrity place him in that rare category of luminaries that others use to benchmark their careers. After having observed literally thousands of event professionals, I can honestly say that Andy Kushner is at the very top of this modern profession…he inspires others to reach new heights of professionalism."Steve Kemble—Principal, Steve Kemble, Event Design
"SoundConnection is so much more than a band. They bring the art of playing music to a whole new dimension. They engage and interact with the audience in a way that I have never witnessed from any other musical group. [When] clients ask me for references I am honored to suggest SoundConnection because I know that they will always take the event to the next level."Sean DeFreitas—Award-winning Event Designer / Producer, Designs by Sean
"SoundNation was fantastic—they were a huge hit—had people dancing all night long and sounded/looked fabulous…your team was very professional… It was nice to see people leave the dance floor ONLY because they were tired. The event received a 12/10 by the client…"Lori Bodkin—Owner, Managing Director, Table Talk
"SoundConnection is a breath of fresh air… They are hip, edgy and extremely talented. Each member of the band is an artist... I have hired them numerous times for my clients' events knowing that each guest and host will feel as if they are not only watching but participating in entertainment that is very special."David Tutera—TV Host of The Party Planner / Celebrity Event Planner
"We thank Andy Kushner for providing the entertainment for the ISES New York Big Apple Awards and President’s Ball, held at Smithsonian’s National Museum of the American Indian. The Awards recognize excellence and reward achievement amongst ISES members in the NY metro marketplace.When planning the event we not only recognize our award winners but we choose entertainment for the evening that represents the best the region has to offer. That is why SoundConnection was the perfect choice for this year’s awards gala."
Liz Glover Wilson, CSEP—President, International Special Events Society (ISES) NY Metro Chapter
"Loved the performance and heard nothing but great reviews. Typically, the room clears right before midnight, but I was shocked at the number of people who stayed. The band was awesome—everything was perfect. We only heard great reviews about the band and their sound. You guys are incredibly talented and everyone really enjoyed it when band members came onto the floor. We were very pleased!"Tim Evans—Director of Events, Circus Circus, Luxor, and Excalibur Hotels
"[Y]ou rocked the night out in great fashion. Thank you for your work on the wedding. I loved what you did and I loved the energy of your people."Mark Huffman—Disney World
"SoundConnection is a phenomenal band!"Colin Cowie—TV Personality / Celebrity Event Planner (Oprah Winfrey party planner)
