Big Ray & the Kool Kats Reviews
Reviews
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Awards
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![Amy]()
Amy Sent on 07/02/2025Perfect night with Big Ray and the Kool Kats
Big Ray and the Kool Kats were absolutely amazing and had our guests on the dance floor from the beginning of the night until the last dance! Everyone loved them! Ray could not be easier to work with and managed ALL of my daughter's special request... they even learned a song from Hamilton for the father daughter first dance! It was perfect! He worked with us all year during the planning of the wedding to make sure he delivered the vibe that the wedding couple wanted! We couldn't have asked for more! -
![Dalton]()
Dalton Sent on 06/02/2025Welcoming, Professional & Exceptional
Big Ray and the Kool Kats were an absolute highlight of our wedding day. The band was phenomenal—musically, professionally, and personally. As a same-sex couple, we deeply appreciated how welcoming and affirming Ray was throughout the entire process. It meant a lot and made working with him all the more special.
From the very beginning, Ray went above and beyond to ensure the music truly reflected us. When I mentioned wanting a cello for our first dance, he made it happen without hesitation. He even treated us to coffee, during which he went over every note and question we had—which really speaks to his client-first approach.
The band made the evening. At one point, a guest actually thought a live performance of "Pink Pony Club" was a recording because it sounded that good. Their energy, musicianship, and the way Ray interacted just the right amount with the audience kept the night fun and flowing.
We’ve been to a lot of weddings, and this was hands down the best wedding band we’ve ever heard. We’re so grateful to have had them as part of our day! -
Ellie Sent on 04/18/2025
A Total Gem — Best Wedding Band Ever!!!!!!!!
Big Ray and the Kool Kats were unbelievably amazing — we feel so lucky to have gotten the chance to work with Ray and his team. We got married recently at Castle Hill Cider, and Ray knew more about the ins and outs of the venue than we did, which was incredibly helpful coming from out of town. They also really do it all — from first rate ceremony music (supplying all the equipment for an outdoor ceremony like mics etc) to cocktail hour jazz to an all time dance floor party. All of our guests are still raving about how awesome our wedding band was — numerous people have told us it was the best wedding band they’ve ever seen. The dance floor was packed all night long. Ray also took the time to learn my now husband’s alma matter fight song (Notre Dame, crowd push ups subsequently occurred!) as well as organized an incredible Second Line (a nod to the groom’s New Orleans upbringing) which was a total blast. All of this aside, Ray is also just an incredibly kind person — wedding planning can be stressful and Ray consistently made us feel at ease regarding everything band related. He was accommodating of special requests as well as an excellent emcee. This band is truly the best of the best — do not hesitate to book!!!!!!!! You won’t regret it :) -
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![Ellen]()
Ellen Sent on 11/19/2024Best Band EVER!!
Big Ray and the Kool Kats are simple the BEST band ever! HIRE THEM NOW! Everyone couldn’t stop raving about how amazing and talented the band was….even a few weeks later people are still talking about how much fun the band was!
They handle all the music from the ceremony to the cocktail hour to the reception. Ray was wonderful to work with from start to finish. And he is an AMAZING MC…he’s entertaining, personable, and got all our guests out on the dancefloor.
Hiring Big Ray and the Kools Kats was the greatest and easiest wedding decision we made! I hope I get to see them again…might have to crash their next event 😊 -
![Brianna]()
Brianna Sent on 10/22/2024Incredible band!!! 10 out of 5 stars!!!!
Big Ray and the Kool Kats played at my wedding and I couldn’t have chosen a better band. They did a phenomenal job! They learned our first dance song and other songs we wanted played at our wedding. I had SOOOO many guests say how great they were and even some of my friends decided they want them to play at their wedding one day. They kept guests of all ages on the floor and brought so much energy! Ray was also amazing as he would update me throughout the night on what was next on their agenda and if I was enjoying everything. Don’t hesitate on booking them because I promise they will be everything you want and more for your event! -
![Caroline]()
Caroline Sent on 06/10/2024Wine Bar Wedding
Big Ray and the Kool Kats exceeded our expectations for our wedding at Crushpad Wines on the Downtown mall this past weekend. They were professional, fun, and ensured a smooth timeline of the evening. We were so happy! Would highly recommend. We got so many compliments from our guests regarding how much they loved our band. Thank you Big Ray and the Kool Kats!!! -
![Jane]()
Jane Sent on 05/05/2024Big Ray and the Kool Kats are the best!
My family loves to party and they loved Big Ray and the Kool Kats! I received such positive comments all night long and for days after my daughter's wedding on April 20.
From the ceremony, where the combination of instruments made each song special, to the perfect music to accompany cocktails, to turning the reception into the fabulous party it was, Big Ray and the Kool Kats was perfection.
When I mentioned that your band had been booked for the wedding, a friend of mine who used to work events at a local country club exclaimed, "OK, that's it, that's all I need to know. It will be fabulous!" She was right!
All ages, 11 to over 70, were on the dance floor all night! One of my college friends commented, "This is my kind of music.'' The younger crowd was certainly loving every minute as well. You knew to add a bit of the new songs at just the right time.
Beyond that, Ray, you were a pleasure to work with. You offered your expertise and accepted suggestions and requests like the pro you are.
Thank you for your commitment to quality, attention to detail, and enthusiasm. -
![Stacy]()
Stacy Sent on 02/05/2024Every Wedding Planner and Couples Dream
As a Wedding Planner, I get to work with some wonderful talent throughout the year. In September I got to work with one of best out there. There is nothing that this talented group can not do for their couples and the pros that work beside them. Communication was fantastic and as a planner, most times this can be a challenge. Transitions were seamless, sound quality perfection (outdoor reception), energy level from the whole band was perfect. That evening reception was frigid, but you would have never known that because they had everyone up on their feet, singing and dancing all night through. Big Ray & the Kool Katz have jumped to the top of my recommendation list. From a professional standpoint, they check every box that a couple SHOULD BE LOOKING for in a band for their special day.Big Ray & the Kool Kats's reply:
We feel the exact same way about working with you. Let's do it again! I love a planner who "gets it". Ray -
![Herb]()
Herb Sent on 06/09/2023Big Ray & The Kook Kats delivers above and beyond again and again!
This is the second time that Big Ray & the Kool Kats have played for one of our events and without exception they were top tier professionals from start to finish. We had a hiccup and had to postpone our son’s wedding for a year, but Big Ray was easy to work with and made the change happen. He had a 3-piece ensemble play during the wedding ceremony followed by another group playing at the pre cocktail party then the 11-piece band raised the roof for the reception. If we heard it once, we heard it a dozen times from our guests “That band was awesome!” The only minor problem we had to deal with was that too many guests stayed to the bitter end, and we had to get another bus to transport them back to the hotel. That pretty much says it all. We are already looking for another reason to host a party to bring Big Ray back to town.
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![Abigail]()
Abigail Sent on 05/13/2023Couldn't have been happier!
If you want a night filled with fun dancing for the whole family, this is your band. Big Ray and the Kool Kats couldn't have been more fun the night of and easy to work with as we prepared for the big day. -
![Andres]()
Andres Sent on 05/07/2023A band that has it all!
Big Ray and the Kool Kats were great! We haven't stopped hearing about how great the band was from friends and family! They were quick to learn new songs for the First Dance and the Mother-Son dance. We were looking for a band that can do some spanish songs and they delivered on that as well. We have 2 family members who play instruments and the band allowing them to play a couple of songs with them was such a special moment for all of us! -
![Colleen]()
Colleen Sent on 03/24/2023Big Ray and the Kool Kats - Best Band Ever!!
Big Ray and the Kool Kats were the HEART of our wedding reception! From the very beginning when we were investigating different bands, all the way to the reception itself, Ray and his team were professionals through and through. Ray was always willing to hop on last minute Zoom meetings to talk through any questions/ concerns and made us feel immediate comfort each and every time. It felt like we had known him for years! They showed up to the reception looking like professionals and seriously knew how to throw a party. They played music that had all ages of guests on the dance floor all evening! There was hardly a person seated the entire night. Ray was an AMAZING MC as well. He was funny, entertaining, and amped the guests up. We had people coming up to us saying hands down they were the best band at a wedding they had ever seen. A guest even signed a contract with Big Ray and the Kool Kats for their upcoming kid's wedding haha! The absolute cherry on top was at the very end when the crowd began to chant for "one more song" and pretty much forced them to play a song they had not prepared for or practiced, they figured it out and rocked it. I could not have imagined our wedding day without them performing. Thank you for EVERYTHING!! -
![Judy]()
Judy Sent on 12/06/2022Best Band Ever
Big Ray
When our wedding planner asked us if we wanted a DJ or a band, we said we weren’t sure. Long story short we hired Big Ray. Ray was everywhere that day. He handled all our sound needs for the ceremony making sure our officiant was miked as well as our readers. He played his trumpet for the ceremony with a piano accompaniement which added so much to the day. During the reception, Ray and his band serenaded our guests while they ate. After dinner, our guests really rocked out to their incredible music. Everyone was asking us how we found them. They really
added to our celebration.
Big Ray & the Kool Kats's reply:
What a fun and very elegant event! It was our honor to share the evening with both families. And thanks for noticing my trumpet work during the ceremony. It's a challenging piece and always at such an important moment as your daughter comes down the aisle. Thanks again. Ray -
![Richard]()
Richard Sent on 11/21/2022"Best Band Ever" - quote from many of our guests
Ray did a great job as the emcee and the band was awesome. We received so many compliments on Big Ray and Kool Kats and were told by numerous people that it was the best reception and band ever. People were saying "how did you find this band?". I can't say enough about their performance and how much we enjoyed them. It is not too often that people are chanting "one more song" at the end of a reception. I would highly recommend them for any event. My daughter (bride) and us are thrilled with their performance!!!!Big Ray & the Kool Kats's reply:
What a great party and it was so nice to see everyone dance all night, ESPECIALLY the bride! Anytime, anywhere for your family. Ray -
![Harry]()
Harry Sent on 06/14/2022The Very Best
We used Big Ray and the Kool Kats for our wedding and could not have been happier! They had the best sound of any of the dozens of bands we listened to online, there fee was reasonable, and Ray was an absolute pleasure to work with. He masterfully MC'ed our event, rolling with some considerable punches, and the band even learned my favorite song as a surprise.
Of the roughly 12 vendors we worked with for our wedding, BRKK was by far the best and most fun to work with. I could not have asked for a better wedding band and cannot recommend them highly enough. -
![Chelsea]()
Chelsea Sent on 05/04/2022Great experience with Big Ray and the Kool Kats!
Big Ray and the Kool Kats made our wedding spectacular! They kept the dance floor full all night long as well as learned our specific songs for the first dance, mother son, and father daughter. To top it off, they were great MCs too. It was a wonderful night all around and we are so glad we chose Big Ray and the Kool Kats to bring the heat for our wedding! :) -
![Beth]()
Beth Sent on 01/25/2022Big Ray and the Kool Kats are simply the best.
It's a shame I can't give 10 stars for each category above because I would. From first meeting Ray to the end of the event it was pure professionalism. Our wedding was a Jewish/Hindu event. The band played a beautiful Hora that had everyone up and dancing. Then Ray arranged to have his band learn and then play spectacularly a Hindu rock song that we had requested in advance - and the singer sang part of it in Hindi! (The Indian guests were in awe and thought the song sounded amazing!). The band can plan anything and did - Hard rock, Sinatra, Motown, beach music, Country and Western. Ray is incredibly nice - polite to everyone. He's an excellent MC - keeps the party going - he also had to learn some hard names to pronounce and got them all correct. He offered to have part of his group play during the cocktail hour and they were super. Ray arranged the sound system for the ceremony. Included in his price was the lighting for the stage that the band performed on which was a very nice touch and saved us a lot of money. His band had, I believe, 5 different vocalists (all excellent!) which gave a beautiful mix to the song presentations. The volume was perfect. Loud enough to excite and get people in the dance mood, but nobody complained that it was too loud. So many of my friends came up to me and said excitingly "Where did you get these guys? Amazing band!"
Ray was incredibly personable. - we called him on his cell phone many times during the planning process and he was kind and helpful - never rushed or bothered - he sincerely likes to talk to his clients and do what's best for them and the event.
My take - flowers, food, clothing, drinks, all add to an event but without a good band it's not going to happen. The band makes it happen, and you've got to go with Big Ray and the Kool Kats - you will not be disappointed! We thought they were the best of the best!Big Ray & the Kool Kats's reply:
Thanks so much. It was our honor to be a part of so many special moments for both your families. Such a beautiful event, and your touch was all over it! -
![Jenny]()
Jenny Sent on 11/07/2021Big Ray and the Kool Kats is the best!!
Big Ray and the Kool Kats played at our daughter's wedding reception and they were absolutely wonderful. They could play any genre and Ray was also a fantastic MC. We all had a fabulous time and the dance floor was filled the entire time they played. I've had so many people tell me how much the enjoyed the band and the events coordinator at our club will be recommending BRKK for other functions. Our whole experience from beginning to end was everything we had hoped for and more.Big Ray & the Kool Kats's reply:
Thanks so much, and what a beautiful event. We're honored you chose us! We hadn't been to Knoxville in a long time and i hope we see you again.
Ray -
![Carolyn]()
Carolyn Sent on 10/11/2021Truly the best wedding band out there (and we aren't biased, our guests agreed!)
Big Ray is simply the best in the business.
Throughout our entire planning process Ray was more than happy to hop on calls and zooms with me and my husband. We chatted MANY times throughout the course of two years, and Ray was such a pleasure to work with. He played an integral role in the planning of our wedding and was so reassuring throughout the entire process.
Day of our wedding we were simply blown away. The music was beyond what we could have imagined. The dance floor was full the entire night! Ray truly went above and beyond and even played several songs (that were near to my heart) despite never having played them before (you wouldn't have known). Everyone in the band is extremely talented and truly made our wedding the best night of our lives.
We had so many guests come up to us to tell us that this was the best wedding band they have ever heard - We weren't surprised to hear that because we fully agreed!
Do yourself a favor and hire Big Ray and the Kool Kats. They are the absolute best!!! -
![Nancy]()
Nancy Sent on 08/31/2021Great music great dancing
Big Ray and his musicians are just a blast. Fun, energetic, entertaining and they bring the party! I promised our daughter she’d love the band and she was thrilled! Ray even played the Redskin’s fight song so our daughter and her WRC - cheerleaders could do their dance! It was a big hit. 10 out of 10. -
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![Jemma]()
Jemma Sent on 04/30/2021Love love love
Ray was such a pleasure to work with! He was so attentive to every detail and made sure that we were happy throughout the planning process. Ray went above and beyond to ensure that the band knew all of the music we wanted. All of our wedding guests said the band was amazing (we agree too). I want to do it all again just so we can dance the night away. I can't recommend Big Ray & the Kool Kats enough. We love this band! -
![Jordan]()
Jordan Sent on 10/30/2020Truly incredible!!!
Big Ray and the Kool Kats are INCREDIBLE!!!! As a wedding planner myself, I have heard and worked with a lot of different bands, and Big Ray and the Kool Kats top them all! They had the dance floor packed all night long and our guests have been raving about them since our wedding in January. Ray is fantastic to work with both leading up to your wedding day and then at the actual wedding. He continuously checked in on myself and my husband, as well as our parents. My parents were worried about a band being too loud, and Ray heard that concern before the wedding and honored it. No one's ears were ringing the next day and no one was trying to escape loud music! Their playlist is extensive and their ability to put together sets is fantastic. Our outdoor send-off was impossible due to a giant thunderstorm and I was amazed watching Big Ray and the Kool Kats sing and dance our guests into a big tunnel of love for an indoor send-off. We cannot thank the band enough for making our reception entertainment dreams come true!! -
![Caitlin]()
Caitlin Sent on 10/27/2020Absolutely Amazing
We could not have asked for a better band than Big Ray and the Kool Kats for our wedding. After a extremely tough year of planning through a pandemic my husband and I made the tough choice to host a micro-wedding this year and postpone our larger party. When we were deciding on the essentials for our smaller event we could not imagine doing it without the band- happy to say we made an excellent call there. Not only was the music amazing but Big Ray went above and beyond to be supportive and professional throughout the process. We switched to an outdoor setting in light of the pandemic and discovered day-of that that it wasn't equipped to connect to Bluetooth speakers for our dinner playlist. Big Ray heard about this and offered to have the band play through dinner- we could not have appreciated his kindness and adaptability more. It made a huge difference to have such an incredibly supportive vendor during these exceptional times. Great news is we get to have Big Ray and the Kool Kats again for our larger post-pandemic event and we could not be more excited! -
![Meredith]()
Meredith Sent on 10/20/2020Literally the most amazing!
10/10 Big Ray and the Kool Kats were the best part of our wedding. He made our day. He was respectful, professional, creative, accommodating and down right fantastic.
By in large made our night. Not a single person sat once the band got going. We received SO many compliments. Five stars across the board!Big Ray & the Kool Kats's reply:
I'm so glad you had a great time...we did too! Best wishes and I hope to see you again at a friends wedding maybe :) -
![Sasha]()
Sasha Sent on 10/29/2019Could not have been better
Big Ray and the Kool Kats were amazing- we had so many compliments throughout the night! They were super easy to work with, had extremely talented performers, and kept people dancing all night! True professionals! -
Molly Sent on 10/17/2019
Extraordinary and completely worth it!
After the engagement, we started looking at venues with one goal in mind: find a date that would work for Big Ray and the Kool Kats. We fell in love with a venue, and ensured BRKK could be there, then the rest of the plans fell into place.
When I say that BRKK brought the party, I mean they literally made the wedding everything we could have asked for. From the perfect ceremony music, to cocktail hour, to dinner music, and then the grand slam with the reception, they provided the most personal experience while being the incredible professionals that they are. A little rain? No problem, they’ve got it. Really want Somewhere Over the Rainbow with a ukulele? Consider it done (and REALLY well). Want a country song for your first dance? They’ve got Tommy, their country singer.
From our first interaction with Big Ray, throughout the entire planning process, until the end of our wedding day, this team was incredible. Ask, and not only shall you receive, but it will be even better than you could have imagined. Thank you all for everything you did to make our wedding unforgettable. -
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![Deidre]()
Deidre Sent on 10/05/2019Best band in Charlottesville!
We had been engaged one day when I asked my dad to call Ray because it was important to have Big Ray as our band. Ray and his band are the definition of professional. We chatted several times during the planning process to help get a feel of the type of music we wanted in addition to other specifics about us as a couple. When we had a sudden issue with our ceremony music, we contacted Ray and he came to the rescue there as well. Ray and his band know how to keep guests on the dance floor and they do the best job at it! We keep hearing from guests how much fun they had and how it was such a great wedding and "the band was awesome!" When I approached Ray about wanting to do a Last Dance with just my husband and I and the room empty, he loved it and said for us to pick the song and they'd be sure it was perfect. And, it was magical! We will always remember that moment shared and we cannot thank Big Ray and the Kool Kats enough for that and for such a wonderful night!Big Ray & the Kool Kats's reply:
What a great party! It was our pleasure and always nice to have a "home game" instead of traveling. Anytime, anywhere for your family! -
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![Sheryl]()
Sheryl Sent on 09/11/2019Mother and Father of The Bride
Big Ray & The Kool Kats, Thank you for a spectacular night of dancing and music at Rachel & Ben’s Wedding! You had our guests dancing all night long! We loved Tommy- the Country singer you hired since Ben also loves Country music. Ray is not only a great Band Leader he is a great person!! Thanks again, Sheryl & Barry Schwartz -
![Whitney]()
Whitney Sent on 11/08/2018Big Ray Rocks!
We could not have been happier with Big Ray and the Kool Kats. Big Ray was so personal and did everything he could to accommodate any request we had. They kept everyone dancing the entire wedding. We've heard nothing but over the top positive feedback from our guests.
Thank you Big Ray and the Kool Kats for making our wedding day so special and fun!Big Ray & the Kool Kats's reply:
What a charming event at the beach! And Whitney, your Mom and Dad were a lot of fun to work with! Big Ray -
Ashley Sent on 10/02/2018Ray is one of the kindest people in the industry. He and his band the Kool Kats have performed at our annual fundraiser for the past few years, and they really elevate our guests experience. His expertise in this field has been beyond helpful in taking our fundraising efforts to the next level. We cannot wait to work with him again next year, I couldn't recommend anyone more.
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![Megan]()
Megan Sent on 09/26/2018Big Ray & the Kool Kats are true professionals. Throughout the entire process they worked with us and Ray was able to accomodate all of our requests (including an extensive DO NOT PLAY list, sorry no macarenas over here). When it came to the night of the wedding everything went off without a hitch and the dance floor was packed with people of all ages. Overall an excellent vendor experience and highly recommend anyone interested in live music to contact them today. -
Elizabeth Sent on 07/10/2018I cannot say enough wonderful things about Big Ray and the Kool Cats!!! They played classical music for our daughter's outside wedding, perfect music during dinner, and the best dancing music ever ( with no breaks!) for the rest of the night. The dance floor was packed until the evening ended. Everyone, young and old, danced to every song! They honored our every request before and during the reception. I could go on and on.............
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Susan Sent on 05/30/2018One word - perfection! At my niece's wedding, we heard over and over, "This is the best band we've ever seen!" Thanks to Big Ray and the Kool Kats for making the wedding a happy event for everyone - from ages two to 88! Big Ray is awesome! He honors all requests. When he heard that my niece's proposal was at Cinderella's Castle in Disneyworld, he had the band play 'When You Wish Upon a Star' while the wedding couple danced to this special surprise song. The band is a perfect mix of talent, friendliness, and professionalism. Many, many thanks to Big Ray and the Kool Kats for making this the best wedding ever with the best band ever!!
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Rachel Sent on 05/18/2018Ray and the Kool Kats made the party at our wedding! The music kept everyone on the dance floor all night.
Ray was a pleasure to work with and helped make our wedding the best evening for us and our guests.
A must have band for your wedding!
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