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FROM PARTY HOSTS .
. .
"Stan joins me in saying THANK
YOU!!!!!!!!!! You helped make our party a huge success. I am so glad that so many joined in
on the singing and dancing. You are
amazing and everyone enjoyed your music, your singing and your sweet
temperament. I wouldn't think of having a party without you and of course
will recommend you to our friends."
Laurie & Stan K., Emeryville
"Denis was a perfect musician and performer for the St. Patrick's Party in our home for family and friends. We started singing Irish songs with Denis leading us all masterfully on the piano. We then moved on to songs from great musicals, the Beatles, rock-n-roll, etc. All our family and friends are still talking about what such a great evening of music and fun. We can recommend Denis highly for providing wonderful music and making your party a wonderful event."
Joe & Joanna M., San Jose
"Denis was truly amazing at my parents' 50th wedding anniversary party! He took any request and was very professional. He is easy going and very talented. I would highly recommend Denis to all my friends and family."
Janae & Scott C., Los Gatos
"I was very happy with Denis' piano playing at our Christmas Party. He was great to work with and the music was wonderful, and I would hire him again. He took lots of requests and played for the adults as well as fun songs for the kids. he has a really nice singing voice, so the Sinatra songs were great!"
Noreen & Zahid H., San Jose
"We celebrated a Big Birthday with 120 friends.
We had great food & drink, a charming & comfortable setting and perfect
weather; but Denis was the key and magic ingredient that made the day
outstanding!"
Lana B. & Ray F., Sonoma
"What a fabulous entertainer!!! My
mother celebrated her 75th birthday with a small family gathering at Il Fornaio
restaurant in San Jose last Saturday. She is Italian and loves all types of music, but
especially accordion. When my husband went online to try to find someone
to surprise her, Denis D'Aoust immediately stood out. He had two other
commitments that same day, but managed to fit us in for an hour --which
probably would have been his only break between performances. We were
delighted to have him accommodate us. Denis performed non-stop for over
an hour. He played and sang a variety of Italian and American hits that
brought my mom to tears. We all loved seeing her so happy. She and
my dad even stopped eating to dance to a few of their favorites. Denis
gave her --and us-- a night we will remember forever. He is a true
professional who is not only an amazing musical entertainer, but also a very
warm and personable individual. I would highly recommend him to help make
ANY event, a memorable one."
Karen & Randy S., Dos Palos
"I hired Denis for a surprise 50th Anniversary party for my parents. Denis was a wonderful person to work with. Several people approached me during the party and said how great and talented Denis was. He went from playing Italian songs on the accordion, to 1950s hits on his piano, to my mother's all-time favorites. I don't think there is a song that Denis can't play - he was like a human Jukebox! He is very much a talented musician. He made my parents' anniversary very special."
Pamela B., Boulder Creek
"Thank you so much for your piano playing tonight and for your wonderful professionalism. I must say I am so delighted that it worked out that you could play for us. Your help was seamless, we never had to worry about you! I saw you there and then promptly forgot about it, knowing you would take care of everything. Your music was the perfect beautiful complement to the festivities. I cannot thank you enough! I will recommend you to everyone I know!!"
Elizabeth L., San Francisco Ballet ENCORE!
"I knew immediately from the time I found Denis that he was just perfect for our Oktoberfest event. My entire experience making the arrangements with Denis were so easy and professional, I felt very comfortable with every aspect of the process. Our committee received so many compliments from the guests at our party about Denis' musicality...they loved him! When Denis played piano and sang throughout the evening, people danced and had a wonderful time. I would recommend Denis to anyone who wants their party to be a success."
Peggy J., Vacaville!
"Denis was the
"hit" of the evening. He played and we all sang and danced to music
of the 50's thru current favorites.
He was so good we asked him to stay and play for an additonal two hours. My guest were clamoring to get one of his cards. He was very
professional and extemely well groomed. There is no question, that I would hire
him again."
Chris M., Los Altos, CA
"I couldn't have asked for anything better than Denis's performance. Denis
arrived on time, was courteous and sympathetic when the party was delayed, and
played perfectly. It was a 40s theme birthday party for my girlfriend, and
he played standards with soul and precision. I can't recall a single missed note! And
Denis was charming and sweet. All in all you could not go wrong hiring Mr.
D'Aoust!"
Jeff H., Oakland, CA
"Thanks to you, Saturday's party was a great success! It was truly a pleasure having you here and experiencing your wonderful performance. Our guests were equally impressed and some of them picked up your cards for future reference. We'll certainly keep you in mind for other events and we'll spread the word about your amazing talents."
Mehdi J., Menlo Park, CA
"Thank
you for performing at the Junior League's Home Tour in San Francisco's Sea Cliff neighborhood. You were the consummate professional in all
of our dealings, and your performance at our event was truly delightful! It was a particular pleasure to see how well
you interacted with our guests. Your easy charm and
your lively performance truly
enhanced the ambiance of the Home Tour, and I hope to have the pleasure of
working with you again one day."
Dru M., Junior League of San Francisco
"Mr. D'Aoust was very professional and arrived early. Wow!...what an amazing
talent! Denis knows so many songs, he could play any song that was requested and
not once did he have to stop to look up the sheet music. Along with his knowledge of
music, he is a very talented singer, and he even brings an extra microphone for the
guests to use. My father and his buddies love to sing and we have hired 5
pianists in the past, but Denis was by far superior to the others. Way to go,
Denis! Hope to see you again real soon."
Laura W., Morgan Hill, CA
"Our guests enjoyed the entertainment and the particular songs played and sung.
Denis helped make the party a success. Denis moved around the the room (with his accordion) engaging
the guests unobtrusively. It was a pleasure having him. Thank you so much."
Carmel J., San Mateo, CA
"Thank you for donating your time and talents to
Raphael House for the Valentine Ranch fundraising event. It was such a
treat for all the children and I really, really appreciate your
generosity. “Cowboy Den at the Red Carpet Corral” was a bit hit! It was quite heartwarming to see all the
children dancing a jig near you."
Elaine L., Raphael House, San Francisco, CA
FROM WEDDING COUPLES .
. .
"Denis was the epitome of a professional. His eagerness to provide a wonderful ceremony and reception (the latter a casino format that required a special atmosphere) was consistently apparent. He has a wonderful sense of humor, and a style that made our wedding a success from start to finish. The difficulty of the songs chosen for the processional (Con Te Partiro) and the mother/son dance (La Vie En Rose) demonstrated Denis' incredible vocal skill and control. I couldn't imagine our event without his participation. We are grateful and impressed."
Rodney & Errol, Walnut Creek, CA
"We are so thankful to you - you were a huge part of the success of the evening. We had many, many positive comments and we owe a great deal of the credit to you. You seemed to sense the mood of the moment and adjust to keep things lively, or sentimental and romantic, as appropriate. Your transitioning us from event to event was perfect. With your on-stage Emcee presence, we were entirely free to have a good time, knowing that things would proceed without any need for our attention. We are big fans!"
Jim & Cookie, Los Altos, CA
"We couldn't have been more pleased with Denis' music. He went out of his way to
work with us before our event, to make sure that we'd have the music we wanted,
when we wanted it. He arrived early, was very polite and friendly, and as for
his musical ability...he's the best! Both his playing and singing were
excellent, for the ceremony and for the reception. He got requests from some guests and was easily able to play &
sing them...he is truly a top professional musician. We would hire him again in
a minute!"
Diana & Joseph, Monterey, CA
"We want to thank you so very much for the beautiful songs you performed. Your voice is so pleasant to listen to, and you definitely filled the church with warmth. I also can't believe how easy it was to work with you and just have everything fall into place."
Jane & Doug, Santa Clara, CA
“Albert
and I would like to thank you for the wonderful piano music you performed
at our wedding. Your music was fantastic
and amazing! During the long delay, you
were able to play so many different tunes without any problem, which made our
ceremony extra special. We have received
numerous compliments from everyone on your performance. Words
cannot describe how grateful we are. We hope
our paths will cross again in the future.”
Marilyn & Albert, San Mateo, CA
"Thank you so much for providing Karina and I with such great music. Everyone enjoyed both the ceremony and the reception, and much of this was because of you."
Karina & Aaron, Santa Clara, CA
"Denis was very friendly and professional. It was a hectic day, and with no instruction he was able to integrate perfectly into the ceremony. Of all the vendors we worked with, he was the only one who far exceeded our expectations!"
Christi & Rishard, Sunnyvale, CA
"Not only did we thoroughly enjoy your music, but we were just thrilled to work with you on a personal level. You were extremely responsive to our needs and requests, you were punctual, you were flexible, and you went out of your way to make sure that you catered to our every wish. It's the kind of personal touch that really makes a difference, especially on an occasion like a wedding."
Greg & Bernadette, Menlo Park, CA
"Thank you for making our wedding so much more memorable through your music. You have a beautiful voice, and we are very impressed at how you prepared yourself for the wedding."
Janice & Attila, Mountain View, CA
"Thank you so much for the lovely music you played on our wedding day. It provided just the atmosphere we were looking for. Whether you were playing Jewish traditional or Broadway, you and your digital piano were great in sounding like a piano, an organ, a harp, and even a jazz group!"
Mitchell & Supriya, San Mateo, CA
FOR HIS PERFORMANCES .
. .
• Of Denis' talent, prize-winning author and music critic Austin Clarke wrote "In all my years listening to piano and voice, Denis D'Aoust's is the supreme example of performer and interpretation ... the best! And when listening to the tunes on these discs, I am convinced again that I am listening to genius. Denis D'Aoust is that genius."
• Toronto Sun entertainment columnist Joe Warmington, in his column "The Night Scrawler," wrote "...whenever he plays, he just enjoys the power of music and how it moves people. Denis D'Aoust is already a star."
• While the resident entertainer at Toronto’s prestigious Sutton Place Hotel, Denis D'Aoust received rave reviews from critics. Celebrities who regularly stopped by to hear Denis sing and play included Ed Harris who often requested that Denis play Elton John songs, Pat Morita who once went around with a glass collecting tips for Denis, and Gary Busey who jammed with Denis on Buddy Holly tunes.
• As the entertainer aboard the luxury French passenger yacht Le Levant, Denis D'Aoust won praise from all passengers, including Bob & Cheryl S. who wrote "Denis, it's a pleasure to see a very talented person use his abilities to share his joy of music for the enjoyment of others. Your music and personality added to our cruise immeasurably. Thanks for sweet memories." Lynn & Jack K. noted "There's no request Denis can't fill. He made every night special." Alexandra & Tom D. said "We loved to dance to the wide variety of music Denis played so well—he makes ballads romantic, rocks like the best, and plays a mean tango!"
• At the plush Carlton Hotel in St. Moritz, Switzerland, British guest Jonathan P. remarked that Denis' "vocal range was simply brilliant." German guests Dieter & Susanne H. said "We've been coming here for several years and have never enjoyed such good music." American honeymooners Kathy & Paul C. were delighted that Denis knew their "special wedding song," while Brazilians Paolo & Maria F. felt that Denis' music "...was perfect for our holiday ... on New Year's Eve we enjoyed dancing to your music more than to the two large bands in the ballrooms."
FOR
HIS STUDIO & PRODUCTION WORK . . .
• Big City Blues recording artist/singer/songwriter
Diana Braithwaite writes "My experience working with Denis was an excellent one, and resulted in a CD that has received rave reviews, international radio airplay and sales, and has generated many club & festival bookings. Throughout the production process Denis was creative, patient, giving, hardworking and always considerate. It's hard to find such a well-qualified producer/ engineer who really gives the artists the chance to fulfill their dream instead of his own."
• Composer and musician
Joseph Civitella notes that “As a producer, Denis D'Aoust has an extraordinary gift to awaken the music that I heard deep in my soul. As a musician, Denis' ability to take a simple song and turn it into a masterpiece is incredible. As a human being, he has the integrity of character that is truly heartwarming and nurturing."
• Jazz guitarist Steve Groves writes
"It's always a pleasure working with Denis. I find that he is efficient with his mastery of recording technology as well as providing a sympathetic ear when needed. All of this is a reflection of Denis' lifelong commitment to music."
• Of Denis' digital audio editing on his CDs and film music, four-time Juno Award nominee and Borealis Records blues & jazz recording artist/songwriter Chris Whiteley wrote "Denis, what would we have done without you! You were indispensible - a top-notch pro."
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