Sarlas Music, Inc.

Chris Sarlas and his band kept everyone on the dance floor all night long. Afterwards, friends told me the dance floor was the default- almost no one sat and watched. Chris was super professional and answered all our questions. He was flexible on day-of and really made the reception a success!

We could not have asked more from Chris and the band on our wedding day. From meeting with Chris to discuss the various introductions and timeline of the day to experiencing the music in person on our wedding day, our experience with the band was amazing! We know our day was enjoyed by all of our guests because of the beautiful and fun atmosphere provided by the band. Everyone danced all night and raved to us about the excellent music at our wedding. We couldn’t be happier about our day thanks to Chris and the band!

The Sarlas 5 put on a SHOW. This group was absolutely fantastic and kept the party going from the time first dances started all the way till 11 pm and then they stayed to DJ until 1am! I have had guests come and ask for their information because they enjoyed them so much. Big thank you to the band!!

Chris and his talented musicians lite the night up with both Greek and Contemporary music! Literally everyone was on the dance floor and even created their own dance circles . The vibe was contagious and Chris was the easiest to work with . Oh, I can't forget the fabulous music provided for the cocktail hour... so professional and just the perfect background to set the stage for the reception. Sarlas Band always delivers! Thank you Chris

Chris Sarlas and The Chris Sarlas Orchestra were simply amazing! At this point we have been working with Chris for nearly two years throughout the pandemic and he was extremely flexible and accommodating as we changed our date and location three times. Everyone is still raving how amazing the band was, the dance floor was packed until the lights came on. Chris helped us plan everything and ensure the night went seamlessly, even helping to coordinate a performance for my brother. Truly an amazing experience and one we will never forget. Thank you!!!!

My husband and I worked with Chris, and we were thrilled to be hiring the orchestra to play at our wedding. We had to shift our plans when COVID hit, but Chris was so kind and understanding. he worked with us so we could use our deposit toward a jazz trio for the reception. He kept careful notes and remembered so many details from our conversations. He was able to help us keep the spirit of our musical choices, even without the whole band. I can't recommend Chris enough. He was so attentive and kind. He even when out of his way to learn some Lebanese songs for my husband's family!

Great jazz music. Our daughter was recently married in Chicago, and as parents, we were looking for an instrumental jazz band to play American Standards during the reception and dinner prior to bringing on a DJ to play dance music. We found the perfect band through Sarlas Music Company. Chris Sarlas was very helpful; he listened to what we wanted and assembled the perfect set of musicians--Soth and Caruso--who are highly accomplished musicians to play as a duo for the reception followed by their full band for dinner. As a duo of piano and sax, Soth and Caruso played for an hour during the reception. My son, who is a musician, fed them with requests—ranging from Miles Davis to Frank Sinatra, which they played without hesitation. When dinner started, they shifted rooms and brought on a drummer, bass player, and guitar to make a 5-piece, which was just perfect as lively but not overpowering dinner music for the 200-person event. At the end of the dinner, they deftly ceded the floor to a DJ, who took it from there. We highly recommend Sarlas Music and in particular, Soth and Caruso, either as a duo or in full band mode.

Chris and his wife have such a great operation going with Sarlas Music. They were responsive, great at communicating any needs to ensure that my big day was absolutely perfect. MY husband and I are big music people, and the band did not disappoint on the big day. The singers were great and interacted with the people dancing a bit which was nice, the rest of the band was so in tune and played the requested songs perfectly. I could not have asked for a better MC, and band for my bid day. They went from playing the ceremony, to cocktail hour, dinner and then reception and at each phase they were perfectly in tune with the feeling and the flow of the wedding.

When my now husband (eek!) and I first realistically looked at our budget, we knew realistically it was best to go with a DJ. There's nothing wrong with DJ's of course, but we're both musicians so we were quite bummed about it. I called Chris on a whim because I just had a gut feeling a few weeks later...and I'm so happy I did. He gave us a very reasonable price. After Chris and my husband bonded over their shared love of the Sopranos we got to talking about music and our vision of what the wedding day would be was so shared that we really didn't have to think about it. We moved some money around in our budget and we made it work...I completely suggest you do the same if you can! Chris and Carol were helpful, professional, supportive, and entertaining from day one to the big day. Their band is FANTASTIC! Our guests are still talking to them. There were quite a bit of different cultures in our family that needed to be represented and I know they worked hard to ensure each was there on our big day. I've never seen my dad dance to music from his country the way he did that night and for that I am so grateful to what the Sarlas Experience provided us. Guests who we expected to leave, based on prior events, right after cake were closing the place down on the dance floor! Please strongly consider booking them, they're amazing and we love them! Chris & Carol, thank you so much for everything!

The Chris Sarlas Orchestra was truly the BEST part of our wedding. From start to finish, they made our night so special. We met with them twice to pick our playlist and listen to music together--it was such a personalized experience! The band operated like a well-oiled machine the night of the wedding. The transitions were smooth and not a second was wasted. They even had transition music during speeches while waiting for people to walk up to the microphone. They followed our schedule precisely. Most importantly, the music was INCREDIBLE! I still have people talking about the band. They kept everybody dancing all night. I truly couldn't ask for a better band, and I'll say it again: Chris Sarlas Orchestra was the best part of our wedding! Thank you!

When my fiancee and I set out to find music for our wedding day, we ran into the age-old question "band or DJ?". I believe that a fantastic band is better than any DJ on earth, but a just-mediocre band is easily beaten by a middling DJ. Luckily for us, the Chris Sarlas Orchestra is a tremendous band and truly took our celebration to the next level. From our first contact, Chris was professional, responsive, and organized, the sort of vendor you feel comfortable leaving in charge of his domain so you can enjoy the night. Throughout the process, our opinion of Chris only improved, as he took the time to meet with us to discuss our music tastes, must-haves (and must-avoids), and to get a sense of what sort of vibe we wanted. He also had a very well-organized questionnaire that made sure we weren't forgetting any aspects of the reception (specific songs for cake cutting, etc). As we finalized our decisions, Chris was helpful in answering any questions we had as well as making insightful suggestions about our schedule of events, all while emphasizing that the day had to be a reflection of us as a couple. So, as a wedding vendor, Chris was a dream to work with, but how was the music? Unbelievably good. Day of, Chris and his band owned the stage, playing all of our requests and picking songs that felt hand-selected for our guests. At one point, we had a toast go longer than expected, so Chris adjusted the schedule on the fly to make sure there were no awkward pauses or lulls in the energy, and no one noticed. The band brings so much energy in person, we definitely had a full dance floor. We received endless compliments throughout the evening from guests saying that this was by far the best wedding band they had ever heard. While researching bands, we looked into a few others that were significantly more expensive than the Chris Sarlas Orchestra. I cannot imagine what the added value would be, because Chris and his band delivered a perfect evening for us. I would strongly recommend Chris to anyone who is looking to book a live band for their event. Cannot say enough good things!

The Chris Sarlas Orchestra is THE best wedding band in the Chicagoland area. Chris Sarlas is a fantastic bandleader. When my wife Katherine and I were meeting with different bands, Chris asked us what we wanted and catered to both of our favorite genres of music and he had the band learn some hard songs! He also helped me with my original song that I had a BLAST performing with the band with his band. He is truly invested in personalizing your evening and putting on a great party that will be remembered for years to come. Not to mention: his musicians are all top-of-the-line. I cannot recommend them enough!

We were so lucky to have used the Chris Sarlas Orchestra for our wedding. Chris and Carol were unbelievable to work with throughout the wedding planning process and helped us throw an amazing party! Our friends and family continue to talk about how good the band was. I can't recommend them enough.

Using the Chris Sarlas Orchestra has become one of our family's BEST wedding traditions! From my cousins' weddings to my own, this group ROCKS it from Stevie Wonder to Lady Gaga (and of course, the Greek dance music set is best in Chicago). We had compliments all night (and still get them now) on how fun they were and how amazing they sounded (coming from a wedding full of musicians, that's a big deal!). Thank you Chris & Carol for being so fantastic to work with and helping with special song requests. I'm sure we'll be dancing with you again at future family weddings!

We crashed an awful lot of weddings trying to find just the right band for my daughter's wedding. We wanted a group that could play all of the styles of music we enjoy - from Buble and Ed Sheeran to Bruno Mars and Motown, and keep the party going all evening. So much wasted energy - we should have just called Chris and Carol. The Carol Sarlas Orchestra made the evening perfect! So many guests came up to me during the course of the wedding with compliments on the music. The music could not have sounded better if we had the original artists performing the hits - they were that good. Thanks to Carol and her team for a fabulous evening!

Chris Sarlas was amazing! We cannot thank him enough. The music was fantastic and he really got the crowd engaged. No one stayed in their seats. We requested they play a few songs they did not know, but they learned them and played them like pros! We also requested not to have a few songs played (i.e. all country music), and they listened! We also did the hora, which was amazing! Our guests had the time of their lives! We had many questions, which Chris answered easily. He made it effortless! Highly recommend. It was perfect! Book him!!

Thanks to The Chris Sarlas Orchestra for providing an over the top,outstanding evening of entertainment for my son's wedding. They were even able to include some live music for Greek dancing, incredible!!

We had the pleasure of having Artstrings play at our daughter's wedding ceremony on 5/30/15. The music was absolutely perfect! They played selections ranging from The Beatles to Pachelbel's Canon in D, and I can tell you that there wasn't a dry eye in the room. All I can say is the music was stunningly beautiful and made a magical ceremony even more unforgettable! I recommend Artstings without hesitation for your wedding or event.

We hired the Chris Sarlas Orchestra for our wedding in downtown Chicago in June 2014. Living in California, it was extra challenging to plan our wedding in Chicago. Chris Sarlas did everything he could to make the process as smooth as possible. We met with him during one of our visits to Chicago to do the initial planning. Then, all details were finalized via e-mail and phone. Chris was extremely responsive and available for any questions. The weeks prior to our wedding, Chris was in touch with us regularly to finalize the "day of" details. It was apparent that Chris wanted us to feel relaxed and have complete confidence in his abilities. We were beyond impressed on our wedding day! Chris was an excellent emcee and set a fantastic vibe for our crowd. When the band started playing, the music was incredible! Our guests were very impressed, and we were 100% happy that we choose a band instead of a DJ. The personal experience and beautiful music made our wedding day magical and unforgettable. We highly recommend the Chris Sarlas Orchestra!

Wow - this band made the difference! Everyone and I mean EVERYONE wanted to get up on dance. If they weren't dancing they wanted to be on the dance floor to be part of the action. The music was absolutely perfect. We had a mix of classical wedding selection, Greek, and more modern songs. From the start of the wedding couples were drawn the dance floor. My husband and I hadn't even had our first dance but they couldn't help themselves! Song order was perfect and everything was done so that there was never a dull moment. My husband and I keep getting comments about how much fun the band was and how great the music was. Chris and his wife Carol are also great to work with. I was able to speak with them a few days before the wedding and finalize last minute information. Overall awesome band!

We used the Chris Sarlas Band for our cocktail hour and reception. The band was truly AMAZING. We recieved so many compliments from our guests. I never expected to see everyone (grandparents included)dancing till the early morning. The transitions between songs never missed a beat. The music they played was totally appropiate for all ages. The singers were great! Choose the Chris Sarlas Band and you will NOT be disappointed.

Chris and his band handled my ceremony music and the reception. It was perfect from beginning to end. This is a great group of talented vocalists that can handle any type of style you want. All our guests were on the dance floor all night. The introductions and announcements were seamless and natural, keeping the flow of the whole night moving along great. My husband and I had such a blast dancing with everyone and singing along. So glad we went with Chris.

Band sounded great. They had everyone dancing

We used them for our wedding three weeks ago. Tons of guests came up to us during the wedding to tell us how much they loved this band - and we are still hearing it today. What sets them apart is Chris. He is no hack-job cover-band leader. He has a strong formal education in music, tons of experience and is a true lover of music. Yes, the songs are covers, but he has a very talented band and he makes sure they perform each song as though it had been written for them. Believe me, I have seen my share of cheesy wedding bands. Adam Sandler is not showing up with these guys :) they know how to work a crowd and make it a fun night. We also used their strings, Artstrings, for the ceremony and it was beautiful. What can I say? A great string trio for a garden wedding. You can't go wrong with that. For the reception we used the seven piece band, based on Chris' recommendation. He gave us a great price. Don't waste your money on things guests won't remember (party favors, chair covers, over-done centerpieces, whatever...) Spend the money on the things people remember - Food, venue, bar and music. And for goodness sake, don't get a DJ! The best part about working with Chris, though, is his incredible respect and patience for the customer. Weddings can bring out the worst in you, unfortunately. As the wedding got closer and I became more and more nervous, Chris let me know over and over that I was in good hands and I could count on him for anything I needed. He gave much more of himself than you would expect from a band leader - he kept me sane. We are so grateful.